The Ruin of the Hearers

2 timothy 2:14 (NKJV)

Remind them of these things, charging them before the Lord not to strive about words to no profit, to the ruin of the hearers.

The KJV translates the same verse as this:

Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive 3054 not about words 3054 to no profit 5539, but to the subverting 2692 of the hearers 191.

3054:
strive λογομαχέω logomacheō
1) to contend about words
2) to wrangle about empty and trifling matters

Root Word (Etymology) from a compound of G3056 and G3164; "word" and "fight":

3164:
fight μάχομαι machomai
1) to fight
a) of armed combatants, or those who engage in a hand to hand struggle
b) of those who engage in a war of words, to quarrel, wrangle, dispute
c) of those who contend at law for property and privileges

5539:
profit χρήσιμος chrēsimos
1) fit for use, useful

2692:
subverting καταστροφή katastrophē
1) overthrow, destruction
a) of cities
2) metaphorical of the extinction of a spirit of consecration

--The only other citation of the word "katastrophē" (2692) is in 2 peter 2:6, which says:

And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow 2692, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly....

191:
hearers ἀκούω akouō
1) to be endowed with the faculty of hearing, not deaf
2) to hear
b) to attend to, consider what is or has been said
c) to understand, perceive the sense of what is said
3) to hear something
a) to perceive by the ear what is announced in one's presence
b) to get by hearing learn
c) a thing comes to one's ears, to find out, learn
d) to give ear to a teaching or a teacher
e) to comprehend, to understand

I see these things pop out in the Greek:

-- "word-fight" (3054-3054)
-- "overthrow" of "that which is received and perceived"
-- contending for property and privileges

This verse in 2 Timothy asserts that striving for word privileges causes the message once perceived to be destroyed.

There have been many months dedicated to giving a fitting label to the "consistent" or by another term, "crossless" gospel. The CG (consistent/crossless gospel) advocates occasionally testify that they are offended and repulsed at the "crossless" label. The ones who have applied this term make a case that it is fitting. The CG advocates have asked one of many other options be used in its place. But the ones who coined it insist in keeping it, justifying its use by pointing out that, by their understanding, the term is accurate & truthful.

Let's presume the term "crossless" is accurate and true as a summation of that gospel message. Is "true" the one and only important quality in speech? No; there are other roughly-equally important qualities inherent to a message from the Word and so should our own language model after its teachings. Therefore the term "crossless," while perhaps (or perhaps not) being true, is not yet a finished product.

What goes alongside truth?

Ephesians 4:29

Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

Non-ministering communications and other strivings over words, are sinful. We now know what not to do. What does it look like to have communication work a redemption? What did Jesus do?

Luke 7:37-39

And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil, and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil.

It is unrecorded exactly what this woman had known of Jesus and His teachings. Nevertheless she came literally in a break-through. His declarations made her come running. Imagine a ministry of the Word of God that made the people come running in gratitude, like a sheep at the shepherd's voice....

How do we go from here, "corruptive" to there: "ministering"? I am not sure myself. But I know that with the help of the Holy Spirit we might learn to hold our tongue during those times where grace is practiced. There is space for grace by means of not always demanding truth in every detail.

The very next verse after 2 timothy 2:14 is a famous verse:

Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Five verses later is another famous passage. It says that not all people teach with success. Not all are like a vessel of honor in usefulness. A servant of the Lord may discover victory in capturing those ensnared in error, through applying grace to their message.

But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor. Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work. Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife. And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.

Can the Word of God be used in such a way as to generate strife? I believe it can. I ask again: can a holy blameless Word, even though it never returns wholly void, be used in a quarrelsome manner? I believe it can. Perhaps not every manner of preaching is equally redemptive.

Preaching and teaching and other uses of the Word of God may or may not be sanctified, on an individual basis.