ADVICE TO A CHRISTIAN LEADER
2 Timothy 2:22–26 …paraphrased
Flee from youthful passions; run in pursuit of righteousness in the company of those who call on the Lord from a clean conscience. Have nothing to do with foolish and stupid arguments, for you know that they only breed quarrels. The servant of the Lord must not fight, rather he must be kindly to all, apt to teach, forbearing, disciplining his opponents by gentleness. It may be that God will enable them to repent, so that they will come to know the truth, and so that they will escape from the snare of the devil, when they are captured alive by God’s servant that they may do God’s will.

HERE is a passage of most practical advice for Christian leaders and teachers.

Timothy is told to flee from youthful lusts. Many commentators have made suggestions as to what these youthful lusts are. They are far more than the passions of the flesh. They include that impatience, which has never learned to make haste slowly and has still to discover that too much haste can do far more harm than good; that self-assertion, which is intolerant in its opinions and arrogant in its expression of them, and which has not yet learned to see the good in points of view other than its own; that love of debate, which tends to argue long and act little, and which will talk the night away and be left with nothing but a litter of unsolved problems; and that love of novelty, which tends to condemn a thing simply because it is old and to desire a thing simply because it is new, underrating the value of experience. One thing is to be noted – the faults of youth are the faults of idealism. It is simply the freshness and intensity of the vision which makes youth run into these mistakes. Such faults are matters not for austere condemnation but for sympathetic correction, for everyone has a virtue hidden beneath it.

Christian teachers and leaders are to aim at righteousness, which means giving both to other people and to God their due; at faith, which means loyalty and reliability which both come from trust in God; at love, which is the utter determination never to seek anything but the highest good of our neighbors, no matter what they do to us, and which has put away forever all bitterness and all desire for vengeance; and at peace, which is the right relationship of loving fellowship with God and with one another. And all these things are to be sought in the company of those who call upon the Lord. Christians must never seek to live apart and aloof from others. They must find their strength and their joy in the Christian fellowship. As John Wesley said: ‘A man must have friends or make friends; for no one ever [goes to the Kingdom] alone.’

Christian leaders must not get involved in senseless controversies which are the curse of the Church. In the modern Church, Christian arguments are usually particularly senseless, for they are seldom about great matters of life and doctrine and faith, but almost always about unimportant and trivial things. Once leaders become involved in senseless and un-Christian controversy, they have forfeited all right to lead.

Christian leaders must be kindly to all; even when they have to criticize and point out a fault, it must be done with the gentleness which never seeks to hurt. They must be apt teachers; they must not only know the truth but also be able to communicate it, and they will do that not so much by talking about it as by living in such a way that they show Christ to others. They must be forbearing; like their Master, if they are criticized they must not respond with similar criticism; they must be able to accept insult and injury, slights and humiliations, as Jesus accepted them. There may be greater sins than touchiness, but there is none which does greater damage in the Christian Church. They must discipline their opponents in gentleness; their hands must be like the hands of a surgeon, unerring to find the diseased spot, yet never for a moment causing unnecessary pain. They must love people, not browbeat them into submission to the truth.

The last sentence of this passage [verse 26] is in very complex Greek, but it seems to be a hope that God will awaken repentance and the desire for the truth in people’s hearts, so that those who are trapped by the devil may be rescued while their souls are still alive and brought into obedience to the will of God by the work of his servants. It is God who awakes the repentance; it is the Christian leaders who open the door of the Church to all who have [repentant] hearts. ~Barclay's commentary

Now to the other commentaries. As usual, we will begin with the general and move to the specific.

Paul here exhorts Timothy to beware of youthful lusts, 2 Timothy 2:22. Though he was a holy good man, very much mortified to the world, yet Paul thought it necessary to caution him against youthful lusts: “Flee them, take all possible care and pains to keep thyself pure from them.” The lusts of the flesh are youthful lusts, which young people must carefully watch against, and the best must not be secure. He prescribes an excellent remedy against youthful lusts: Follow righteousness, faith, charity peace, etc. Observe,

1. Youthful lusts are very dangerous, for which reason even hopeful young people should be warned of them, for they war against the soul, 1 Peter 2:11.

2. The exciting of our graces will be the extinguishing of our corruptions; the more we follow that which is good the faster and the further we shall flee from that which is evil. Righteousness, and faith, and love, will be excellent antidotes against youthful lusts. Holy love will cure impure lust. - Follow peace with those that call on the Lord. The keeping up of the communion of saints will take us off from all fellowship with unfruitful works of darkness. See the character of Christians: they are such as call on the Lord Jesus Christ, out of a pure heart. Observe, Christ is to be prayed to. It is the character of all Christians that they call upon him; but our prayers to God and Christ are not acceptable nor successful except they come out of a pure heart. ~Matthew Henry Main

Next the Matthew Henry Concise which covers verses 22-26.

The more we follow that which is good, the faster and the further we shall flee from that which is evil. The keeping up the communion of saints, will take us from fellowship with unfruitful works of darkness. See how often the apostle cautions against disputes in religion; which surely shows that religion consists more in believing and practicing what God requires, than in subtle disputes. Those are unapt to teach, who are apt to strive, and are fierce and froward. Teaching, not persecution, is the Scripture method of dealing with those in error. The same God who gives the discovery of the truth, by his grace brings us to acknowledge it, otherwise our hearts would continue to rebel against it. There is no “peradventure,” in respect of God's pardoning those who do repent; but we cannot tell that he will give repentance to those who oppose his will. Sinners are taken in a snare, and in the worst snare, because it is the devil's; they are slaves to him. And if any long for deliverance, let them remember they never can escape, except by repentance, which is the gift of God; and we must ask it of him by earnest, persevering prayer. ~Matthew Henry Concise

Now look at a few things from the Biblical Illustrator.

Helps against lusts
1. Get a sound knowledge of them.
2. Mortify thy carnal members.
3. Labour for a broken heart. [See sermon: B&C]
4. Be diligent in thy calling. [see sermon: F.D.Z.P.]
5. Abandon lewd companions. [see sermon: Rampageous]
6. And strive to taste deeply of the water of life; favour the best things. (J. Barlow, D. D.) ~Biblical Illustrator

Youthful lusts
And thy lusts of youth are principally these: pride, idleness, pleasure, wantonness. To avoid these See thou—
1. Set a watch over all thy external senses. In presence, view not, touch not. In absence, talk not, think not on wanton affections.
2. Sleep little, eat little, work much, pray much; for take away the fuel and the fire will be quenched.
3. When wandering cogitations [koj-i-tey-shuh n] (thought, reflection, meditation) or suggestions reflect on thy fancy, divert them the contrary way. Forget not this.
4. Attend to good counsel, and follow it; and see before thou purpose anything what the best men advise thee. (J. Barlow, D. D.) ~Biblical Illustrator

A choice between the higher and lower life
Thou hast a double nature. Choose between the worse and the better that is within thee. Thou hast it in thy power to become the slave of passion, the slave of luxury, the slave of sensual pleasure, the slave of corruption. Thou hast it in thy power to become the free master of thyself, to become the everlasting benefactor of thy country, and the unfailing champion of thy God. (Dean Stanley.) ~Biblical Illustrator

Now to the specific commentaries.

I am going to go with Barnes Notes and say that this verse breaks out in three parts.

1] Flee also youthful lusts.
2] But follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace. [Note: Some commentaries break out the individual words].
3] With them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

1] Flee also youthful lusts.

Flee also youthful lusts - Hence, let youthful passions be controlled. Flee these, and follow righteousness. ~People's New Testament

Flee also youthful lusts - Such passions as youth are subject to. On the word “flee,” and the pertinency of its use in such a connection, see the notes at 1 Corinthians 6:18. Paul felt that Timothy, then a young man, was subject to the same passions as other young men; and hence, his repeated cautions to him to avoid all those things, arising from his youth, which might be the occasion of scandal; compare the notes at 1 Timothy 4:12; 1 Timothy 5:2. It is to be remembered that this Epistle is applicable to other ministers, as well as to Timothy; and, to a young man in the ministry, no counsel could be more appropriate than to “flee from youthful lusts;” not to indulge for a moment in those corrupt passions to which youth are subject, but to cultivate the pure and sober virtues which become the ministerial office. ~Barnes Notes

Quoted verses:
1 Corinthians 6:18
Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.

1 Timothy 4:12 [see lesson]
Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.

1 Timothy 5:2 [see lesson]
The elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, with all purity.

Flee also youthful lusts - Not only all irregular and sensual desires, but pride, ambition, and, above all, the lust of power, to which most men will sacrifice all other propensities, their ease, pleasure, health, etc. This is the most bewitching passion in the human heart. Both in Church and state it is ruinous; but particularly so in the former. Timothy was now between thirty and forty years of age, the very age in which ambition and the love of power most generally prevail. Carnal pleasures are the sins of youth; ambition and the love of power the sins of middle age; covetousness and carking cares the crimes of old age. ~Adam Clarke

Flee also youthful lusts - Meaning not lusts of uncleanness, lasciviousness, and filthiness; nor any of those follies and vanities which the youthful age usually lusts and desires after, to which Timothy was not inclined; but such lusts as are apt to prevail with young ministers of the Gospel, such as vain glory, popular applause, seeking to have the pre-eminence, contentions with, and contempt of others, and the like. ~John Gill

Flee also youthful lusts. - The English suggests too exclusively the thought of simple sensual desires, and these were doubtless prominent in Paul’s thoughts, but the words have a wider range, and include a young man’s vanity or ambition or impressiveness as well. ~Popular commentary

2] But follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace. [Note: Some commentaries break out the individual words].

But follow righteousness - compare the notes at Hebrews 12:14. The general meaning here is, that he was to practice all that is good and virtuous. He was to practice righteousness, or justice and equity, in all his dealings with men; faith, or fidelity in his duties; charity, or love to all men (see 1 Corinthians 13--Love chapter); peace, or harmony and concord with all others. What virtues could be more appropriate for a minister of the gospel? ~Barnes Notes

Quoted verse
Hebrews 12:14
Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:

Follow righteousness - Flee from sin, pursue goodness. Righteousness - whatever is just, holy, and innocent. Faith - fidelity both to God and man, improving that grace by which thy soul may be saved, and faithfully discharging the duties of thy office, that thou mayest save the souls of others. Charity - love to God and man. Peace among all the members of the Church, and as far as possible with all men; but especially among those who invoke the Lord out of a pure desire to glorify his name. ~Adam Clarke

But follow righteousness - the righteousness of Christ; or doing that which is just between man and man, and as one man would choose another should do to him; or rather integrity and faithfulness, in the ministry of the word, without seeking honour from men: ~John Gill

Faith - both as a doctrine and grace; or veracity and truth in preaching the Gospel, striving for that, and not through ambition, and for the pre-eminence: ~John Gill

Charity - or love, to God and Christ, and to his people; without which all gifts and works are of no avail; and which will engage a man to bear much, and to hope and believe all things: ~John Gill

3] With them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

With them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart - That is, with all Christians, who are often characterized as those who call on the Lord; 1 Corinthians 1:2; compare Acts 9:11. In all his social contact with them, Timothy was to manifest the virtues above recommended. But not with them alone. It would be incumbent on him to exhibit the same virtues in his intercourse with all. ~Barnes Notes

Quoted verses:
1 Corinthians 1:2
Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:

Acts 9:11
And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and enquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth,

Peace with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart. - peace is to be pursued and followed after with all men, as much as possible, but especially with the saints, the true worshippers of God; who draw nigh to him with true hearts, and call upon him in the sincerity of their souls: great care should be taken that peace be maintained with them; for they have great interest at the throne of grace; and God is nigh unto them, and hears their prayers. The Alexandrian copy reads, "with all that love the Lord". ~John Gill