Problem: Here the apostle makes the sweeping statement that “all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.” This appears to be in flat contradiction to Solomon’s claim that “When a man’s ways please the Lord, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him” (Prov. 16:7). How can both be true?
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Problem: Paul refers to “Jannes and Jambres” who “opposed Moses” (2 Tim. 3:8). However, the OT never refers to either of these men. Who were they?
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Problem: Paul writes that “God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth” (2 Tim. 2:25). Some interpreters argue that we cannot repent, unless God grants this to us (c.f. Acts 5:31). Does this eliminate the importance of freewill in regard to repentance? In other words, are we responsible for repentance or is God?
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Problem: Paul speaks here of God “granting them repentance, so that they may know the truth” (cf. Acts 5:31). Yet in other places, repentance is considered a person’s own act. Jesus, for example, calls on people to “Repent, and believe in the Gospel” (Mark 1:15). Paul tells us that God “commands all men everywhere to repent” (Acts 17:30). But doesn’t it have to be either an act of God or else an act of the individual believer?
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Problem: Paul seemed to forbid theological arguments when he instructed Timothy “not to strive about words to no profit” (2 Tim. 2:14) and to “avoid foolish and ignorant disputes” (v. 23). On the other hand, Paul himself argued with the Jews in their synagogues (Acts 17:2, 17) and disputed with the philosophers on Mars Hill (Acts 17:18ff). Indeed, Jude exhorted us “to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3).
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Problem: Paul writes, “If we deny Him, He also will deny us” (2 Tim. 2:12). The context of “we” in this passage refers to believers in Christ. Can a Christian go to hell, if they deny Christ?
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Problem: Paul affirms in this text that Christ “has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel.” But death is not abolished, since “death spread to all men” (Rom. 5:12), and “it is appointed for men to die once” (Heb. 9:27).
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Problem: Paul tells Timothy to “kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands” (2 Tim. 1:6). What was Timothy’s gift, and why was it given through the laying on of Paul’s hands?
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Problem: Jesus urged the rich young ruler to “sell what you have and give to the poor” (Matt. 19:21). The early disciples sold their possessions and laid the money at the apostles’ feet (Acts 4:34–35). And Paul warned that “the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil” (1 Tim. 6:10). However, God blessed Abraham and Job with riches, and Paul does not instruct the rich to give away all they have, but to use and “richly enjoy” (1 Tim. 6:17–18).
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Problem: According to Paul, God “dwells in unapproachable light.” However, the Bible repeatedly says things like “the Lord said He would dwell in the dark cloud” (1 Kings 8:12) because “He made darkness His secret place (Ps. 18:11; cf. 97:2). Which is it—darkness or light?
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