CONDUCT FOR A LIFE OF SERVICE

Adeniyi Otemade
Jul 25, 2025
3 min read

📖 2 Timothy 2:22–24“

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.”

Living a life of service isn’t about status or spotlight — it’s about becoming more like Jesus, who modeled the ultimate example of servanthood. Mark 10:45 reminds us:

“For even the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.”

As God’s people, we’ve been set apart to reflect His love, truth, and character in a broken world. Just as He told Jeremiah, “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you… I set you apart for a special work” (Jeremiah 1:5). This calling requires conduct that mirrors our commission.

Let’s walk through three powerful principles that shape the conduct of a true servant of the Lord.

1. Flee from Youthful Lusts

The command to “flee youthful lusts” isn’t just for the young. It’s a charge to everyone to turn away from desires that derail our walk with Christ. While sexual temptation is a common struggle, lusts can also include:

💸 Greed — an unhealthy craving for wealth (1 Timothy 6:10–11)
🏆 Idolatry — placing anything before God (1 Corinthians 10:14)
🎭 Pride & approval addiction — the lust for recognition or influence

1 Corinthians 6:18 urges, “Run from sexual sin!” And 1 John 2:16 warns us not to chase after the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, or the pride of life.

The call to flee is urgent. We don’t negotiate with sin — we run from it.

2. Follow a Prescribed Pattern of Godly Living

Instead of lust, God calls us to pursue something better:

✅ Righteousness — right standing and living before God
✅ Faith — active trust in His Word and character (Hebrews 11:6)
✅ Love — the highest expression of God’s nature (1 John 4:8)
✅ Peace — unity and harmony with others from a pure heart

This pursuit isn’t passive. It’s a deliberate decision to align your daily life with God’s design. When we walk in these virtues, we reflect Christ and become vessels of honor.

📖 Matthew 5:8 says, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”

3. Forsake Foolish Arguments

Not every disagreement is worth your energy. Paul warns us to avoid ignorant and foolish disputes because they only lead to division and strife.

The mature servant of God:

🕊️ Is gentle, not quarrelsome
📖 Is able to teach, not just debate
🕰️ Is patient, even with those who oppose truth

We’re called to correct with grace, teach with clarity, and love with humility. We don’t win arguments for Christ — we win hearts for Him.

📖 1 Timothy 6:3–5 reminds us that false teachings and petty quarrels produce envy, friction, and division. But the true servant leads with humility, not hostility.