For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
2 Timothy 4:3
Within Christianity, there are literally thousands of Christian denominations.
If you gathered ten random Christians in a room, and ask them what a few verses mean, you are likely to get ten different answers. Interestingly enough, each of those ten will think they are correct. In reality, at least nine of them are going to be wrong.
So in a sense, long ago we left the sound doctrine of Scripture. We replaced it with the beliefs of the denomination we subscribe to. Yet, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ never mentioned denominations. He never quoted church books, or what some pastor taught, only Scripture.
How often do we do that?
The Lusts Of The World
Today, the situation is even worse.
Christians are continually being led away from Christ by embracing doctrines that conform to the lusts of the world. We are led to believe, we need to modernize Christianity by accepting various (sinful) lifestyles into the church.
I hear about this all the time, especially in light of homosexuality which is now considered, acceptable to society. This worldly idea has been placed right into the church with many houses of God now having, homosexual pastors.
Now that right there, that is exactly what 2 Timothy 4:3 was talking about. It’s one thing for us to have various Biblical beliefs, it’s quite another to accept blatant sin into the church. Yet, I am reminded this happened long ago when religious men accepted heathen practices into the church.
Easter comes to mind.
We Are In The World, But Not A Part Of It
There is one thing we commonly forget or lose sight of.
That Jesus told us we are in the world, but we are not a part of the world. Yet, the world talks very sweet. She butters us up and whispers sweet nothings in our ears. It sounds good, right, and dare I say, “fun”.
When we start listening to the morality of the world, that is when we have left sound doctrine. That is when we have allowed ourselves to be led away by our own lusts. Once that occurs, we only find the people who agree with our newfound point of view.
Study and news with a fresh Christian perspective in your inbox.
The ones that accept and even encourage the sin or whatever removed us from sound doctrine.
That’s when we have heaped together those teachers that itch our ears, those who are willing to entertain a deceptive doctrine. This doctrine even replaces Christ with things like, politics, which becomes more important than the Bible itself.
Yet, Jesus told us we cannot serve two masters, (Matthew 6:24). We cannot serve the world and Christ. The two are simply incompatible. Rarely do we remember verses like that though.
In The Latter Times…
Today, Christianity is being portrayed as a relic of the past, but I guarantee you, it’s anything but that. The mindset we see today is exactly what we were warned would transpire in the Last Days.
We were told,
- “In the latter times some shall depart from the faith,” (1 Timothy 4:1).
- “In the last days perilous times shall come,” (2 Timothy 3:1).
- “For men shall be lovers of their own selves,” (2 Timothy 3:2).
- “Lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God”, (2 Timothy 3:4).
- “Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away”, (2 Timothy 3:5).
All of these signs are products of our modern world. You do not want to be lumped in with these batches of people. Having a form of godliness, but denying its power, is claiming to be Christian, but not living up to the name of Christ. Not adhering to what He asked you to do.
Instead, these people just blow with the world.
2 Timothy 4:4
And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
It’s much easier to just go along with whatever the world presents. It’s much tougher to adhere to and stand for what an ancient Book says. That’s where your faith in God comes into play. Always remembering, never to give an inch, never conform to this world.
It’s only a temporary dwelling.
Instead, tune your ears to Scripture, and brush off the unrighteous teachers of the world so you can obtain a permanent dwelling that never ends, (Daniel 7:27).
I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
2 Timothy 4:7