“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; And they shall turn away [their] ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.” (2Ti 4:3-4 AV)
The suggestion is that sound doctrine is available, known, understood, and repeated. Yet, those who would reject it simply cannot endure it. The definition for the word ‘endure’ is interesting. It means to bear up with or under. This would also suggest that those who reject sound doctrine see it as burdensome. They simply cannot bear the weight of it. This is sad. The Bible tells us that law and doctrine are liberating. Not burdensome. Sound doctrine and commandments of the word of God are only too much to bear when we have differing values that compete with it. The consequences of falsehood and wickedness are not always apparent. But they are always costly. Those that would heap to themselves self-serving preachers and teachers are playing with their futures. The choice to reject sound doctrine will come back on them. The choices we make now will determine our life hereafter.
What struck me was Paul’s statement of inevitability. He seemed to intimate that those who would close off their ears to sound doctrine were a specific set of people. Maybe Paul is referring to the church at Ephesus. It might be the case because the closing of his letter to Timothy instructs him to come and names Timothy’s replacement. Paul sends Tychicus to Ephesus. The inevitability of a church’s reluctance to accept sound doctrine seems to be in view here. This, unfortunately, is the life cycle of most churches. They start out well. They are planted with good intentions and sound doctrine. For one reason or another, the world eventually has a greater influence on it than the word of God does. There are many reasons for this. In my first church, the great commission has a greater influence than the word of God. Or, better said, growing an organization was the passion and not sound doctrine. Eventually, the church went contemporary. It had a boom. But now is in the bust. There could be other programs that are more important than sound doctrine. Politics is often the poison that kills churches. The list goes on and on. Apathy and laziness can also erode a church’s dedication to sound doctrine. Today, entertainment has replaced truth. Sheep look for what pleases the heart or the flesh before they look for what pleases the mind.
The concern is being a church where fidelity to truth is the passion of the hour. This requires ears that will hear as well as a heart that will trust. The preacher can articulate the truth of the word of God. The sheep can hear the truth. What they do with it determines whether they live or die. So, what was Paul’s advice? It was not to capitulate to the desires of the sheep. Rather, Paul told Timothy to continue doing what he had always done. The reaction of the sheep does not determine the call of the preacher. He is to preach sound doctrine. He is not to give in to those with fungal ear infections. He is to preach the truth regardless of how many willing ears are attending. The truth should never be compromised. Paul gave Timothy an opportunity. Timothy was not to quit. He was to fight on until his last breath. Itching ears never dictate the sermon preached! Church is not a full-service restaurant where we order off a menu. It is an emergency room where doctors examine and treat what ails the patient. Those who have itching ears need the medicine of truth. They don’t need more pleasant words that never convict the heart.
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