The Hatred of Sound Teaching

The Hatred of Sound Teaching 2 Timothy 4:3-4---For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. Who are these people that Paul is talking about? Is he talking about the world or professing Christians? Although there are arguments for both sides, I believe he is talking about professing Christians. J. I. Packer once said that God honors the needle of truth in the haystack of lies. By that, I believe, that he means Christians can have bad theology and still be a Christian. I know this personally. There was a time in my Christian life when I rejected the truths of scripture, believed and taught doctrines with no scriptural base, and was still a Christian. The blood of Jesus set me free and gave me life. But my thinking and reasoning was determined by my pride and not by scripture. Can you think of any myths that you believe that the church has bought into? Can you think of any myths that you have bought into? I cannot stress the importance of bible study and prayer. You will not know what’s in your bible unless you study your bible. If you are a Christian, the bible is what you believe. I have discussed doctrinal issues with many people who disagree with the bible yet believe they do not. They give a defense of their beliefs that are based upon opinion and human reasoning, not biblical reasoning. They have not scripture to back up what they believe, and the scripture they do know, is taken out of context. We do not make God. He makes us. God is God and we are not. Secondly, the Holy Spirit must reveal the meaning of Scripture to you. You can’t get it on your own. No matter how much you study and memorize, revelation must take place for you to gain the knowledge of the truth. (Proverbs 2:1-6,Matthew 16:15-17). Some of the myths are things such as losing your salvation, universalism (everybody goes to heaven), the sovereignty of man (total free from God will), modernism, post-modernism, truth is perception, no truth is absolute, there are exceptions for everything. The list goes on and on. People who love these teachings hate scripture or are totally ignorant of it. When the deep truths that I once opposed where revealed to me, my initial response was to twist scripture to fit my beliefs. There is nothing worse than to make a God out of your beliefs. Guard your heart. Be good Bereans. Study your bible and pray for God to teach you. Do not base your faith on opinions or reasoning that will not match up with scripture. The knowledge of God is unsearchable. (Romans 11:33) You will never understand everything about God or his ways. But that truth is not meant to stop us from seeking or studying. Psalm 119:105 stands true. “Your word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.” You will not see any truth about God that is not found in Scripture. I urge you to search your beliefs and reckon them with scripture. Remember, the bible is one book with many truths. Scripture does not contradict itself. It all fits together and says the same thing. Do not hate sound teaching. Instead, repent of your pride and fall on the grace of God. I did not make it No it is making me It is the very truth of God Not the invention of any man—Rich Mullins Josh Martin