II Timothy 4:3 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;
4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
The apostle Paul did not have a crystal ball that he was looking into. He did not read the tea leaves to find out what was coming. Those are useless methods used by fools who know how to draw other fools in to pay for their lies. The apostle Paul was directed by God to remind Timothy there was a time coming when people would not endure sound doctrine.
We have already been told that the Scriptures are profitable for doctrine. That would be sound doctrine. We can look at our country over the past 2 years and we can see that Dr. Tam and in our province Dr. Roussin have been spouting doctrine. They have told us their version of the virus and the “benefits” of the shots which they falsely call “vaccines”. The definition of a vaccine had to be changed in order to call them that. They know better than what they are stating, but they are part of a sinister plot. Over the past 2 years we have seen their doctrine change many times. It is very confusing for anyone who would actually pay attention for more than a day, to follow their propaganda. The hope is that people will not pay attention and will just blindly follow what they are told to do. Most people have already been trained to do this because most people believe in evolution. Evolution is also a big lie and has no basis in fact. It is certainly not science. Neither is what our politicians and medical officials are saying, science. It is what God calls, “science, falsely so called”. God knows what true science is and He knows what false science is. Our officials are telling us there is much “misinformation” or even “disinformation” being spread. What they do not tell us is that they are the spreaders of the misinformation and the disinformation. They are the ones who are deceiving the people.
God reminded Timothy that he had been given sound doctrine, but the time was coming when people would not endure sound doctrine. The word translated as “endure” means “to hold oneself up against, or figuratively, put up with.” We are living in a time today when lost people are no longer even willing to tolerate sound doctrine. They want it shut down. That is what they tried to do with the dictates to shut down churches and force people to live stream. They hoped that by doing that, some people would just give up on church and forget about it. Sadly, they have had some success with this. There are people who left good churches during the ungodly shut downs, and they have chosen to stay away.
God stated that people would be led by their own lusts. These lusts would direct them to heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears. The word translated as “heap” means to accumulate further or figuratively seek additionally”. That is exactly what we see today. The many so-called “Christian book stores” have a vast variety of books a person can buy that will feed their lusts. If you want a book or books to help you with some particular emotional issue, they have them. If you want books on dealing with marriage breakups, they have them. You name it, they have you covered. The internet also has countless men and women who will scratch your itching ears. They will tell you what you want to hear.
It is very obvious that this approach is much different than what God gives us in His Word. He does not try to scratch our itching ears. The Old Testament records the accounts of many false prophets who would tell the people what they wanted to hear. Nebuchadnezzar was not a very smart man, but even he got tired of the lies of his counsellors. He chose them but he got tired of their lies. He needed some real answers and God gave him 4 young men of wisdom to tell him the truth. The truth was not always what he wanted to hear. However, the truth was always what he needed to hear. The same is true today.
As we look back at the beginning of chapter 3, perilous times are here. Those who are following their own lusts want to be told that things are going to get better because man is so smart and if we just vote for the right people, things will turn around again. There are men and women who are happy to get out there and tell people that if we would vote for them, they would turn things around. Sadly, gullible people believe these liars and they vote for them. However, things do not improve. They just get worse.
Of greater importance is the spiritual realm. People want to know their loved one is not suffering any more when they die. They want to live for themselves while they are alive, but at death they want to go to their version of heaven. The false teachers will tell them what they want to hear about heaven. They will tell them how loving God is and how forgiving God is even though they never even consider asking forgiveness for sin. They may not be “perfect” but they are not that bad. False teachers will look very serious and lie to their faces and then they will offer them a special book offer for just a few dollars. Or you can order their latest series on some topic that they invented and people like it because it feeds their lust.
By the way, the Greek word translated as lusts means: “a longing (especially for what is forbidden)”. That is what the flesh wants. Every human being is guilty of that at some time. Saved people want the truth. Their flesh might want a smooth talker, but their spirit wants the truth. Timothy needed to be prepared to help those who did not want the truth. He was warned of the time that was coming. We are warned of that time as well. We are living in that time today. There are a multitude of religious flavours out there. You can choose the one you like.
In verse 4 we are warned that these teachers will turn those who are led by their lusts, away from the truth and to fables. The pride of man causes him to deny that he would ever be led to believe fables. Someone else might fall for that, but they are far too intelligent for that trick. Meanwhile they are believing things that are not taught in the Bible. However, if you pick a verse here and another one over there, you can even trick people into believing a lie. You want to go dancing, why not? The Bible says David danced. Therefore dancing is good. You want to have a drink now and then, well God told Timothy to take a little wine for his stomach’s sake and his oft infirmities. You want to get divorced and find another spouse, the perversions will tell you that if your spouse was unfaithful to you, you can get rid of them and find another one. You want to follow your lusts, the devil will lead to just the right place to feed your lusts. It will all be fables, but that is ok because it is what you want to hear.
Remember, that Timothy was charged to preach the Word. The truth is what sets a person free. Feeding sinful lusts does not set the captive free. It just entangles the person deeper and deeper in sin. Of course, the false teachers don’t call it sin. The flesh does not call it sin. The sinful lusts do not call it sin. Its just different. “Everybody has their preferences.”
God is not teaching fables when He warns that the broad way leads to destruction and many there be that go in thereat. It is important to pay attention to what God says. It is important to reject the lust for having your itching ears scratched. Let God guide you into the truth. His Word is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. The flesh does not want that. However your soul needs that. God knows what we need and He provides that for us. The devil knows what we want and he provides some of that for those who will let the flesh govern them. Follow God’s way and enjoy His blessings today.
Galatians 5:17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
God’s Word is truth and It is a blessing to all who will heed It.
Pastor Bartel
