2 Timothy 4:3 (NKJV)
3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers;
2 Timothy 4:3 (NIV)
3 For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.
Paul was concern that after his death, that many will follow false gospel, false teaching of the word of God.
First concern:
(For the flock, the hearer of the word of God)
There will come a time that, people will get tired of hearing the true gospel, the true preaching of the word of God and will abandoned it and will turn to false teachings that
suits their own desires, to what their inching ears want to hear.
Itching ears - the Greek translation of "ears" refers to the inner spiritual hearing, which means turning their spiritual hearing of God's word (Bible) from the Apostles teaching(correct) to error/corrupt/false teaching (brought by their own desires).
Paul used this term on Romans 10:17 (NKJV)
17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
People will turn their ears or listen to preaching/teaching that suits their needs, according to their own desires.
Instead of allowing the Holy Spirit to minister through His word, the correct teaching of the word of God, they choose what they want to understand and hear.
e.g.
People wants financial prosperity, so they turn their ears/listen to preachers teaches prosperity gospel.
1. I'm not going to listen to these particular passage because it's not applicable for me, or I'm not like that.
2. It doesn't fit my personality so I will not listen to the word of God.
What a boring preacher I'm not going to listen to the word of God. Focusing on the preacher not on the word being preached.
3. I don't understand the word being preach because I know that persons life.
Prosperity preacher, seeker sensitive church movement - focuses on what the people wants to hear instead of preaching the word of God without bias.
- While it's good to find a good source preaching/teaching of the word of God, but given the opportunity that the word is being preached, be sure to make the most of it.
Focus on the word of God and seek God how the word being preached will be applicable to you.
- Don't just listen if the word of God is applicable to you or not, but every word of God should be learned, whether easy or hard to understand.
One writer said that: "This is to be expected when the gospel message begins with a humbling, difficult thought"
John 6:50-60 (NKJV)
50 This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die. 51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.”
52 The Jews therefore quarreled among themselves, saying, “How can this Man give us His flesh to eat?”
53 Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. 55 For My flesh is [a]food indeed, and My blood is [b]drink indeed. 56 He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. 57 As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me. 58 This is the bread which came down from heaven—not as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He who eats this bread will live forever.”
59 These things He said in the synagogue as He taught in Capernaum.
60 Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this, said, “This is a [c]hard saying; who can understand it?”
Second concern:
(For the Shepherd/Preacher who handles the word of God)
1 Timothy 4:1
4 Now the Spirit [a]expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons,
(Both the preacher and listeners of the word) can be deceived by the deceiving spirit that's in the time.
The person handling the word of God should study diligently and ask the guidance of the Holy Spirit always and not be tempted to go after the preferences of the hearer.
In the IT world, the preferences of user or people are used for marketing, which means if you know what people wants then you can find ways to attract them to buy your products and services.
And I think this is what's happening in most churches, they're turning churches into circular businesses.
From a non-profit organization to profitable institutions.
That is why we're seeing churches that are called "Seeker sensitive church", because preachers go after what the people wants.
Instead of trusting the power of God to move people lives through His word. These churches depend on the power of their programs to lure people going to their churches.
These kind of churches are not concerned about the quality of the believers, but only the quantity (the more members or people go in, the better the tights and offerings)
Again, I'm not saying that all programs (like events, gatherings, leveraging the IT, etc.) are bad for churches. God can used some ideas to bring people into true repentance into salvation and nurturing of the flock.
We can also apply what Paul charged to Timothy on how we should handle the word of God, in verse 2.
2 Timothy 4:2-4 (NIV)
2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.
"Preach the word" - Preach/teach the correct interpretation of the word of God. It may involve doing some research to good sources of people and materials.
Be prepared and ready always to preach the word, use the word of God not only to encourage but correct and rebuke, but do these with great patience and care.
3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers;
2 Timothy 4:3 (NIV)
3 For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.
Paul was concern that after his death, that many will follow false gospel, false teaching of the word of God.
First concern:
(For the flock, the hearer of the word of God)
There will come a time that, people will get tired of hearing the true gospel, the true preaching of the word of God and will abandoned it and will turn to false teachings that
suits their own desires, to what their inching ears want to hear.
Itching ears - the Greek translation of "ears" refers to the inner spiritual hearing, which means turning their spiritual hearing of God's word (Bible) from the Apostles teaching(correct) to error/corrupt/false teaching (brought by their own desires).
Paul used this term on Romans 10:17 (NKJV)
17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
People will turn their ears or listen to preaching/teaching that suits their needs, according to their own desires.
Instead of allowing the Holy Spirit to minister through His word, the correct teaching of the word of God, they choose what they want to understand and hear.
Personal preference(The way you want it) over God's preference for us.
e.g.
People wants financial prosperity, so they turn their ears/listen to preachers teaches prosperity gospel.
1. I'm not going to listen to these particular passage because it's not applicable for me, or I'm not like that.
2. It doesn't fit my personality so I will not listen to the word of God.
What a boring preacher I'm not going to listen to the word of God. Focusing on the preacher not on the word being preached.
3. I don't understand the word being preach because I know that persons life.
Prosperity preacher, seeker sensitive church movement - focuses on what the people wants to hear instead of preaching the word of God without bias.
- While it's good to find a good source preaching/teaching of the word of God, but given the opportunity that the word is being preached, be sure to make the most of it.
Focus on the word of God and seek God how the word being preached will be applicable to you.
- Don't just listen if the word of God is applicable to you or not, but every word of God should be learned, whether easy or hard to understand.
One writer said that: "This is to be expected when the gospel message begins with a humbling, difficult thought"
John 6:50-60 (NKJV)
50 This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die. 51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.”
52 The Jews therefore quarreled among themselves, saying, “How can this Man give us His flesh to eat?”
53 Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. 55 For My flesh is [a]food indeed, and My blood is [b]drink indeed. 56 He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. 57 As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me. 58 This is the bread which came down from heaven—not as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He who eats this bread will live forever.”
59 These things He said in the synagogue as He taught in Capernaum.
60 Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this, said, “This is a [c]hard saying; who can understand it?”
Second concern:
(For the Shepherd/Preacher who handles the word of God)
1 Timothy 4:1
4 Now the Spirit [a]expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons,
(Both the preacher and listeners of the word) can be deceived by the deceiving spirit that's in the time.
The person handling the word of God should study diligently and ask the guidance of the Holy Spirit always and not be tempted to go after the preferences of the hearer.
In the IT world, the preferences of user or people are used for marketing, which means if you know what people wants then you can find ways to attract them to buy your products and services.
And I think this is what's happening in most churches, they're turning churches into circular businesses.
From a non-profit organization to profitable institutions.
That is why we're seeing churches that are called "Seeker sensitive church", because preachers go after what the people wants.
Instead of trusting the power of God to move people lives through His word. These churches depend on the power of their programs to lure people going to their churches.
These kind of churches are not concerned about the quality of the believers, but only the quantity (the more members or people go in, the better the tights and offerings)
Again, I'm not saying that all programs (like events, gatherings, leveraging the IT, etc.) are bad for churches. God can used some ideas to bring people into true repentance into salvation and nurturing of the flock.
We can also apply what Paul charged to Timothy on how we should handle the word of God, in verse 2.
2 Timothy 4:2-4 (NIV)
2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.
"Preach the word" - Preach/teach the correct interpretation of the word of God. It may involve doing some research to good sources of people and materials.
Be prepared and ready always to preach the word, use the word of God not only to encourage but correct and rebuke, but do these with great patience and care.
