Reflections

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths. 2 Timothy 4:3-4

When we turn away from truth it is easily to be deceived.  We are living in a time when more and more people want to listen to those that tell them want they want to hear instead of what they need to hear.  So they will gather around those that teach in accordance to their own desire. 

I recently read an editorial from a pastor that was so excited that Washington D.C. recently passed a same sex marriage law.  I was not bothered that this pastor was looking forward to marrying people of the same sex, but I was bothered that this pastor was trying to teach in the article that Jesus would have embraced the idea and that marriage was simply about two people who loved each other.  Of course those that want to marry the same sex hailed this pastor and the teaching.

We have to be very careful who we listen to in the church and what we consider good teaching.  Too often we would rather listen to preachers and teachers who are telling us feel good messages instead of the truth.  Remember the devil is the father of all lies and is out to deceive us from the truth.  So we must secure ourselves in sound doctrine and judge anyone’s word against the word of God.

There are many false doctrines that are gaining in popularity and increasing in number.  A big fascination these days is new age teachings.  On the surface they sound good and make you feel good but when you begin to really study what is being taught a lot of these teachings are based on us fulfilling our own selfish desires and not living according to God’s plan and purpose.

The purpose of pastors, teachers and preachers is to teach the word of God – to reprove, rebuke, exhort with patience and instruction in order to build up the body of Christ and prepare the saints for the work of ministry.