Message from Scripture: 12/06/2021

 

Our message from Scripture today is 2 Tim. 4:3-4: “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 be turned aside to myths.”

 

When Paul wrote his last letter to Timothy, he wanted him to know of the vast importance of him staying committed to the truth, as there would come a time when truth, sound doctrine, would be rejected for myths, or fables. The Greek term for the word “myth” is mostly used in the New Testament to reference stories full of falsehoods and pretenses, cunning fables for the purpose of deceiving others.

 

Paul tells Timothy people will turn away from the truth, which in the Greek is in the active voice, meaning they willfully choose to do this. Still worse is the fact they “will be turned aside to myths,” the passive voice, which means that they don’t choose this result; they are being acted upon. Because they willfully turned away, they now will unwillingly be deceived by fables. When Christians won’t tolerate true preaching, which proclaims truth and confronts sin, doctrinal error takes its place, and real discernment will be absent. Error is rampant because there are those who have willingly turned away from the truth.

 

May we always desire truth and never turn away from it. May we spend time in Scripture so we have the basis established in our minds and hearts to discern truth from error, and have the love for God to do so. As Jesus said, may we know the truth so we can be set free from sin (John 8:31-32). God bless.

 

Robert