ESOCS Devotional 24 February 2025 – Rejection of Sound Doctrine
MEMORY VERSE: “For the time shall come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears.” 2 Timothy4:3 KJV
TEXT: 2 TIMOTHY 4:1-8
I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: 2 Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. 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; 4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. 5 But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.
6 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.
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Here, Paul forewarned Timothy of a time that was coming when those of his generation would not be content with the word of God. They will turn away from the teaching of the word in order to listen to those things that please them. They will seek teachers that will proclaim those things that conform to their own desires (2 Timothy 3:7, 8). The situation is the same today, and becoming sophisticated each passing day. The different lifestyle and ‘modern’ style of worship all testify to this. They rationalize every behaviour. Majority of Church leaders give their members what they want and we see bunches of ‘social Christians’ all over the society.
When people seek to create their religious beliefs and behaviour after the ways of the world, they will reject the will of God. When they reject the will of God, they reject the messengers who teach the will of God (Mark 7:1-9). That is the case today. They will reject the very few truthful messengers of God, thereby rejecting the truth because it is not in tandem with their lifestyle.
These church leaders who teach the people what they want to hear have some things in common. They want power, but do not pursue right knowledge. They do not tolerate the truth. They gather viewpoints to suit their selfish desires. They have followers because they tell them what they want to hear. There are everywhere.
Let us be careful. We must not reject sound doctrine no matter the fables from fake Pastors and church leaders.
CHALLENGES
- Fables and motivational speeches, not sermon, have taken over many churches’ pulpits.
PRAYER POINT
- Dear Holy Spirit of God, give me the grace not to reject sound doctrine.
FURTHER READING: 2 Timothy 1:13; Titus 1:9; Titus 2:8
ESOCS Devotional 24 February 2025
