“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; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables” (2 Timothy 4:3-4).
2 Timothy 4:3-4 signals the return to a recurring theme within the Pastoral Epistles of 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, and Titus- the subject of sound doctrine. The Living Bible paraphrases verse three in the following manner…
“There is going to come a time when people won’t listen to the truth but will go around looking for teachers who will tell them just what they want to hear.”
In one sense, this passage illustrates the familiar law of supply and demand. For instance, there will always be opportunists who seek to fulfill the need for a commodity that is in high demand. In like manner, there will always be those who are willing to fulfill the demand for a spiritual message that conforms to an audience’s preference as long as that demand exists.
This is an important consideration, for the size of a church congregation does not necessarily correspond with the presence of sound Biblical teaching. For example, we might observe a well-attended religious service and assume that God’s blessing is upon that assembly. Unfortunately, that may not be true, for any congregation might grow under the leadership of a charismatic minister or a dynamic speaker who tells others what they want to hear.
The Biblical church of Sardis may serve as the best illustration of this unfortunate reality. Consider Jesus’ message to the church at Sardis from Revelation 3:1: “…I know your works; you have a reputation for being alive, but you are dead” (HCSB). While the congregation at Sardis was likely known as a busy and dynamic fellowship in its day, that appearance had little to do with their real spiritual condition.
Their example tells us that it is possible for a church to function as an active religious institution, yet still be far from where God wants it to be. A congregation that has a reputation as a living and active fellowship but has turned “…their ears away from the truth” may be externally alive but spiritually dead.
Finally, this passage reminds us that a popular teaching is not always synonymous with a Biblically accurate teaching. The question is really one of truth- does that spiritual teaching accurately reflect the Word of God or does it serve those who “…will not endure sound doctrine”?