Let us Hold Tight to Sound Doctrine

“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. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.” 2 Timothy 4:3-4 NIV

In a story titled “‘We're a mad bunch,' says ultra marathon runner” published by BBC News recently, the writer said: A man who vowed he would never run again after completing his first race is set to run his 500th marathon later. Neil Williams, from Plymouth, who ran his first marathon in 2011, is expected to reach the 500th milestone on his birthday by running the Dartmoor Discovery Ultra, a gruelling 32-mile (51.4km) road race. "It does become a bit of an addiction, but I didn't start off any different to most people," he said… Mr Willliams, 58, who once ran 100 marathons in 50 weeks, said: "You find people will either do one marathon and never touch it again. "Or they'll do a marathon and find they can't scratch that itch and it's got to be another, and maybe another, and then you get into the crazy world of multiple marathon running.

And, you know, as someone who’s in and has been in the crazy world of multiple marathon running for a very long time, I will agree with Neil that “it does become a bit of an addiction” that leads countless runners with “the itch” to go to great lengths (pun intended) to attend races to relieve their discomfort of sitting still—shelling out thousands of dollars in entry fees, travel expenses, clothing expenditures, and much more every year to “scratch that itch.” In the same way, the time has come that Paul warned Timothy about, “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.” These people have turned “their ears away from the truth” and turned aside to myths, false narratives, evil theology, and a watered down Gospel to scratch their itch and soothe their restless desire to avoid the truth and have their sinful lifestyles affirmed and approved. And you can be sure, these people will go to great lengths to attend churches where unsound doctrine is preached by false teachers that, unbeknownst to them, are leading them straight to hell. 

So, don’t be fooled with smooth talk that lacks substance my friend. Any thing being taught by any one that doesn’t align with the FULL Word of God is wrong no matter how good it makes you feel. Which is the very reason that you and I MUST know what the Word says and test every spirit that professes to preach it. Many people will be fooled in these end days, but let us be known as “a mad bunch” that holds so tight to sound doctrine that we are considered crazy by the rest of the world for doing so. 

Heavenly Father, thank You for opening up our eyes to see that we are in the end of the end days and that many people are and will continue to be turning away from sound teaching. In the midst of a world where churches are compromising more than ever to soothe itching ears, help us to do our part in making sure that the church we attend is holding tight to pure doctrine by lifting up our pastors in prayer for the strength to preach it. It’s in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!