14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it, 15 and how from childhood you have known the sacred writings that are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work. 18 In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I solemnly urge you: proclaim the message; be persistent whether the time is favorable or unfavorable; convince, rebuke, and encourage, with the utmost patience in teaching. 3 For the time is coming when people will not put up with sound doctrine, but having itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own desires, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander away to myths. 5 As for you, always be sober, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, carry out your ministry fully. [NRSA]
Setting and Context of Itchy Ears
Medical Condition vs the side effect of a Spiritual Condition.
- Dry skin
- Ear canal dermatitis
- Otitis externa (outer ear infection)
- Hearing aid use
- Psoriasis
- Grandmother said, “Someone must be talking about you.”
Context from Paul
2 Timothy 3:1 You must understand this, that in the last days distressing times will come.
2 For people will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,
3 inhuman, implacable, slanderers, profligates, brutes, haters of good,
4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
5 holding to the outward form of godliness but denying its power. Avoid them!
6 For among them are those who make their way into households and captivate silly women, overwhelmed by their sins and swayed by all kinds of desires,
7 who are always being instructed and can never arrive at a knowledge of the truth.
8 As Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these people, of corrupt mind and counterfeit faith, also oppose the truth. (world imitates God’s power but always falls short)
9 But they will not make much progress, because, as in the case of those two men, their folly will become plain to everyone.
10 Now you have observed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness,
11 my persecutions, and my suffering the things that happened to me in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. What persecutions I endured! Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them.
12 Indeed, all who want to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.
13 But wicked people and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving others and being deceived.
- It’s Not Going to get better, it will be worse before it gets better, better down the road… evil days will wax until Christ returns to establish God’s Righteous Kingdom.
- Attitudes toward morality
- A Parent has to worry about a child walking to the restroom in a restaurant
- Drown in our own corruption
- Evil Men will wax, deceiving and being deceived.
Now we can look at the primary part of the text for today:
3 For the time is coming when people will not put up with sound doctrine, but having itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own desires, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander away to myths. (itching for entertainment, pleasure, and that which comes before God)
- Hold fast to what you have learned and believe
- All Scripture is inspired for teaching, reproof, correction, and training for righteousness
- Proclaim the message, even when:
- It falls on deaf ears
- It is met with dismissive
- It lands you in jail facing your life
14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it, 15 and how from childhood you have known the sacred writings that are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
16 All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work.
18 In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I solemnly urge you: proclaim the message; be persistent whether the time is favorable or unfavorable; convince, rebuke, and encourage, with the utmost patience in teaching.
1 In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I solemnly urge you: 2 proclaim the message; be persistent whether the time is favorable or unfavorable; convince, rebuke, and encourage, with the utmost patience in teaching.
3 For the time is coming when people will not put up with sound doctrine, but having itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own desires, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander away to myths. (itching for entertainment, pleasure, and that which comes before God)
5 As for you, always be sober, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, carry out your ministry fully. [
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