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NASB | 2 Timothy 4:3 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, |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | 2 Timothy 4:3 For the time will come when people will not tolerate sound doctrine and accurate instruction [that challenges them with God's truth]; but wanting to have their ears tickled [with something pleasing], they will accumulate for themselves [many] teachers [one after another, chosen] to satisfy their own desires and to support the errors they hold, |
Bible Question:
"Why are you attacking Christians?" "Why are you dividing the Body this way? These people love the Lord." "Why don't we stay unified?" [These are questions that I am asked repeatedly, especially when I dare to question the teachings of certain TV preachers and others who "end up teaching things that are a bit bizarre and weird." --Radioman2] "Christian:" A Sound or a Word? by Gregory Koukl 'I think the medium of TV lends itself to excess, such that people who are not well trained in theology can be launched into positions of high influence and authority, and end up teaching things that are a bit bizarre and weird. When that happens I take exception and try to be a defender of the truth, as I understand it. But then people call in and say, "Why are you dividing the Body this way? Why are you attacking Christians? These people love the Lord." 'If you've been around for a while and understand the issue of tactics here--especially the suicide tactic-- you notice that this objection immediately defeats itself because this person is calling me on the air and publicly telling me that I am wrong for speaking on the air about other people who are wrong. In other words, they are accusing me of doing the very thing that they are in the process of doing. It doesn't bother me because I don't think there is anything wrong with that, per se. But their whole point is that I'm so divisive. Why don't we stay unified? After all, we're all Christians. We all love Jesus--as if there is something magical about this sound "Christian," or this sound, "love Jesus," such that those who have a commitment to the sound should therefore not have any meaningful differences between them. 'My view is that "Christian" is not a sound, it's a word. And the phrase "loving Jesus" is not two sounds, it is two words. The difference between a sound and a word is that a sound is a noise and a word means something. It has particular and peculiar content. 'I would be the first to agree that sometimes we major in the minors. Christians get all hot and bothered about minuscule theological issues, and Paul himself says don't fuss about it; don't waste your time with the silly things. I think one characteristic of an ill-educated church is that they create a tempest in a teapot. They fuss over the things that mean very little and they ignore the things that are really critical. 'What's the difference? If you know anything about church history, you know the difference. It is easy for someone to say, "Koukl, you think that what's important to you is really critical, and the rest is insignificant. Well, maybe you're wrong." 'Well, maybe I am wrong, but I'm trying to line up my understanding of what is critical with what the church has characteristically lined itself up with over the last 2000 years. I'm trying to maintain a historical perspective and not simply play my own evangelical joy-toy, my own hobby horse. A historical perspective will help protect you from doing that. 'I'm deeply concerned about any rush to unification just for unity's sake. This is the problem with the World Council of Churches. Their idea is, "Let's just ignore our differences and get together." But any love that is not based on truth--as a teacher of mine once said--is not love, but adultery. 'I want you to think carefully about this for a minute. It really hinges on the distinction between the sound and the word. 'I might ask you then, "What unites us?" And you say, "We all love Jesus. That's really what is important here. Not all those little theological minutiae." My response is going to be, "Why do you want to be so divisive?" You'll say, "What do you mean?" I say, "Why would you exclude all these people who call themselves Christians, but who don't feel about Jesus the way you do? In other words, they don't 'love Jesus.' Why do you want to impose this doctrinal standard of 'loving Jesus' on them? That's very divisive. You probably want to start your own denomination of people who are the 'Love Jesus' denomination, excluding all those who don't love Jesus."' ____________________ "Christian:" A Sound or a Word? by Gregory Koukl. This post is an excerpt from the article. To read more go to: (http://www.str.org/free/commentaries/index.htm). |
Bible Answer: I have read the stuff you pull off the internet and wonder, why do you only use the words of others to express yourself. This article has been posted by you before. I think some of what you read is bizarre and wierd, but I don't attack you for it. I let God handle it. I don't judge you about your closed mindedness. I pray that God will give you revelation about His word and what He is doing in these last days. I know that men will get it wrong. I've gotten it wrong and so have you. If we are after God's truth, we repent and allow our minds to be renewed. And our "theology" changes. I think when we stand before our Lord we will be amazed at what we missed but we won't care. When you have it wrong I'm going to tell you just like I expect you to tell me when I've got it wrong. Just like God tells us when we've got it wrong. With love, with gentleness, with goodness, with joy, with peace. Radioman sometimes it seems like you are the bible gestapo. Sent to crush every bit of light that doesn't conform to your interpretation or Gregory Koukl or Hank, "I know everything there is to know about the Bible," Hannagraph. What does Radioman believe. What is in your heart? Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. I really don't know what you are saying, because you say so little. A Forum is a place where people gather to hear other people's ideas, opinions, interpretations. A give and take of knowledge. A place where one can come to learn what this Christian walk is all about. I know there are some who come with agendas and they should be exposed. My beginnings were in the Quaker church. One of the faith and practices was that everyone has light. If you show your light it will expose the darkness. When your light shines, when the light of Jesus is on your face, the darkness will dissapate and the truth will remain. The theology that is wierd and bizarre cannot stand up against the truth. We have the mind of Christ we must use it to touch the hearts of those who earnestly seek the Lord. Is the tone of your posts the same as the tone Jesus uses when He is dealing with the religious leaders of His day. The ones who had it wrong. The ones whose theology was wierd and bizarre. He used strong language but always loved the man. I love you radioman and I hope you will take this in the manner in which it was written. Express what God has put in your heart. Let it overflow with the love that Jesus has placed there. Isaiah 43:18-21 Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. [19] Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert. [20] The beast of the field shall honour me, the dragons and the owls: because I give waters in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert, to give drink to my people, my chosen. [21] This people have I formed for myself; they shall shew forth my praise. [KJV] Your brother in Christ Jeff |