“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;” (2nd Tim. 4:3)
It is not so much those whose ears need to be scratched, nor those that are willing to scratch them, it is how easily so many are deceived in these days when the Word of God sits unread, collecting dust on the shelf, when men do not study much less contemplate His words, their defenses begin to falter, the armor they are to have on constantly is seen as little value to them, and the world begins to notice these things.
The transforming of our minds is impossible if we do not study to show ourselves approved, and when those who have been ordained from old begin to deceive, the deceptions will not even be recognized by many who profess the name of theLord.
It is one thing to attempt to reach those who have been brain washed by works-based religious organizations, for many have been given over to a reprobate mind, it is quite another thing to see men who profess to serve the Lord only doing so, at least in kind, on Sunday mornings.
“O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?” (Gal. 3:1)
They did this to themselves.
They have enough of the Scriptures committed to memory but have lost what thirsting and hungering for righteousness they may have once had, the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches of it has caused a callousness upon their soul, and they no longer seek the face of God as they may once have.
My memory is poor, but I believe it was in Ezra’s day that the people gathered to hear the reading of the words of the Most High in a downpour of rain. Today, if the service goes beyond the presumed time, if the message is longer than twenty minutes, if their ears are not scratched as they desired them to be, the mind will wander, the cell phone will come out, and something more interesting will be sought for. And even a few minutes a day, in solitude with the Scriptures is a rare event for most.
“This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.” (Matt. 15:8)
If you want to know why the love of many is growing cold, look no further than those who profess to serve the Lord Jesus Christ, but do not read, much less study or contemplate His words. Look no further than those who will sing the songs on Sunday morning, but will not speak His name in public, who say they love Him whom they do not obey.
Conviction is not what the average “Christian” wants to hear today, they want to feel happy, holiness is completely foreign to them, studying the Word of God is not what they believe is necessary, living a Godly life is, but without firm knowledge of the truths of what that means. And they haven’t got one clue how to do that because they do not study the Scriptures.
“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” (Psalm 119:105)
The world says that evil grows when good men do nothing, but that is not true. Only the Holy Spirit can restrain evil, and when men who claim to serve God will not stand for righteousness, when they fear persecution, evil will have its way.
I speak as a man here, not with words that can be verified in the Scriptures, but I personally believe that anyone who claims to be born-again that does not read, study and contemplate the Word of God at length, who has no daily burning desire in his bones to seek the face of God is not truly born-again. They are deceiving themselves and will search out those that will scratch their itchy ears, that will not attempt to convict them, that will not correct, reprove or rebuke them.
“For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.” (1st Cor. 11:31)
Perhaps now would be a good time to look into the mirror of your soul and see if you like what you see there in this regard.
