Sound Doctrine
By George J. Stroh
March 11, 2013
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, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths (2 Timothy 4:3, 4)
Sound doctrinal teaching is, unfortunately, no longer a requirement in many churches. Sound doctrine is the teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ, it is the completed word of God, the Bible, true words of the faith, sound words and sound teaching that leads to godliness; If anyone advocates a different doctrine and does not agree with sound words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine conforming to godliness, he is conceited and understands nothing... (1 Timothy 6:3-4)
The Roman Catholics, Jehovah Witnesses, Mormons and other cults of course flagrantly deny and/or distort the sound doctrines of Scripture. So it is then no surprise that the people who are involved in these false religious systems are woefully ignorant of sound doctrine. But even many of the so called evangelical churches in America today, both large and small churches, are filled with people who are biblically illiterate. Even the true believers in these churches may know some basic things about the Bible, but there is a very shallow understanding of biblical truth which leaves these Christians vulnerable to false teachers who teach false doctrines. Biblically illiterate Christians are, as the Apostle Paul writes to Titus, ill-equipped to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict. (Titus 1:9b) The reason so many are biblically illiterate is that the false teachers in the pulpits are silent regarding the unpopular, difficult, and controversial doctrines. Biblical teaching about sin, hell and coming judgment and any other doctrines that may be offensive, controversial, culturally or politically incorrect are avoided.
The Apostle Paul warned Timothy that the time would come when sound doctrine would no longer be tolerated and that people would follow after teachers who would “tickle their ears”. In other words, teachers who would only teach things that people want to hear and not teach anything that was controversial or doctrines that might somehow offend someone. This explains why so many come to popular “contemporary” churches, but so few come to Christ. The gospel is foolish and offensive to sinners; For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. (1Corinthians 1:18)
Satan, the master liar, is a very skillful deceiver and knows that the best way to conceal the gospel from people is to have them feel safe, content and religiously comfortable in their biblical ignorance. They are entertained listening to popular, charismatic, religious teachers who “tickle their ears” and never offend or confront them with the convicting gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ or the counter-cultural teaching of God’s word. Everyone will someday stand before the Lord to be judged, but the most severe judgment is reserved for false teachers; Let not many of you become teachers, my breather, knowing that as such we will incur a stricter judgment. (James 3:1) Thank God for those Pastors and other Bible teachers who diligently and unashamedly teach the whole truth of God’s word; But as for you, speak the things which are fitting for sound doctrine. (Titus 2:1) Maranatha!
