Itching Ears and Straying from the Truth

(2 Timothy 4:3-4 – Itching Ears and Straying from the Truth)

If you have a desire to know something, itching ears, so to speak, then wouldn’t you want to have your ears itching to find the truth?

Well, according to this scripture today, apparently not. These words tell us that when it comes to matters of religion there are many who have “itching ears,” but their itch is not for the truth. They itch for something to suit their own likings.

In this time in history it is more critical than ever that we seek the truth. There are so many lies in the church today that the truth is hard to find. And often it is an uncomfortable truth. But the truth is always better than listening to lies.

The challenge of itching ears

Before going any further, let us look at the scripture under review today.

3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own likings, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander into myths. (2 Timothy 4:3-4)

If you have an itch, it needs to be scratched to soothe and relax the itch. That is the analogy of itching ears in the context of this verse. Paul was not talking about a physical itch, but rather a powerful desire to hear something.

When we first come to Christ we want to hear all we can. We have itching ears that are seeking to hear the word.

But we need to also consider the quality of what we are listening to.

Initially we may listen to everything we can find and will hear all manner of different teachings and doctrines. Some may be good and others may be utter rubbish. Our challenge as we listen to all of these things is to sort the good from the bad, the wheat from the chaff.

We also have the problem that all humanity suffers. Nobody wants to hear bad news. We don’t want to hear things that might bring us down. And there are a lot of truths in the Bible that can be scary and terrifying. For example, just the whole issue of sinners going to hell is pretty scary stuff. At least until you learn to put it all into the right perspective.

So, the challenge of having itching ears is not to just listen to things that make you feel good. We have to listen to all parts of the Gospel and find the truth amongst the lies.

Sound teaching

In this scripture Paul talks about a time coming when people will not endure sound teaching.

That time is now.

How can I say that it is now? By looking at the teachings that permeate the church under the guise of Christian doctrine, but are not. There are many false teachings and lies in the church. Most of these false teachings are designed to make people feel good about themselves.

Look at some of the doctrines of the church today, especially the more recent teachings.

The Word of Faith ministries have brought in things like the prosperity gospel and the teachings of divine health. If you are unfamiliar with these, prosperity gospel teaches that God wants you to be rich. The divine health doctrine teaches that if you walk in faith you should never get sick.

Both of these are false and both of these are not supported by scripture, and in fact the scripture teaches the exact opposite.

The same can be said about the Once Saved, Always Saved movement. It teaches that if you have been saved, you can do whatever you like because your salvation can never be taken away.

And recently there has been the “Progressive Christianity” movement. It has brought new lies into the church as it reduces the influence of the Bible, focuses more on emotion and feelings, accepts all other religions as just different pathways to God, and many other things that oppose the truth. It also suggests being inclusive but apparently without a need for repentance. They also have taken on the care for the earth that is emphasised by many of the environmentalists in the world, and it is very much a worldly view.

Some of the other doctrines of “progressive Christianity” include seeing the death of the Lord as horrific and unnecessary. The see the Bible not as the authoritative word of God, but just the words of some well meaning ancient people trying to understand God. Many deny the physical resurrection of Jesus and some reject that Jesus is the Son of God, viewing Him as just a model to which we can aspire and find God within ourselves. And there are many other false teachings in this thing called “progressive Christianity.”

All of these different ministries and doctrines sound good to the hearers. They are ways to “scratch” your itching ears with something that sounds and feels good.

But they reject the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Myths

Paul says that by following these false paths that sound good to the ears, such people have wandered away from the truth and into myths. And myths will not save you. Only the truth will bring a person to salvation.

And these false doctrines in the church today are myths. What is a myth? A myth is among other things, an unfounded or false notion, and a popular belief or tradition that has grown up around something or someone especially one embodying the ideals and institutions of a society or segment of society (according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary).

To paraphrase this, myth is a popular lie. And itching ears seek what is popular because it sounds good and makes people feel accepted.

But in the church these myths are false doctrines. They lead people astray into all kinds of lies. Myths do not lead to salvation. Instead they confuse and hide the truth from those who would seek it.

There is only one truth and that is what comes from the mouth of God and our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. We can read His words in the Bible. There is no other source of truth given to men.

The types of false doctrines mentioned above are designed to make people feel good. They are lies designed to tickle the ears so that people will follow the lies rather then seek the truth.

Do not stray from the truth

The truth is not always easy to hear. It sometimes convicts us and makes us feel uneasy because it shows up where we are going wrong.

But rather than reject it to follow a myth and carefully crafted lies, we ought to embrace the truth. The truth is the only thing that will help us grow and mature in Jesus Christ. It is at the centre of the Christian doctrine because, as Jesus said, “The truth will make you free” (John 8:32)

When your ears itch, scratch them with the truth by seeking and studying God’s word rather than listening to men. It is only in His word that you will truly satisfy the itch and keep you from straying from the truth.

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