When "They" Hate Us - Himalayan Heights – May 23 Readings: Super 7 – 2 Timothy 4:3-4

 Super 7 - Key Scriptures for All Christians

All Scripture is God-breathed and useful, but there are some Scriptures that we can consider the Himalayan mountaintops of the Bible. In the next few months, we will be looking at a series of great texts that inspire and move us - the "Himalayan Heights" of God's Word.

Today's Reading:  2 Timothy 4:3-4

The "Super 7" refers to 7 passages I consider formative in my Bible Study and Christian life. They are taken from both the Old Testament and the New, various sources and various subjects.

3 For the time will come when people will not tolerate sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, will multiply teachers for themselves because they have an itch to hear what they want to hear. 4 They will turn away from hearing the truth and will turn aside to myths.

Through the Bible Readings: 1 Kings 11-12, John 5:30–47, Psalm 66:9–15, Proverbs13:19-20

If you wish to read through the Bible in a year, follow these readings. 

Devotional: When "They" Hate Us    

I have been involved in this kind of discussion and read articles based on a certain assumption. People leave a church and there must be something wrong with the church. When society is offended at the stands the church is taking or is turned off by what we are doing, we need to change our ways or the church will die. The subtle message is that if sinners disapprove of us, there must be something wrong with us. We need to mold our message to gain popularity and approval in the world. No one would say that, of course, but it is in the background in many of our discussions.

The idea that America used to be a Christian nation is largely based on nostalgic fiction. It has always been tough to walk with Christ and to be faithful to him. Ministry in the name of Christ has never been easy and it is not going to get easier as The Day draws near. There is a fiction that everyone loved Jesus, but he was roundly hated and persecuted, and he was crucified. He told his disciples that if the world hated him it would hate them as well. The Apostles were martyred, except for John. Where in the Scripture do we get the idea that the world should agree with us, honor us, celebrate us, or love us?

Our key passage today is a harsh one, but it could not be plainer. It is a promise from God through Paul that a time would come in which people - and the clear assumption here is that this is CHURCH people - would not abide the teaching of God's truth, but would gather to themselves teachers who would tickle their ears with truths that they wanted to hear.

We live in that day. I have no idea how long it will be until Jesus returns, and it may get much worse, but the church today is filled with false teachers scratching the ears of people who applaud them. "God will never ask you to change who you are." "God loves you so much he would never judge you." "God just wants you to have a great life." "God would never give you more than you can handle." "God wants you healthy and wealthy all the time."

Sound doctrine, in verse 3, literally means "healthy teaching." It refers to that which is in faithful accord with Scripture and produces spiritual health in the hearers. The fact is that what people need to hear is not what always what people want to hear. When I had cancer, I did not want to hear that diagnosis, but thank God my doctor called me and told me the truth so we could treat it. She told me the truth, not what I wanted to hear.

The world is never going to love the message of Christ. There are several teachings, essential to the gospel, which are insulting to human nature and will never be popular. Let's start at the start. You are a sinner who deserves God's eternal judgment. Do you think people would rather hear that truth or the lie that they are good people, just the way they are? Nothing you do will ever be good enough to earn the favor of God or win a ticket to heaven. Ever seen that wildly popular child's book, "I Can Do It Myself?" That's the message we want to hear. Just do your best and God will accept it. It' a lie, but that's what scratches itching ears. There is no salvation except through Jesus. The world views that as arrogant. It is fundamental truth. Coming to Christ is submitting your entire life to Jesus. He is in charge. Jesus is Lord. What, Dave, you mean I don't get to do as I please?

The message of the Gospel will never tickle itching ears, but it saves souls who listen and respond. When we are faithful to Christ, we have to accept that we will never be popular in this world, but we must be faithful to Christ.

Father, help me to be faithful to Christ in all things, regardless of the reactions of people in this world. May I care more about what YOU think of me than what people think.  

Think and Pray:

Do you live to please people and to be popular in this world?
Think through the implications of this verse. Remember, that it is our message, not our demeanor that should be the offense.