Jan 12: Christ Will Judge

Read 2 Timothy 4:1-5

Context: Paul has just written about Godlessness in the last days and how to hold firm to Christs' teachings. The verse that precedes today's text is "All Scripture is God-breathed..."

Text:
1In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: 2Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. 3For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. 5But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry. (NIV)

taken from www.biblegateway.com

I wonder if there has ever been a time when men DID put up with sound doctrine -- 'men' being the masses. It seems that when there is widespread popular (or mandatory) religion in a country, that religion isn't very sound. And even in Christian denominations, we are so concerned about the doctrine OUR church chooses, that different churches don't even socialize with each other. They often put each other down, even from the pulpit, in an attempt to build themselves up.

I appreciate that our church leaders are so faithful to preach the Word. And still, each of us has the responsibility to validate that teaching with our Bible reading. There are many verses that aren't spoken of from the pulpit (for lots of reason...too hard to make a sermon from them, not key to pertinent current issues, too hard to understand) that we need to be sure to read so that the rest of our learning is complete in context. Keep up your reading!