The Excellencies of Sacred Scripture

——Please open your Bibles to the book of 2 Timothy, chapter 3 verse 14——

A few weeks ago, I found myself outside the gates of the new LDS Temple in Pocatello, Idaho holding a sign that said “Is Mormonism Christian?”

This sign yielded more quick responses than I normally get when just handing out tracts.

Virtually everyone who responded cried out “yes, of COURSE we are!”

Some were curious – why would you say we AREN’T? Most drove away before I could answer, but it’s a fair question.

What makes someone a Christian?

Numerous answers could suffice…perhaps we may say “the one whose sins are forgiven,”

Or “the one who adheres to historic Christian doctrine & creeds.”

I think of a Christian as a disciple of Christ.

To be a disciple of Christ in our age is to abide in His teachings.

Where may the seeking soul find Christ’s teachings? Of course, in Scripture.

500 years ago – in the days of the Reformation (which we often celebrate on October 31st…NEXT Sunday)…

The Christian Church was recapturing the primacy of Scripture.

Sola Scriptura – Scripture Alone — is a bit of a battle-cry for us Protestants

This stood at the center of the Reformation because Christianity witnessed the results of detaching Christian life from the Scriptures.

After the era of the Roman empire, literacy rates in the West dramatically dropped.

Access to Scripture became increasingly scarce, because so few people could actually READ

(some scholars say only 2-3%, most of whom were monks)

Because of this – manmade myths and doctrines slithered into the church. The church became increasingly superstitious.

Seeming magic trinkets (called relics, often body parts of saints) were pregnant with special spiritual significance and power.

The centrality of Christ was eclipsed in the church by the supposed need for Mary and the Saints.

The common means of grace were obscured, replaced with high rituals and peculiar objects.

But by the hand of providence and the kindness of the Lord, Christians began to realize: Scripture alone must be the basis for our doctrine and practice.

And why is that?

Well, what anchor is there in human speculation? Man can invent all matter of stories and myths to whip up feelings of hope or guilt…

But what of these corresponds with reality? How can we know?

Scripture is not only the test of such things, but was eventually seen as the only sure foundation for the doctrine and practice of Christianity.

As the precious doctrines continued in the Bible were rediscovered, faithful men stood their ground upon what Scripture said, convicted of this truth:

Scripture ALONE may bind our conscience, convicting us of right and wrong.

No human has such authority.

No pope can spin up his mind’s opinion in such a way as to bind the hearts and conscience of men.

And so education and translation efforts abounded – to bring Scripture, which had for so long been out-of-reach — into the hands of Christians.

This small spark of conviction concerning Scripture forcefully exploded into a robust understanding of doctrine, and a fierce opposition to false teaching.

Brothers & sisters: we desperately need such a spark in our day.

This morning: my aim is to draw your sight to the excellency of God’s Word.

To lift up your eyes to behold the radiant perfection of God's Law.

That we may daily be brought to the foot of the cross, that we may give our old man over to be burned, and live in newness of life.

That our hearts may learn to delight in that which is delight worthy.

That we may see our Lord with greater clarity.

May your heart burn in the light of the Holy Word.

May you plunge headlong into its fire—drawing both conviction and comfortfrom it.

May the Holy Spirit cause our dulled hearts to be razed, and our souls to ever drink from Scripture: to read, memorize, and meditate on it.

Let’s read 2 Timothy 3:14-4:4 and then pray:

[Read Text]

Let us consider the background to our text this morning: 2 Timothy is very likelythe last letter written by Paul

Paul is in prison - awaiting likely execution. And he writing to Timothy, his "beloved child" in the faith who was ministering to the church in Ephesus.

In chapter 3 verse 1—Paul gives Timothy this warning:

2 Timothy 3:1–5 —But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, 4treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.

Paul is trying to be helpful to Timothy in HIS context…Timothy needs to be PREPARED for these things:

For people who are proud…who love themselves…who are depraved and wicked.

When these people arise, there will be times of difficulty…But Paul continues to contrast this with the character of Timothy (in verse 10):

2 Timothy 3:10–13 — You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, 11 my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me... [verse 12] Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, 13 while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.

Here we find a divide: the vileness of evil men who grow in iniquity and those who follow in the teaching of Paul.

Paul warns Timothy: All who are godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted at the hands of ungodly men.

It is in this context that Paul continues on into our first few verses this morning:

[Read Verse 14-15: "But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus."]

Paul commands the young minister: “Continue in what you have learned and become convinced of…”

Timothy, by the quickening work of the Spirit, has become CONVINCED and CONVICTED of true things taught to him from childhood…

Things contrary to what evil men believe and practice.

Paul encourages him: CLING desperately to these things.

Don't neglect them. Don't let them atrophy in your soul. Don't let them fade away. Continue in them.

Verse 15 – “how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings”

Timothy grew up being acquainted (or familiar) with the "sacred writings" (under the instruction of his Jewish mother and grandmother).

To grow from infancy into a mature knowledge of the Scriptures. To be acquainted with them from a young age.

Oh – the grace on display. The kindness of the Almighty. What a blessing.

Parents: you have been given a great and terrible responsibility.

To give your children the sweet words of God’s instruction. To raise them to be acquainted with the sacred writings.

To model meditating on God’s Law, day and night… [Pause]

Better for a child to know Scripture than to sleep in a BED.

Better for a child’s heart to be a library of God’s teachings than to everbe able to quote a single line of Star Wars.

Parents—Do not neglect this: teach the Word to your children daily.

God has given your family an awesome privilege, to have ACCESS to His Word.

Yet we squander it so we can fill our minds with trivial worldly nonsense.

Stop it. Christian, stop wasting your days and your evenings. Stop tuning your heart to delight in the world.

Tune it to love GOD. Spend your nights on your knees with your CHILDREN!

The greatest things you can do to raise your children is to pray for them, live imitable lives, and teach them the Scriptures.

Oh – what a privilege you’ve been given. Do not squander it. [Pause]

The Apostle then continues to further describe the character and efficacy of these "sacred writings":

[Read 2nd half: you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus]

These are writings which are able to make you "wise for salvation."… “Wise for salvation.”

How can you know salvation? How can we grasp it? How can we have it?

It is not through the sharpness of your intellect.

Your wits, your logic may aid you in the world, but logic is no solution to sin.

Hear this, dust cannot grasp the divine.

And our sins have hidden the Lord from our eyes.

Holy, holy, holy! Though the darkness hide thee…Though the eye of sinful man, Thy glory may not see

We have no might to know Him, nor His Son, nor His Salvation.

You cannot breech the sinfulness of your own heart.

No philosophy can awaken the slumbering heart that lies chained in the valley of iniquity.

God has spoken – His testimony makes the heart tremble before his Holiness.

Only the Spirit of God may put the flesh back on dry bones, and stir the heart of stone.

And here we find: the Spirit of God works through His Word.

The Apostle's meaning here is plain, but significant: Scripture teaches us how to be saved.

It has a unique power: not only to teach us of salvation…

…but to convict our dead hearts and to awakena love for the Creator and a true repentance and a desire for godliness.

But notice this as well: “the sacred writings that make you wise for salvation…through faith in JESUS CHRIST.”

Scripture does tells us of salvation, but salvation gained only by faith in Jesus.

Jesus is the ESSENCE, the SUBSTANCE of both the Old and New Testaments.

To cling to the words of life in Scripture is to be driven to Christ, to rejoicein His work, to discover Him on every page.

If you find a religion that lacks a pure devotion to Jesus….

…that neglects to speak of Him and has no delight in His excellencies—you will find a religion devoid of understanding the Scriptures.

Be prodded to a reverent love for the Savior through His Word…be driven to trust in him ALONE for your salvation.

See how Scripture unfolds the redemptive plan of the Lord – and focuses all of history around His Son.

There is no other name under heaven by which men may be saved.

Give up your attempts to earn your righteousness, and receive the righteousness that doesn’t come from the Law, but from faith in Jesus.

As the deceived deceiversgrow yet more vile, let the substance of your life be filled with the knowledge of the Sacred Writings.

[Read v16-17: All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.]

Paul here inserts his commentary on the nature of "Sacred Scripture."

What is it? WHY does it have power to provide wisdom unto salvation?

First - "AllScripture is God-breathed."

....not some of Scripture, not only the parts pertaining to faithand practice, not only those that are acceptable in today’s age. ALL Scripture.

Every crumb of this book is God-breathed. Scripture is no buffet table.

Christian - You take what it says, how it says it, and you acceptit, or you are no Christian.

A Christian cannot despise the teachings of Christ.

Thus, there is value in all the obscure corners of the Bible we like to forget about.

From the laws of Leviticus to the genealogies of 1 Chronicles.

From the cries of Jeremiah in Lamentations to the lewd and offensive language describing of the whordom of Israel in Ezekiel.

From the overtly sexual language of Song of Solomon to head coveringsin 1 Corinthians 11.

From faith without deeds in James 2 to Christ proclaiming to spirits in prison in 1 Peter 3.

From vessels of wrath prepared for destruction in Romans 9 to beasts and dragons in Revelation.

ALL Scripture is God-breathed, Christian!

All of it!

Get off Instagram and READit! MEMORIZE it.

You have a hard time concentrating, and it’s hard to find constant joy and refreshment from?

Yes, often me too – because we’ve trained our minds to delight in such worldly mundane things…

Our souls CAN’T even glimpse the surpassing excellency of God’s Word, they’re so dulled.

Let your mind be retrained to delight in things worth delighting in by the word of the Spirit through the Word.

[Pause]

"All Scripture is breathed out by God"

This is the jewel at the center of this glorious verse. God-breathed: θεόπνευστος

θεο = God || πνευστος = breathed out (wind)

We often use the word "inspired."

Paul isn't speaking to Scripture's production, but to its SOURCE. God Himself is the source of Scripture.

And because Scripture is a work of God — it is infallible and inerrant: perfect and accurate.

God does not lie, God is not imperfect.

Thus His WORD does not lie, and contains no imperfection.

We call this Verbal Plenary Inspiration…every single WORD of Scripture is inspired,

This, however, does not deny that we can find different styles and literarychoices between different authors in Scripture.

Scripture was produced as man wrote, being carried along by the Holy Spirit. [Pause]

This is extraordinary. Oh the sweet and free confidence you can have in His Word.

To have such an anchor, a foundation, a pillar…

Our prophets haven’t spoken up what their minds thought God mighthave said. It’s not even second-hand from an angel!

We're not getting already digested revelation filtered through a man....these WORDS themselves are inspired and PERFECT.

Their depths inexhaustible but their simplicity known to infants.

God's nature center stage in it.

Threads of God's Sovereign Plan woven throughout.

Radiant perfection emanating from its claims.

The Hidden and later Revealed person of Jesus the Gem of the whole.

It is our lens—our worldview shaping work.

Through it we are given a privileged peek of divine mysteries far above our station!

Oh how human knowledge pales and bows before the perfect wisdom of the Almighty Creator.

And that such excellent truths from the Creator are not only for the elite – but given to YOU… To YOU. To your FAMILY!

See God’s kindness here…His GRACE, His love.

God has no NEED to reveal Himself! And apart from His self-revelation, we could know nothing about Him!

And we so frequently DESPISE it. We FORSAKE it. We CAST it aside.

It collects dust because our TV show is more important?!?!

See how thy heart is quickly drawn astray Christian:

your life isn’t for comfort or enjoyment or entertainment. It’s for worship and holiness.

“Blessed is the man whose delight is in the Law of the Lord, on His Law He mediates day and night” – Psalm 1

“The instruction of the Lord is more to be desired than GOLD” – Psalm 19

The godly man is defined by Scripture. Are you a Christian? Then liveand die in the Word of God.

[Pause]

Paul continues, explaining that these sacred writings are "profitable for teaching, for reproof (or rebuke), for improvement, and for training in righteousness"

God’s Word wasn’t produced to float in a vacuum of intellectual curiosity.

Because Scripture is from God, and is true, Scripture is profitable! Useful! Helpful!

God has breathed-out His Word to WORK in your heart O Christian.

It is a tool of the Holy Spirit, a scalpel that craftily operates on your heart.

The word is given to teach you, rebuke you, correct you, and train you for good deeds.

The Bible gives us knowledge—it provides understanding of God and His Salvation.

Knowledge is the foundational element of faith—in order to have faith, you must have faith IN something.

You must TRUST in something.

To trust something, you must KNOW about it!

Scripture provides that information. Yet it is boundlessly beneficial for our Christian life.

In it, we are brought face-to-face with the Lord, with His Son. We know God through His address.

As a friend may know a friend through conversation, God discloses himself known in this Word.

God’s glory is disclosed and manifested in His redemptive plan revealed from Genesis and Revelation.

A disciple of Christ is saturated with such things…

…recognizing that the end for which we were saved was to behold God’s glory for eternity.

To learn to see the glory of the Lord now, we look to His Word. [Pause]

The Bible is also useful for reproof, or rebuke…this deals with moral issues in your life.

How is your sin confronted? How are you convicted of wrongdoing? God has given His Word for this purpose.

Listen – the Bible grates against our flesh...on purpose. It is the sledgehammer that God strikes our wicked flesh with.

When we immerse ourselves in Scripture, our sins are laid bare.

The man who daily swims in the Word will not be shocked by his heart’s capacity for wickedness.

He will know himself clearly, aware of his frailties, and His utter dependanceon the Spirit of God for holiness. [Pause]

Paul includes also correction. Also rendered improvement. Restoration.

The idea here is to correct error, to set right a misunderstanding.

To improveour thinking, restore our broken and shattered minds.

Listen - I am FAR more likely to trust a church that I have doctrinal disagreements with that LOVES the Bible and REALLY trusts it…

…than a church I might incidentally agree with, but who has no genuine regardfor Scripture.

If someone loves and submits to the Word, there is a kind of auto-correct built into their life and thinking.

Their doctrine will be constantly corrected again and again—being refined by the fire of God’s Word.

Christian, be aware, you are surrounded by error...every day.

We live in Utah—Error reigns.

If not Mormonism…atheism, or New Age paganism, or worldly political opinion.

God granted His Word as our tool to correct these things.

Scripture is USEFUL for correction — Make your appeal with the Word.

Correct, and bring all Scriptural authority to bear.

Let it also protect your family, shield them from error.

Know it well enough to protect your children from the future errors they’ll come in contact with that you currently know nothing of. [Pause]

Lastly – the Apostle speaks to Scripture’s strength in training us in righteousness.

How often have we been confronted with sin in our life, and been unsure how to conquer it?

How can we guard ourselves from our sin?

Well - Scripture TRAINS us in righteousness. Training takes time, dedication, hard work.

If you do not let Scripture train you, then you will not stand a chance against the vileness of your flesh.

You see the wickedness in some churches? In the world?

This is because men have not been trained in righteousness by the Sacred Writings.

Scripture is useful for correction because God inspired it.

Scripture's usefulness is a result of its inspiration.

[Read V17: "that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work."]

The "that" which begins this verse indicates purpose…For what purposehas God inspired Scripture?

Well – to make the man of God complete—that is, “equipped for every good work.”

While Paul has used the expression the "man of God" to refer chiefly to Timothy, we need not restrict the scope of application.

If Scripture makes Timothy equipped for every good work (or even broadly, pastors), HOW MUCH MORE does it apply to all of us!

Everything that God expects of you is found in the pages of Holy Scripture.

Everything that God expects of the church is found in Scripture.

All that we need to be mature and complete...

God has ALREADY given you what you need.

Don’t trust the false prophets of the day claiming to speak of things God expects of you not found in the Bible.

Rebuke them. Cut them down with the Word of God.

Stand not for a moment for the tempering of Sacred Scripture.

You don’t need a small voice in your heart to direct you on how you can honor God – HE ALREADY TOLD YOU!

You don’t need a word of prophesy or word of knowledge to bind your conscience to some work…GOD has once-for-all given all that He expects of His people.

Other books, instructions….perhaps they’re good and helpful.

But God provides all you need in His Word.

For what else could the apostle mean by teaching that Scripture gives you all you need to be “equipped for every good deed.”

The prophets of the age will shriek at you, demanding you submit to their morality. [Thunder] NO. Not now, not ever.

You do not move off of God’s Word. Do not compromise. Do not crack.

Whatever does not proceed from faith is SIN.

The faithless cannot tell you what God requires of you…they don’t KNOW Him.

The foolish man turns from God’s Word seeking out instruction elsewhere.

From culture? From popular opinion? From the news? FOLLY!

Be NOT counted amongst them O Christian! Do not walk in the council of the wicked.

The ways of man are chaff. They’ll blow away in the next generation.

Today’s virtues are tomorrows vices. Today’s vices are tomorrow’s virtues.

But the Word of the Lord stands forever, “heaven and earth will pass away, but His Word never shall.”

Why huddle around the smoldering wick? Christian: be cleansed of worldly thinking, and bask in the light of the Word.

Let’s continue: [Read 4:1-2 – I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.]

Paul gives a charge, an urging, a warning.

In the presence of God and His Christ. and the terrifying shadow of his looming judgment and consummated kingdom, Paul charges the young minister:

Preach the Word. Reprove, Rebuke, Exhort.

The God-breathed Scriptures are useful for those things. And so, use it. Unleash it.

This is Timothy’s chief weapon, his tool. Given by God Himself to shepherd the flock.

With great patience, cut the Ephesians with the Word. Slicetheir hearts open, expose their sins, instruct them.

So, Church, let this instruct us on a few points:

Timothy was to preach the Word. To correct and rebuke.

Brothers, sisters, hear this—> you need to be in a context in which you're being PREACHED to! Exhorted! Rebuked!

For starters, this means you must be committed to a CHURCH.

Sit under faithful preaching. Know the plurality of elders and pastors well enough to be REBUKED by them.

Exclusively watching sermons online does NOT count!

Watching sermons online is not bad, but it is not church.

It is absolutely no substitute for being HERE.

When we come together as the Saints of God, we subject ourselves CORPERATELYto the preaching of the word…

We address one another in Psalms, hymns, spiritual songs…

…we corporately proclaim our union with Christ through the Lord’s Supper, and thus our union with one another.

We bear one-another’s burdens, encourage each other, greek one another…

Brothers and sisters, Such things cannot be done over the internet!

It would feel weird for a couple to get married over Zoom or Facebook live…something about the act requires their physical presence.

The weekly gathering of the bride of Christ must also be physical.

How can you be rebuked by a pastor the can’t possible even SEE you, let alone know your life, watch your conduct, and exhort you?

Be preached to, YEARN for rebuke.

Let pastors and members both see your life—messes and all—that they can exhortyou!

Don’t despise correction!

How can elders correct you if YOU DON’T LET THEM! Be humble, seek righteousness.

And My goodness. Don't settle for a church that doesn't obey this command from Paul to Timothy.

Do NOT, O Christian, wreck yourself by sitting under silly boys who tell entertaining stories of themselves for 30 minutes on a Sunday, and call that a sermon.

Do not settle for anemic doctrine.

How can a pastor who doesn’t know Scripture be of benefit to you?

Flee from those who speak their own thoughts, who would coddle your flesh, who care not for your holiness.

Look for pastors who beat you up with the Word of God. Who smashyour pride and humble your heart before the throne of God above.

And I don’t just mean a preacher that SOUNDS significant or that wowsyou with well-crafted flowery statements.

(For profound eloquent sounding speech can be an effective vehicle of deception.)

What we need is plain: the Word expounded and applied to us.

Puritan writer Thomas Watson writes, "Many love the word preached only for its eloquence and notion. They come to a sermon as to a music lecture or as to a garden to pick flowers, but not to have their lusts subdued or their hearts bettered. These are like a foolish woman who paints her face but neglects her health"

Endure sound teaching! Subject yourself and your family to PREACHING that HURTS you and CONFRONTS you.

So often men love preaching that excites the heart.

Far rarer is it for find a man who loves preaching that hurts his pride and breaks him down.

Before you commit to a church – FIND OUT if the elders are WORTHY under-shepherds! VERIFY that they are qualified.

Sit under PREACHING. Let your family be WASHED by the word.

10 years ago – 0 of you were at this church! Who knows where the Lord may lead you 10 years from now.

When you inevitably must move and look for a new church, listen to me:

Better to HAVE the WORD preached and the WORST music you’ve ever heard than professional guitar riffs and a people devoid of God's Word.

Better to have a delipidated ugly building and a faithful cranky old preacher who will give you flesh-crushing but life-giving words.

If you can’t find a faithful church with honest preaching…DON’T MOVE THERE!

Don’t you do it! Your church is more important than ANY ideal job.

The spiritual life of your family is MORE SIGNIFICANT than having enough $$ to have Netflix or Disney +, or iPhones.

Students – if you plan to go to your dream college, but can’t find a good church — DON’T GO!

And if you’re unconvinced by that – you might not understand the significanceof the Saint’s Gathering.

Church is NOT where you go for daycare and coffee.

The gathering of the Saints is not for catching up with friends.

Here is where heaven is opened and we as a BRIDE commune with the bridegroom.

The Lord’s Day is the market-day of the Soul.

We hearhis instruction, we feast on his words, we are rejuvenated by his body and blood.

We are reminded of the power of God to SAVE lost sinners and to SANCTIFYthem.

At the center of all this is the Word of God - the preaching of His Word.

We hear what GOD says - it is expounded for us, we MARVEL in Awe at His words.

They wash us and cleanse us and correct us.

Church, when we gather we do NOT come for our entertainment.

We do not gather for the WORLD’s benefit.

We come to worship the Lord of hosts and be cleansed, convicted, and comforted by His Word.

May the Lord convict you of that truth as you grow in maturity and wisdom. [Pause]

And for those aspiring to take on the same responsibilities as Timothy someday...to shepherd and instruct God’s people.

For mature men heading in that direction....take Paul’s words in this verse to heart.

I’m not asking about a small elite group. I’m talking about you, men.

All of you should be growing in maturity and righteousness — striving for maximal holiness and maturity.

May many of you be qualified to be called as elders in the future!

Learn to be prepared now. Get ready for when you're in season. Learnthe Word. Know it.

If you're thrown in a cell someday, be able to spew an annoying amount of Scripture.

Disciple people now! Meet with other believers!

Bring Scripture to bear in discipleship - admonish them, rebuke them.

Learn to use Scripture as your guide for life.

Those new 21st century books on ways to grow a “relevant” church? Throw them out.

Don’t listen to ANY so-called wisdom that takes your eyes off of God inspired Scripture.

The LORD has instructed us how to build His Church.

Know the Word of God. Do what it says. Preach it boldly. [Pause]

[Read v3-4: "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 passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths."]

For the time is coming....and is now here when people won't stand for, won't ENDURE sound teaching.

The context here defines "sound teaching.”

He’s just been talking about the inspiration of Scripture, and its usefulness, and the need for it to be preached.

Right doctrine is simply the teaching of God-breathed Scripture!!!!

Paul warns: People won't endure Scripture — Not just a lack of desire, but active distaste. They’ll despise it.

Lot’s of people play the game that "sound teaching" is impossible to define.

Everyone claims that their teaching is “sound teaching.”

But no false faith - not the LDS Church, nor emergent spirituality, nor the Catholic Church, nor the hyper-charismatic movement...

none of them can claim sound teaching, because none of them stand on the God-breathed inspired text of Holy Scripture!

The world doesn't endure correct teaching. It despises it. It sees it as barbaric. Outdated.

Why? Because it doesn't suit their own passions! It isn't what they want.

But sound doctrine is so often not what we want it to be...

Heavenly realities crashing into human frailties —our frailties protest!

But listen: Discomfort doesn't indicate falsehood.

the notion of hell is quite distasteful to the "educated", "proper", "evolved" man.

Thinking themselves greater than God, they set themselves as judge, able to condemn God for His barbarism.

And THIS IS WHY we stand on Scripture alone! Who are you, O Man, to answer back to God?

Note the language of this verse: these evil men will "accumulate" more teachers to suit their desires.

Evil men aren’t content with a few voices. They want a choir of wickedness to rise against the Sovereign Lord.

Fools want only but to clap in agreement. They recoil from genuine rebuke and correction.

The more eager men are to reject true doctrine, the more diligent WE must be in TEACHING such things, and CLINGING to them.

Don’t be surprised when men make a spectacle of denying and hating God's truth.

Is it shocking that what the Holy Spirit spoke should come true? No!

The Lord will reach those who are His.

And let yourself be warned O Christian: your ears may still itch for teaching that satisfies your dying flesh, even as a regenerate believer.

The godly man knows his heart deceives him. Don’t, O Christian, trust yourself.

Do not be conformed to this world - be TRANSFORMED...let your darkened mind be enlightened by Law of the Lord.

[Pause]

The doctrinal corruption and superstition preset in the era prior to the Reformation reared its head due to a lack of Scriptural literacy.

Yet who of us can look downon such an era without first considering the present slush of our world, the itching ears of the age?

People who call themselves disciples of Christ and screaming that gender doesn’t exist…

…that people ought have the freedom to murder children, who delightin the idolatry of the age…

Itching ears desire new and insightful teachers spouting either newphilosophies or old heresies.

The internet is a sewer of myths, speculations, and utter abhorrence.

We need a new Reformation. A pruning of falsehoods and all that stands against the Word of the Lord.

We need our hearts to be tuned from all the world offers,

Cut off the world’s influence over you Church. The world influences you as much as you LET it.

Throw your phone in the garbage if you need to – destroy your computer, and DRINK in His Word.

May the Spirit of God train us to tremble more at the thought of the Word of God taken away than of any ill that may befall our world…whether war or famine or plague.

Brothers, love the Word.

Love not just the parts that comfort you and encourage you, but that prickyour flesh and throw water on your heart of pride.

Delight and singin the commandments, weep at the revelation of coming judgment.

Diligently read it, meditate on it, find your heart’s delight in it, hide in it, defend it…

…prefer it above things most precious to you, speak about it constantly, conform your life and action to it.

That YOU may be complete, being equipped for every good work.