Re: Something controversial
Gordon Simons (simons@stat.unc.edu)
Fri, 28 Nov 1997 09:45:57 -0500 (EST)Glenn wrote:
> Obviously that is for the Christian. But then Paul goes on in 4:2-3 to
> say,
>
> "I give you this charge: Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of
> season; correct, rebuke and encourage--with great patience and careful
> instruction. For 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."
> NIV
>
> What struck me forcefully is that this is directed at the Christians not
> the unbelievers. It is the Christians who have those itching ears and want
> to hear only what agrees with them! For years I have heard this verse used
> against non-christians and evolutionists but since a non-christian cannot
> be encouraged by the Wrod of God and they hold NO doctrine the passage
> can't apply to them.
>
> Here is the controversial part. It has been my experience that vast
> numbers of young-earth creationists will not read anything that disagrees
> with their own opinion. This also applies to many of the old-earth
> anti-evolutionists. Is this unwillingness to read that which disagrees
> with an accepted opinion an example of gathering "around them a great
> number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear."?
Come on, Glenn! You're over-reaching on this one. The Apostle Paul is
writing about "doctrine," not theories on the age of the Earth -- young-
or old-earth theories. We make a serious mistake when we confuse Christian
doctrine and scientific theories. The first relates to being right with
God and our eternal destiny, the second merely to an attempt to explain
what we see.
Within the context of the verse you quote, we can see that Paul is vitally
concerned with a matter much more important than a scientific theory: with
the effective propagation of the Word. I take this to be the Gospel, the
good news of Jesus Christ and his redemption of rebellious mankind -- of
those who will listen to and accept the preacher's message. It is the
nature of fallen men to reject the notion that they need a Saviour, that
they can do nothing to commend themselves to a holy God, and hence the
temptation to listen with "itching ears" to those who reject our utterly
helpless state -- that is, to listen to what they "want to hear."
I agree with you that the verses you cite are directed toward Christians,
not unbelievers.
Gordie