Much of Paul’s letters to Timothy read like a commentary on today’s society, even though he wrote these two thousand years ago. This week’s passage seems especially so.

You can find it in 2 Timothy 4:3:

In the first couple of verses of this passage, Paul charged Timothy to stand firm, preaching the Word of God with boldness. In this next verse, he explains why this is necessary and urgent.

The need for Timothy to be patient is critical. He will soon be entering some difficult times for Christianity, and Paul is about to describe what those times will be like. The situation that begins during Timothy’s ministry has sunk lower and lower throughout the centuries, and we see the continual progression of this today.

What is the problem that Timothy faced, and we face now? It is a lack of commitment to “sound doctrine,” the Word of God. Paul warned that very quickly, people would not want to be faced with the truth of Scripture, or the conviction that comes with it.

Rather, in the place of correct and healthy instruction, people accumulate, literally “heap up,” a number of teachers that will tell them what they want to hear. Paul actually uses a phrase here that means “to tickle or scratch” in regards to their hearing. People want to hear things that make them feel comfortable, not challenge them to grow.

I find the Phillips translation of this phrase to be very interesting: “They will collect teachers who will pander to their own desires.”

This really describes the self-gratification and entitlement rampant in society today. We think it’s bad now, and it is, but Paul saw it coming centuries ago, and warned Timothy that it was just around the corner.

I think the point that Paul is making to Timothy is twofold. First, Timothy needs to know that these people are around, and so do we. A lot of people prefer to hear a “gospel” that is stripped of its power, because it doesn’t make them feel guilty or convicted. And people will go to great lengths to find teachers who present such a “gospel.”

Second, Timothy must guard against the tendency to seek out just what he wants to hear and focus on the true gospel. And so must we. The Word of God is true, every last word of it is directly from God, and is necessary for our growth. Paul just stated this a few short sentences before this passage. Since it is truth, all of it, we must pay attention to what it says.

God’s Word is inspired and true. We can’t simply pick and choose the parts we like or that we find easy. We must accept it all, and pay attention to every bit of it. Our goal is to become mature and complete, not lacking anything (James 1:4). Is that difficult? You bet. But it is worth every effort.

Question: What parts of God’s Word do you avoid? How might you need to pay more attention to those passages? You can leave a comment by clicking here.