Itching Ears October 25, 2020
By Larne Gabriel
We live in unique times, currently as the pandemic is circling the globe, with conflicting views of how to stop it, treat it or how serious it really is. Each study disputes and contradicts the previous one. Masks or no masks, inflated or factual numbers, there is little agreement as it seems to be driven by political ideology and beliefs. Truth has become relevant only if it agrees with one’s world view and real truth is no longer pertinent. Civil discourse is a thing of the past, so we curse, accuse and attack those of different views. The loudest voice and “group think” are the ones followed regardless if it is true or not. Facts and statements are partially quoted to emphasize one’s dogma or distort the reality. Media coverage is no longer objective but has become opinion pieces and there are no absolutes except if they are in line with the speaker’s beliefs. Our ears only want to hear others repeat our world view or dogma.
Is this new to the human race? No, but I believe it is on an exponential rise and the world has become intolerant to those that are in disagreement to the ones with the loudest voices. Sadly, those voices often come from the people that entertain us and live in a world of self-adulation thinking they are more important, whether they come from the political, journalistic, music, film, TV or sports arenas.
But for me I see something completely different. 2 Timothy 4:3-4 says, “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.” In chapter 3, Paul states, “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, 4 treacherous, 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. 6 For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, 7 always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth.”
These verses clearly describe the world we live in today but verse 5 added to the end of verse 7 captures the character of those who set the agenda whether governmental or the educated elite, “7 always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth…. 5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power.” Isaiah the prophet from 2600 years ago clearly gives a stark warning, “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! (Is. 5:20)” Isaiah continues his “woe” statements till verse 24-25 and tells of the coming judgement to God’s people, “for they have rejected the law of the Lord of hosts, and have despised the word of the Holy One of Israel. 25 Therefore the anger of the Lord was kindled against his people, and he stretched out his hand against them and struck them, and the mountains quaked; and their corpses were as refuse in the midst of the streets. For all this his anger has not turned away, and his hand is stretched out still.”
Zechariah again calls out those who do not listen, “But they refused to pay attention and turned a stubborn shoulder and stopped their ears that they might not hear .(Zech. 7:11)” Jeremiah rebukes his generation for “neither listening or inclining your ears” to all the warning sent by the prophets (Jer. 25:4)
Is this any different to the world we live in today? Paul in Galatians 5 tells us to walk by the (Holy) Spirit so “you will not gratify the desires of the flesh” and that “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one “ (Gal. 5:16, 22-26). As Christians we need to speak the truth to an unbelieving world while rebuking believers and elders whose lives are full of sin and false doctrine for the sake of the purity of the Gospel. Yet doing so in the spirit of love remembering the two greatest commandments spoken by Christ. “And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”” Loving the Lord is living a life pleasing to Him and not with “Itching Ears”, but with the Knowledge of the Truth of our salvation and how Christ teaches us to live in light of the two great commandments.