If any Frankfort-area Christians out there have been reading the State Journal lately, you may have noticed a local church’s ads featuring articles by their pastor. If you’ve read the articles, you may have been shocked by what you read. You’re not alone.
Rick’s blog has a good wrap up on the situation. Here’s my response:
Regarding False Teaching
2 Timothy 4:3-4 (Listen)
3 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, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.
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. (ESV)”
My Life Application Study Bible note says:
Many speakers, teachers, and writers talk about the pursuit of knowledge. But often they don’t want knowledge; they want power. Such people won’t listen to “sound and wholesome teaching.” Instead, they “reject the truth and chase after myths.” You can see this everywhere - from liberal churches to university campuses. People claiming to have a bit more enlightenment than what the dusty Bible has to say; people claiming to improve on God’s words. Such people have several things in common:
(1) They do not tolerate truth. They have no interest or respect for absolute truth or any standard for judgment. (2) They reject truth for sensationalism. They want truth that fits their situation and makes sense to them. What they feel, what works for them, and what seems compelling - that is their truth and they claim an absolute right to it. No one should even attempt to tell them differently. (3) They gather viewpoints to suit their selfish desires. Although they profess objectivity, their only defense for their viewpoints is that those viewpoints suit their desires.
Such teachers have a following because they are telling people “whatever their itching ears want to hear.” These people are following myths. Be careful. False teaching can be found in many places - even inside the doors of some churches. Like Timothy, you must “keep a clear mind in every situation” and seek God’s Word for the truth.
(taken from NLT Life Application Study Bible;
2 Timothy 4:3-5 (Listen)
3 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, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. 5 As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.
)
Regarding Other Ways to Salvation
Acts 4:12 (Listen)
12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
says, “And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved. (ESV)”
Christ is the only way.
The Positive of the Situation
I’ve been encouraged to hear about many local churches and pastors banding together to denounce this man’s teaching. Typically, Frankfort churches have held a “you do your thing and we’ll do ours” attitude - or “stay out of our business and we’ll stay out of yours.” However, in this situation, local churches are keeping a Kingdom mindset and concerned with the teaching Christians are receiving in local churches. There is a genuine concern for truth among many churches. This is a good thing.
Please pray for this individual. Please pray that through Biblical methods, and by the grace of God, this man may come to a proper understanding of God’s truths. Pray for his church body and his church leaders. Pray that all churches may hold God’s Word high and lifted up, and not rely on man-made opinions.