Itching Ears

9/28/15                                      Itching Ears

 

What, exactly, do "itching ears" want to hear?

This reference to "itching ears" comes from 2 Tim 4, where Paul advises young Timothy that more and more people are gravitating toward worldly myths rather than spiritual truth.

DJ, an African-American man in his 20’s who had practically grown up in church, told me “No one wants to hear about Jesus anymore, no one is really interested”.

Was he right? Or is it more that people are itching to hear about a "different Jesus" than the one proclaimed in the Bible?

Here's the context where that "itching ears" reference came from: “The time will come when people 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. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.” (2 Tim 4)

So what, exactly, do itching ears want to hear?

For his part, the "Jesus" DJ had come to believe in, despite his many years of church involvement, was one who preached a gospel of good works, and DJ had long grown tired of the burden of trying to be good enough for God. No wonder he didn't think anyone would be interested!

But was he right? Or was Paul correct when he wrote that many would have itching ears for an alternative "Jesus" to believe in?

I believe our sinful and selfish human nature causes believers and unbelievers alike to turn aside to the myth of works-based righteousness that makes us trust in our own goodness rather than trusting in Jesus.

We shy away from the mirror of the Bible, which forces us to see ourselves according to God's standards. The standard of God’s commandments, if we are willing to look into that mirror, shows us our selfish, rebellious nature in all its vainglory. In God’s law, we see ourselves as we really are, and we see our need for the true Jesus.