What is sound doctrine? Paul used the words ὑγιαίνω διδασκαλία, which mean healthy teaching, pure and uncorrupted instruction. 

Many people then and now have no patience, no endurance, for the healthy and pure message of the Bible. That was the message Paul had preached, the message Timothy knew. The fact that Paul and Timothy both endured (suffered evil and afflictions) greatly from preaching that healthy, pure and uncorrupted message demonstrates the challenge we face today. Preachers and teachers who want to do the right thing and present the Word of God “rightly divided” (2 Timothy 2:15) will have to endure hardships because many of the people they preach to will “not endure sound doctrine.”

Why will they not endure? 

Paul answered that question for us in the verses that follow –

“… but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.” 

2 TIMOTHY 4:3-4

There you have it – “but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears.” Where do you stand today? Do your ears “itch” or are you focused on sound doctrine? The difference is important to identify for your spiritual health.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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