Sound Doctrine or Ears Tickled?

I usually do not get a post up until late in the afternoon on Tuesdays. As many of you already know, that is because Tuesday mornings I attend Bible study.

I decided to get a head start on my Tuesday post by sharing a link tonight. It is an excellent article that was recommended to me by my message board friend, Sothenes. It is entitled The Disappearing Doctrine of the Evangelical Church.

An excerpt:

"We are not supposed to draw any definitive lines or declare any absolutes. Doctrinal and moral issues which were once painted black and white, are now seen as gray. The state of the church is now in a state of confusion.

Paul forewarned us that this would happen when he wrote: "The time will come when they [the people in the church] will not endure [tolerate] sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires; and will turn away their ears from the truth, and will turn aside to myths" (2 Tim. 4:3-4). When "Christians" turn to popular teachers who tickle their ears with messages on self-esteem and self-improvement, they are also turning away from God's word. Without a steady diet of Scripture, they will not hear sound doctrine and therefore be unable to discern truth from error. Ultimately, they will not know if they are following Jesus Christ or his adversary.

Without discernment, the 21st century church is headed for serious trouble because the enemies of the Gospel are more shrewd and cunning than we are. What the Body of Christ needs now are soldiers of the Lord who are committed to battle for truth! Let us look at some of the cause for the lack of discernment in the evangelical church."

The article goes on and discusses:

1. Decline of Biblical Preaching
2. Three Kinds of Preachers
3. Wooing the World into The Church
4. Tolerance Has Replaced Absolute Truth
5. Warnings Are Being Ignored
6. Spiritual Immaturity

Every single one of these issues is extremely important to grasp, study and understand in order to avoid heresy and apostasy in this day and age.

For now, I have bolded the part that really stood out to me. Sound doctrine; discernment of truth from error; knowing whom one is following; are just a few of the battles we face in this age of "tolerance," "moral relativism," and "hearing messages according to one's own physical, emotional, intellectual, and psychological desires."

I will be back to discuss this further. For now, please feel free to post comments about what you read in the article.

What stood out the most in your mind?

How do you see your church addressing and reacting to these critical issues?

Are many souls in danger of being led down the wrong path because of churches that could turn believers away from the Gospel of Christ and Biblical truth?