2 TIMOTHY 4
- I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus Who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His coming and His kingdom:
- Herald and preach the Word! Keep your sense of urgency (stand by) be at hand and ready, whether the opportunity seems favorable, whether it be welcome or unwelcome, you as a preacher of the Word are to show people in what way their lives are wrong and convince them, rebuking and correcting, warning and urging and encouraging them, being unflagging and inexhaustible in patience and teaching.
- For the time is coming when people will not tolerate sound and wholesome instruction, but having ears itching for something pleasing and gratifying, they will gather to themselves one teacher after another to a considerable number, chosen to satisfy their own liking and to foster the errors they hold,
- And will turn aside from hearing the truth and wander off into myths and man-made fiction. Amp. C.
This is a picture of today. David Wilkerson used to preach messages about how so many churches were already staying away from the pure Word of the Gospel. He spoke of how they would think up ways to bring people in by serving them coffee and doughnuts and giving them sports updates. And how they would leave out teaching about the blood of Jesus and the crucifixion. That was 20 years ago. I can just shudder to think how much the evil has grown.
We must be on our guard ready with the truth. The Truth is what is men are turning away from. This is where the danger is. When men refuse to love the Truth and do not welcome it. that is when God sends upon them a working of error and a strong delusion making them believe what is false, 2 Thess. 2:10-11.
That is the danger of believing in a pre-trib or post-trib rapture. We do not have the right to choose what we desire to be. But we are to seek the Holy Spirit for the Truth. This teaching is so acceptable by the Church that it does not consider it a problem let alone something that can send you to hell.
We must be careful and not judge but lovingly speak the truth. We must pray for the Lord to give us the opportunity to show others the difference between truth and error. And we must pray to show them with love and patience.
We must learn to be led by the Spirit, waiting on Him to open the right door for us to speak and not force our own way through. If we do it the right way they will repent. We all have this ministry and are on call 24/7.