SIGNS OF AN EAR TICKLER PREACHER
TEXT: "A time is coming when people will not bear good instruction, but with itchy ears, they will gather for themselves instructors to suit their own desires and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into falsehoods," Paul warned Timothy ( Timothy 4:3-4).
That admonition came true in Timothy's day, and it has come true many times since, especially now, when there are so many ear-tickling preachers. How can we identify them?
We all know that lying is incredibly deceptive, and no one wants to be fooled. And we all know that no one ever steps up and declares, "What I'm preaching is a false doctrine designed to fool and ruin you!"
We also recognize that it is presumptuous for any of us to believe that we alone have correct doctrine while everyone else is mistaken.
A. Earworm preachers avoid self-denial and the cross. If anybody wished to follow Jesus, he told His disciples, they had to deny themselves and pick up the cross (see Matthew 16:24; Mark 8:34; in Luke 9:23 He says we must take up our cross daily). According to Paul, "those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the body with its affections and desires" (Galatians 5:24).
Saying no to self and taking up the cross—that is, giving up the claim to our own life, dying to and renouncing the claims of this wicked world—is a key aspect of discipleship. However, ear-tickling preachers will not discuss it.
The explanation is simple: it is not what our flesh desires to hear.
B. Tempting preachers are light on sin. There are warnings about the dangers of sin and invitations to turn away from sin throughout the Scriptures, both Old and New Testament, including the Gospels, Acts, Letters, and Revelation.
Of course, the death and resurrection of Jesus, as well as the power of the Holy Spirit, have given us victory over sin. And it is undeniably true that the message of grace, when properly grasped, drives us away from sin (see Titus 2:11-14).
But it doesn't imply that as leaders, we can't warn our audiences about the deceitfulness of sin or encourage them to be watchful against it. On the contrary, because we have received so much grace, our obligation to God is much greater (see Hebrew 2:1-4; 10:26-31; 12:25-29).
C. The world adores ear-tickling preachers. In 2 Timothy 3, Paul described the persecutions and suffering he endured for the sake of the gospel, which were frequent and intense, and then said, "Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil people and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived" (2 Tim. 3:12-13).
Jesus predicted that the world would treat us the same way it treated Him (John 15:18; Matthew 10:24-25) and that His disciples, like the prophets of old, would be persecuted for the cause of righteousness (Matthew 5:10-12).
"If you were of the world," He said, "the world would love you as its own; but since you are not of the world, but I picked you out of it, the world hates you" (John 15:19).
But the world does not despise ear-tickling preachers because their approach to the gospel is "of the world."
It is one thing to establish a good reputation for honesty and purity, and it is quite another to do what we preach. It is a different matter when our message does not upset sinners. "Woe to you, when all people talk good of you, because thus their predecessors did to the false prophets," Jesus said (Luke 6:26).
D. Ear-tickling preachers say exactly what the flesh wants to hear. The prophets of the Old Testament had to deal with this all the time. "For they are a rebellious people, lying children, children unwilling to hear the instruction of the LORD; who say to the seers, 'Do not see,' and to the prophets, 'Do not prophesy to us what is right; speak to us smooth things, prophesy illusions, leave the way, turn aside from the path, let us hear no more about the Holy One of Israel,'" wrote Isaiah many years ago (Isaiah 30:9-11).
To put it another way, "Preacher, don't make us feel uncomfortable! Don't make us uncomfortable! Stop imposing the standards of a holy God on us!"
A acquaintance recently informed me that the proprietor of a local strip club attended the same church as he and his family did.
His sister-in-law approached the pastor and inquired about it, to which the pastor said, "At the very least, he's going to church. That's preferable to not arriving at all."
That would be accurate, but the preacher never mentioned sin or anything that would make the man feel uncomfortable about his exploitation of young ladies (and others). As a result, rather of being convicted of his faults and finding God's life-changing love, this guy returned home deluded.
My friend and his family were eventually forced to leave.
E. Ear-tickling preachers abandon the Word in favour of myths. They may use a passage or two, but their lectures are motivated by their own worldly ideology—especially if it sells—rather than by the meaning of the Word.
Some even go so far as to proclaim supposed heavenly or angelic insights that titillate the ears of the pseudo-spiritual but do not exalt Jesus, drive people away from sin, or bring enduring spiritual fruit.
Personally, I feel that there are preachers today who really know the Lord but have bought into a falsehood about the essence of the gospel, and that while they believe they are helping people, they are actually hurting them in the long term.
May God grant these men and women repentance, especially those who are genuine charlatans and deceivers, and may God provide us discernment, repentance, and a love for the truth, no matter the cost or result.
PRAYER POINTS
- Pray for God to open the eyes of your understanding in Jesus name.
- Oh God arise and deliver me from the trap of any fake preacher in Jesus name.
- Influence of fake gospel over my life, expire in Jesus name.
- Influence of fake gospel on the lives of any of my love ones expire in Jesus name.
- Holy Ghost, give me understanding of the scriptures in Jesus name.
- Revival fire of God my life is available, enter in the name of Jesus Christ.
- Foundational power tying me down in any fake church, release me now in Jesus name.
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