Abandoning the Truths of the Bible

A Warning and a Reminder of Christ’s Near Return

“For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths” (2 Timothy 4:3-4, ESV).

This warning from Paul is not about a distant future. It is a present reality. All around us, we see people who once claimed faith in Christ moving away from the truths of Scripture. This drifting is more than a personal struggle; it is a clear sign of the times and a reminder that Jesus’ return is drawing near.

The Growing Rejection of Sound Doctrine

When Paul wrote to Timothy, he warned that people would choose teaching that makes them comfortable rather than teaching that convicts and transforms. That prophecy is being fulfilled right now. Many churches no longer teach repentance, sin, and holiness. Instead, they focus only on positive messages of self-fulfillment.

Consider the sermons you hear in popular culture. Messages are often designed to boost self-esteem rather than confront sin. This is not harmless – it is abandoning the truth. Jesus did not call people to self-improvement; He called them to deny themselves and follow Him (Luke 9:23).

Jesus also warned that deception would increase as His return approached: “And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray” (Matthew 24:11, ESV). Every time Scripture is twisted or watered down, we see this prophecy being fulfilled.

Trading God’s Word for Human Wisdom

Another clear sign of abandoning the truth is when Christians prefer culture’s voice over God’s Word. Paul warned the Colossians: “See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ” (Colossians 2:8, ESV).

We see this when churches embrace teachings that line up with cultural movements rather than the Bible. Issues like marriage, gender, and morality are no longer being measured against Scripture, but against society’s shifting opinions.

For example, some Christians now excuse sin by calling it “personal choice.” Others treat the Bible as outdated, as if human wisdom has surpassed God’s eternal truth. But when human reasoning replaces biblical authority, compromise is the result. Compromise is abandoning the truth, and it always leads to spiritual weakness.

Love of Sin Over Love of God

Paul also wrote that in the last days people would be “lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power” (2 Timothy 3:4-5, ESV). This is not only about unbelievers. Even within the church, many live double lives – showing up on Sunday but giving their hearts to sin during the week.

Think of how entertainment, comfort, and pleasure often take priority over prayer, service, or fellowship. How many Christians are more eager to binge-watch a show than to study the Word? How often do we justify choices we know grieve the Lord because they feel good in the moment?

This kind of lifestyle is abandoning the truth in practice. Jesus said plainly, “Because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold” (Matthew 24:12, ESV). The chilling of love for God is a sign that the world is preparing itself for the return of Christ.

Real-Life Examples of Abandoning the Truth

It helps to see how these warnings play out in daily life:

• In families: Parents often feel pressure to avoid teaching their children biblical values for fear of offending others. Some compromise by teaching kindness without teaching holiness.
• In workplaces: Christians may hide their faith to avoid ridicule, slowly blending in until their lives are no longer distinct.
• In schools and universities: Young believers face strong pressure to accept philosophies that deny the authority of God’s Word. Many walk away from faith during these years because it seems easier to fit in.
• In personal lives: Quiet neglect of the Bible, small compromises in purity, and little tolerance for conviction in preaching – these all show how easy it is to drift.

Each of these examples reveals abandoning the truth – sometimes in small steps, sometimes in bold rejection.

Remaining Faithful in a Time of Falling Away

The warnings of Scripture are not meant to make us despair but to make us ready. Abandoning the truth is the path many take, but God calls His people to stand firm. Paul encouraged the Thessalonians: “So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by our spoken word or by our letter” (2 Thessalonians 2:15, ESV).

Remaining faithful in a time of falling away means:

• Staying rooted in the Word: Read it daily, not just casually. Scripture renews our minds and guards our hearts.
• Testing every teaching by the Bible: Even if it sounds inspiring, measure it against God’s Word.
• Keeping fellowship with believers who love the truth: Isolation weakens faith, but community strengthens it.
• Praying for discernment and boldness: We need courage to stand against deception and endurance to stay faithful.

Faithfulness requires active choices. We cannot drift into holiness – we must pursue it.

Hope in Christ’s Return

Even as many fall away, the faithful have hope. Abandoning the truth may be a sign of the times, but it also reminds us that the Lord’s return is near. Jesus said, “Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near” (Luke 21:28, ESV).

Every step of decline we see in the world should not weaken our faith but strengthen it. The Bible told us these things would happen. The darkness of the age is not a surprise to God – it is a reminder that His plan is unfolding and that His Son will soon appear.

Closing Call

We live in a world that celebrates compromise and mocks God’s Word. But as followers of Christ, we cannot afford to bend or blend in. Abandoning the truth is the way of the world, but holding fast to God’s Word is the way of life.

Let us stand firm, cling to Scripture, and live with the constant awareness that Jesus could return at any moment. The very decline we see around us should not shake our faith but strengthen it, because it reminds us that our Lord is coming soon.

Spread the Gospel; lives depend on it!

I pray, MARANATHA! (Come Quickly, Lord Jesus!)

Your brother in Christ,
  Duane

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How to Verify Teaching Against Scripture

Since many are abandoning the truth, we must test every message we hear – even from trusted voices. The Bible warns, “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1, ESV).

Here are four simple steps:

1. Compare it to the Bible directly – If a teaching does not align with the plain meaning of Scripture, reject it. God’s Word is final.
2. Check the context – Do not rely on one verse pulled out of place. Read the surrounding passage to see if the teaching matches the whole message.
3. Look at the fruit – Does the teaching lead to holiness, humility, and obedience to Christ, or does it excuse sin and promote pride? (Matthew 7:16).
4. Seek counsel from faithful believers – God often confirms truth through the wider body of Christ.

If a teaching cannot pass these tests, it is not from God. To hold fast in these last days, we must measure everything by Scripture.

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