In the Sunday morning message (10/19/2025) at Pathway Church in Wichita, the Pastor commented on Second Timothy 4 1-5. This caused me to think about how these verses are a good picture our society today.
The Apostle Paul’s words in verses three and four have an obvious application for the people to which Timothy was ministering. And to me it seems there is also a secular, social application for our day. These spiritual and social applications have a lot in common.
The Apostle Paul writes about a time coming when people will not pay attention to the tried-and-true things they have been taught, the things that have been the foundation for successful societies for centuries.
Paul says, “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine.”
Spiritually this describes those who at some future time, with their “itching ears,” will turn away from the Gospel, they will be looking for a “teaching” that might be less restrictive, maybe a bit more fun, a teaching and way of life more acceptable to the society of the day.
Today we might call it “Progressive.” Progressive is another word that is still in our vocabularies, but its meaning has drastically changed over time.
Ironically, there is nothing progressive about today’s “progressive” agenda. Progress formerly meant moving in a positive, forward direction. Now however, it means whatever might be convenient or enjoyable or maybe sounds good at the time. “Progressive” gets the media’s attention usually bringing its negative consequences to our society.
A progressive agenda was a problem even in Paul and Timothy’s Day, and they did not even have social media and MSM to deal with. This tells us that “progressive” is a fabrication of the human mind.
This is not a new problem. Jeremiah addressed it in Chapter Six and verse 16, “Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.” And verse 17; “Also I set watchmen over you, saying, Hearken to the sound of the trumpet. But they said, We will not hearken.”
It seems we, the collective we, always want to stray from the truth.
Many socially prominent leaders today promote the “progressive” agenda. They are masters at exploiting social media, and the 24-hour news cycle. They do not bother with the truth.
Illustrating the timelessness of the Bible, Paul could be speaking to Timothy of the days in which we live. People today are deserting Bible believing churches that preach the true Gospel for teachers of a “progressive” gospel, a false one with no good news.
The “progressive” message of our day removes the Biblical foundation of our nation, the narratives of our Christian forefathers, the Christian leaders in our government today, the Christian foundation of early education and universities and colleges and the stories of missionaries who brought the true Gospel both to their new nation and others around the world. These historical truths of the founding of our great nation are no longer respected nor taught. Social untruths from human history are substituted for the God given principles upon which our great nation was founded.
The Apostle Paul tells Timothy to “be watchful, endure afflictions,” but to go share with the people anyway. The mission is eternally worth it.
Be involved with the truth. It may not be easy, or socially acceptable, but it will be eternally worth it.
When searching for principles to live by, keep the “old ways” close.
Many will stand against you, but go anyway
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