Fables

May 25

Fables
muthos

The apostle Paul declares in 2Ti_4:1-4 that one of the major reasons why the preaching of the truth is so important is because there will come a time when people “will not endure [i.e., “put up with;” see May 10, anechomai, G430] sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.” Those days are here!

What’s worse, however, is that such people “turn away” from “the truth,” which in the Greek is in the active voice, that is, they willfully choose to do this.

Still worse is the fact that “shall be turned unto fables” is in the passive voice, which means that they don’t choose this result; they are being acted upon and have no choice. In other words, because they willfully turned away, they now will unwillingly be deceived by fables.

That is a staggering truth! The Greek is muthos (G3454), where we get the English words myth and mythology. In Classical Greek, this is a tale or fable that is “fabricated by the mind in contrast to reality.”

Plato’s myths, for example, were legendary, such as the myths of Eros, creation, the world to come, and judgment of the dead. In the NT, muthos is always used to denote a cunning fable full of falsehoods and pretenses for the purpose of deceiving others.

Let us repeat, when we willingly turn from God’s truth, we will unwillingly be deceived, and how vividly we see this happening.

Because most of the church won’t tolerate true preaching, which proclaims truth and confronts sin, doctrinal error is everywhere: God’s sovereignty has been redefined in the “Open Theism” movement; Christians seek extra-biblical revelation through mysticism and so-called prophecies; hell is denied as a reality; the roles of men and women are blurred or destroyed altogether; homosexuality, fornication, abortion, and other immorality is condoned and even defended; and on it goes.

Tragically, there is virtually zero discernment (see July 15ff.) left in the church today. Error is rampant because we have willingly turned away from the truth.

May you always desire truth and never turn away from it.
Scriptures for Study: Read the other instances of muthos, noting the challenge in each one: 1Ti_1:4; 1Ti_4:7; Tit_1:14 (see May 19); 2Pe_1:16.

 
 Top of page