In the malls, fairs, carnivals there are sections with funhouse mirror or carnival mirror. People go and stand before each mirror and could see their distorted figures. The figures could be short, fat, tall, elongated faces, and funny reflections. Instead of plane mirror, these mirrors are combination of curved, convex, concave mirrors. One fat man was standing before one mirror and did not budge. The security personnel confronted him. He said: “I like this mirror, because it shows me thin. This cannot happen in my lifetime, so I wish to take this mirror and see myself each day.”
Like that fat man, there are many who want mirrors that shows as they imagine or aspire to be. In Christian life also there are few who wish to have preachers who could give distorted interpretation of scripture to suit their own passions or ideas or desires. Paul writes: “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.” (I Timothy 4:3)
These people do not read the Bible that shows like a mirror their inner personality exposing their sinful nature. Also, they do not want to change or correct as shown by the mirror. (James 1:22-24) To assuage, affirm and accept them there are a galaxy of False teachers, False Prophets, Fake bishops and Prosperity teachers. They distort the Scripture by their funny, foolish interpretations to mislead millions.
Reproof is allergic, rebuke causes nausea and exhortation gives heart aches for those disciples, who survive on junk foods provided by false teachers. (I Timothy 4:2) Distorted disciples, distorted desires, distorted priorities, distorted interpretation of scripture is favourable environment for disaster. Christendom is in crisis because of distorted disciples and distorted teachers.
Do I love sound teaching or looking for distorted mirrors?