PRÉCIS ON THE POWER OF SOUND DOCTRINE IN THE LAST DAYS I: A MATTER OF LIFE OR DEATH

SCRIPTURE. “Until I come, devote yourself to public reading [of Scripture], to preaching and to teaching [the sound doctrine of God’s word].” – 1 TIMOTHY 4:13, AMP

KEY TERM: “DEVOTE YOURSELF!” ‘Prosechó’ [πρόσεχε]: “‘To hold the mind [fast toward God];’ to pay close attention, be cautious about, to devote and apply oneself; to take heed of and adhere to.” NOTE: προσέχω centers on deliberate, continuing attentiveness. Whether translated ‘pay attention,’ ‘beware,’ ‘devote,’ or ‘take heed,’ it always demands an active, focused response rather than casual notice. ‘The verb addresses the mind (understanding truth), the heart (cherishing truth), and the will (acting on truth).’”

QUOTATION. “‘To discern Good and Evil, we must, as the Scripture says, be trained in the Word of God.’ In order to wage Spiritual Warfare against the Deception of Satan, we must know the Truth, and know it with accuracy, precision, comprehensiveness, and be able to communicate and defend it. The Study of Logic [and Critical Thinking] helps us clarify and organize our thoughts. It helps us to understand the arguments others present to us, whether they are Good or Evil, Right or Wrong.” ― VINCENT CHEUNG, On Good and Evil, 1952; edited

COMMENTARY. “‘The Doctrine of a Minister of Christ must be scriptural, clear, evangelical, and practical; well stated, explained, defended, and applied.’ But these duties leave no leisure for worldly pleasures, trifling visits, or idle conversation, and but little for what is mere amusement, and only ornamental. May every believer be enabled to let his profiting appear unto all men; seeking to experience the Power of the Gospel in his own soul, and to bring forth its fruits in his life.” – MATTHEW HENRY, Exposition of the Old and New Testaments, 6 vols., 1708-1710; edited

DK’S TAKE. The Grand Story of the American Church in the Year 2025 is that the catastrophic Rejection of Truth from its Pulpits. Don’t believe me? Perhaps recent results of a study by the renown DR. GEORGE BARNA will persuade.

“‘One of the most significant outcomes of this Spiritual Shift is the growing National Rejection of Absolute Moral Truth—a Foundation long associated with the Biblical Worldview.’ The research found that 66% of American adults reject or doubt the existence of Absolute Moral Truth. Instead, most Americans determine Right and Wrong based on personal feelings, circumstances, or public opinion.

This trend extends across Religious boundaries. Among Non-Christian faith adherents, 67% deny absolute truth. Among those with No Faith, the figure is 77%, up from 68% in 2020. Even among Mainline Protestants and Catholics, Rejection of Absolute Truth stands at 61% and 69%, respectively [Born Again Christians stand at an astonishing 49%] …

As sad as this state of affairs may be, it is Predictable and Understandable. ‘The Dominant Worldview in America is “Syncretism,” an eclectic and highly personalized mixture of the Sacred and the Secular, embraced by nine out of 10 adults. Possessing a Worldview that thrives on Relativism and the Flexibility of its core beliefs certainly fosters the ‘All sources are legitimate’ route to Moral decision-making.” – TRACY MUNSIL, “Americans Abandon Christianity, Absolute Moral Truth,” Arizona Christian University, May 1, 2025; edited

CODA. I have written previously and at length that the Origin of this Collapse of Absolute Moral Truth can traced to the Foot of the American Pulpits. As both the research and simple spiritual discernment have told us, the Christian Pastors have increasingly preached a watered down, ‘Seeker Friendly Gospel’ that possess the power of Papier-mâché for the withstanding of Satan’s Last Days assault on Truth.

I agree with Christian apologist MATTHEW TINGBLAD, who wrote the following for the Josh McDowell Ministry in an essay titled, “The Biggest Challenge for Christians in 2025” (ret. Aug.24, 2025; edited).

“‘One very significant challenge with the Evangelical Church is that we have started losing our Theological Literacy.’ In other words, many self-proclaimed Evangelicals don’t know how to answer basic theological questions. According to the 2022 State of Theology survey by Ligonier Ministries, 56% of U.S. Evangelicals agree that ‘God accepts the worship of all religions, including Christianity, Judaism, and Islam.’ 43% of Evangelicals agree that Jesus was not God, and 38% agree that Religious belief is a matter of personal opinion rather than Objective Truth … It’s clear that Theology is deeply important for healthy churches. As Jesus said to the unbelieving Sadducees regarding the Resurrection, ‘You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God’ (Matthew 2:29).”

DEATH OF TRUTH. Beloved, we have done this to ourselves! Thus my steady remonstrances to the Lukewarm (or Politicized) Church Leaders in America over the past five years or more. Friedrich Nietzshe as it turns out was right when he penned this Grand Epitaph in The Gay Science in 1882:

“God is dead. God remains dead. And we have killed Him!”

Of course, God is not dead nor can He be killed. But His Truth can and has been “suppressed in unrighteousness,” by our Pastors, earning the unmitigated “Wrath of God revealed from Heaven” against us (Romans 1:18).

So will the wise man or woman repair to his own ‘voracious reading of the Word of God,’ and the faithful sharing of it with others as the Lord presents the opportunity to do so.

‘We can no longer trust our shepherds, but must rely now and for the perilous days ahead upon the Words of Christ taught us by His Holy Spirit.’