Who Says Thou Shalt Not Rebuke?

Not St. Paul in his charge to Timothy which was our Epistle reading for today (2 Timothy 3:14, 4:1-5). I went back and believe that we could have benefited from a more extended selection. As I watch the Episcopal church continue its love affair with apostasy and the continual loss of conservative voices in our diocese, I thought that this is one of those times in the life of the Church when "people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own likings, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander into myths." I was reassured by St. Paul who reminds us to continue to preach the Gospel at all times, to convince, rebuke, and exhort, and to be unfailing in patience and in teaching.

 Now you have observed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, my persecutions, my sufferings, what befell me at Antioch, at Ico′nium, and at Lystra, what persecutions I endured; yet from them all the Lord rescued me. Indeed all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil men and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceivers and deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings which are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All scripture is inspired by God and[a] profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:10-17

 I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word, be urgent in season and out of season, convince, rebuke, and exhort, be unfailing in patience and in teaching. 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 likings, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander into myths. As for you, always be steady, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfil your ministry. 2 Timothy 4:1-8

The false teachings will pass and the Word will remain, and until that time we shall rebuke and exhort no matter what anguish our false teachers might attribute to what they perceive to be harsh words.