2 Timothy 3:1-5 KJV
But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!
How often do you find yourself questioning whether we are in the last days referenced in this scripture? In Matthew 24:3–14, Jesus urges us to be vigilant in response to a question about the signs of His coming at the end of the age. He predicts various forms of chaos that will occur in the world and instructs us not to be alarmed. In verse 12, Jesus says, “Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold.” Despite the chaos, Jesus assures us that there will be those who “stand firm to the end and will be saved” (Matthew 24:13). I believe that 2 Timothy 3:1–5 continues Jesus’ warning in Matthew 24:10–11, where he says, “At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people.”
Personally, I believe we are living in the perilous times described above. According to the Oxford Dictionary, “perilous” is defined as “full of danger or risk.” We live in a society where many who claim to follow Jesus compromise their faith to join the chaos of this world. Many have neglected or ignored scriptures, choosing only certain scriptures to justify their abandonment of faith. Nonetheless, they are convinced that their decisions represent their faith in Christ. Yes, God works in every situation because He is in control of everything. I encourage you to study the various kings in the Bible. There were both righteous and evil kings, and God used both kinds for His glory. God used kings to build, destroy, punish, discipline, and correct as well as to honor and revere Him. Not all leaders instituted or allowed by God are meant for good or are worthy of our followership, especially if their values, character, words, and deeds do not align with God’s commands. For example, God calls us to obey our parents. However, when I surrendered my life to Jesus, there were many times I had to go against my father’s rules or requests because they contradicted God’s word. Jesus calls us, as His disciples, to love God above everything in our lives, including ourselves: “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple” (Luke 14:26). In Matthew 16:24–27, Jesus further warns, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.”
As you read Apostle Paul’s warning to Timothy in the passage above and Jesus’ warnings in the book of Matthew, how strong is your conviction about staying away from people who adopt these characteristics as their way of life? As one Christian writer noted, “Don’t be naïve; political parties are interested in Christian votes than they are interested in values,” which I wholeheartedly agree with. However, I would add that whether it’s politics or any institution of this world, we must remember our primary obligation as Christians is to always choose the values of God through Jesus Christ. That is why the guidance and warning in 2 Timothy 3:1–5 must be the anchor for our faith in Jesus Christ, who promised to reward each of us according to our work. What work is Jesus referring to? John 14:15 states, “If you love Me, keep My commandments.” If we choose not to obey His commands and instead pursue the wealth that Satan offers, is your soul worth it? “And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:12–15). What we choose to do with the free will that God has given us matters! Our destination, whether we transition from this earth or Jesus returns to judge the world, depends on it (Revelation 19:9–15).
