Living in the last days
In 2 Timothy 3, Paul wanting to prepare Timothy for the “last days”, predicts the spiritual trends that will become the culture of the world in the last days. Paul warns Timothy (and us) of a period of moral collapse that will precede the Lord’s Second Coming. As Paul advises Timothy, we too must appropriate the same faith and ways of living. Whether Jesus returns today or 100 years later, we must be prepared.
1. The dangerous conditions (v.1)
Paul starts this portion of his letter with this command:
But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. (NIV)
It’s obvious that things are getting worse, not better, because there has been a steady acceleration of evil. Let’s break down the key words of Paul’s words.
LAST DAYS
This phrase does not mean the time right before the Lord’s return. It does not mean a certain atmosphere that has permeated the earth prior to the Great Tribulation. The “last days” begin at the time of the Lord’s death, his burial, and his resurrection and they will continue as long as the church is upon this earth, that is, now.
TERRIBLE TIMES
The word “terrible” means hard to do, hard to take, hard to approach, troublesome times, and dangerous times. As Paul warns, the conditions of the last days will be harsh, fierce, and savage.When Paul refers to the “times”, he is referring to seasons. As the church progresses through the last days or what we call the church age, the seasons will grow harder and harder.
2. The deceptive characters (v.2-7)
As the times or seasons become harder and harder, Paul outlines the deceptive and deadly characteristics that will appear throughout society and even within the church. For Timothy’s and our own benefit, Paul names 19 deceptive and deadly characteristics which fall under these three following categories:
LOVERS OF THEIR OWN SELVES
Almost every sin can be traced back to selfishness and so it’s no surprise that the culture of me-ism is the biggest idol in today’s time. Paul calls it misplaced love, in that where there should be love for God, there is instead love of self, the love of money, and the love of pleasure (v.4).
ABUSERS
These people speak harshly, they doubt God, they belittle or abuse others, and they are always right, while everyone else is wrong.
HAVING A FORM OF GODLINESS, BUT DENYING ITS POWER
This is the most difficult to comprehend as a church today; the idea that you could build a church, have it filled with people, and yet those people would never know the truth of the Word of God. Even in Revelation 3:20, Jesus warns the Laodicean church:
20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.
John, the writer of Revelation, heard from Christ that He is standing at the door of the Laodicean church and knocking. While Jesus is talking to a particular church, we must pay attention as the Laodicean church represents and characterises the modern church. As a body of Christ, we must ask ourselves, “Is Jesus outside knocking at our door? What is Jesus doing standing outside His own church?” This image of Christ locked out is the perfect picture of unsaved, unregenerate (not repenting) members; people who have a form of godliness, yet do not have Christ in their lives.
Paul gives Timothy and us a firm command in verse 5 when dealing with people like this:
“Have nothing to do with such people.”
The Greek translation here means, “to deflect and/or separate.” As Paul warns us, don’t risk your life by mingling with these kinds of people. We must remember the words of Jesus:
13 Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
The narrow gate involves constraints and hardships of the way of the kingdom. So, when we talk about kingdom priorities, it involves a road of self-denial which sounds counter-cultural to today’s world. But, in times of difficulty where we struggle being the true church, remember what Paul’s encouragement to Timothy: be strengthened! The strength doesn’t come from you, but God who bestows it richly and lavishly on His people.
Heavenly Father,
Thank you for reminding us through Paul’s teaching about the characteristics of people in the last days. Teach us to always remember to put kingdom of God as our priority so that we always deny ourselves and take up the cross to follow You as what Jesus has taught us. Strengthen us by the power of Your Holy Spirit.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen