3 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be LOVERS OF THEMSELVES, LOVERS OF MONEY, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, NOT LOVERS OF THE GOOD, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, LOVERS OF PLEASURE RATHER THAN LOVERS OF GOD— 5 having a FORM OF GODLINESS BUT DENYING ITS POWER. 2 Timothy 3
We said before that Paul writing by the Holy Spirit lists 18 corrupt character traits which will be prevalent in the last days and three of them are the Loves of other things, which take our hearts away from THE LOVE OF GOD.
Love of Self, my wants and needs to be met before the Lord’s! Love of Money, how many people exhaust themselves and some quite probably shorten their lives to make more money? (Greed is idolatry Colossians 3:5). Love of pleasure, very common today, many people live for hobbies e.g. the golf course etc.
Perhaps the most surprising thing after listing so many marks of corrupt character is Paul’s remark, ‘Having a form of Godliness, but denying its power’. People crave Religious Respectability so long as it’s on their terms. They may follow certain practices, so long as they don’t get in the way of fulfilling their own agendas. Someone said, ‘an idol is anything which takes the place of Christ in our lives’. This is what is meant by having a form of Godliness, Religion is outward and performance based, but God looks inward at the heart.
Paul’s instruction to Timothy and us is very short and succinct, ‘Have nothing to do with them!’ God is not the least bit interested in outward show, something done for men to see, but only in the posture of hearts toward Him.
He warns against their urge to take advantage of vulnerable women and their apparent desire to learn, but NEVER WILLING TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE TRUTH.
Paul’s final warning is to liken these men to two magicians, Jannes and Jambres, who opposed Moses. (They appear to have been named in other Jewish writings.) Just as the magicians opposed Moses, so they will oppose the truth.
… so also these men oppose the truth. They are men of depraved minds, who, as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected. 9 BUT THEY WILL NOT GET VERY FAR because, as in the case of those men, their folly will be clear to everyone. 2 Timothy 3
Once again Paul reassures Timothy that despite their opposition to the truth of the Gospel they are limited in what they can do. God will ultimately prevail no matter who or what comes against Him and His Church. Paul who endured much for the Gospel, gave Timothy the briefest of advice about dealing with the troublemakers. The primary thing for believers was to love and obey God and not be seduced by the temporary pleasures of this world.
God bless and keep you today and every day.