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2 Timothy – Gospel Passion and Urgency Resounding Out of a Roman Dungeon! (6 of 9)
There will be terrible times in the last days.
2 Timothy 3:1-9
2 Timothy 3:1-9 (ESV) –
“But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth. Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men corrupted in mind and disqualified regarding the faith. But they will not get very far, for their folly will be plain to all, as was that of those two men.”
This passage confronts us with the moral breakdown that characterizes the last days. The consequences of unchecked love for and focus on self are devastating. Our goal in correcting dangerous error is repentance and restoration but we must understand our place in history and that not everyone will repent. We live in the last days which are marked by ‘...times of difficulty.’
1. We must face reality: We live in the last days.
2 Timothy 3:1 (ESV) –
“But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty.”
2 Timothy 3:1 (NIV) – “But mark this…”
2 Timothy 3:1 (NLT) – “You should know this...”
Paul reaches through the passage and says – Timothy you need to get this… On a posted map there is often an arrow and the words – You Are Here. Verse 1 says – You are Here.
1 Timothy 4:1 (ESV, emphasis mine) –
“Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons...”
We need a reality check regarding our expectations. Things aren’t easy and they’ll get increasingly difficult before Jesus returns.
We mustn’t fall into the error of being overly optimistic and assuming things will get better and better until Jesus returns. Storm clouds are on the horizon. Difficult times are a reality now and they lie ahead. The word difficult can be translated perilous, terrible or savage.
2 Timothy 3:1 (NLT) –
“You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times.”
What is meant by the last days? With the coming of Christ the last days dawned and when He ascended into heaven the promise is He’s coming back, soon.
Hebrews 1:1-2 (ESV, emphasis mine) –
“Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.”
Acts 2:17 (ESV, emphasis mine) –
“And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams...”
Acts 1:7 (ESV) –
“It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority.”
Matthew 24:36 (ESV) –
“But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.”
When is Jesus coming back? Soon. Revelation 21:4 describes the glorious future for believers and it’s the polar opposite of the difficult times described here in verse 1.
Revelation 21:4 (ESV) –
“He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
1 Corinthians 15:22 (ESV) –
“Our Lord, come!”
2. We live in the last days which are marked by ungodliness. These days will be marked by people loving only themselves.
2 Timothy 3:3-4 (ESV) –
“For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God...”
This picture of moral disintegration is shocking and awful. There are 18 vices (categories of sin) listed in verses 2-4. It is vital to notice where the list begins and ends.
2 Timothy 3:2 (ESV) –
“For people will be lovers of self...”
2 Timothy 3:2 (NLT) –
“For people will love only themselves and their money.”
2 Timothy 3:4 (ESV) –
“…lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God...”
Self-love, self-focus and pride run throughout entire list. The fundamental problem is this describes a life focused on self rather than on God.
2 Corinthians 5:15 (ESV) –
“...and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.”
The picture here is of unchecked selfishness which aligns with our sinful human nature. I’ll point out a few highlights from this awful list.
1 Timothy 6:9-10 (ESV, emphasis mine) –
“...those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.”
Ecclesiastes 5:10 (ESV, emphasis mine) –
“He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity.”
Luke 16:13 (ESV, emphasis mine) –
“No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”
Proverbs 16:18 (ESV) –
“Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.”
Exodus 20:12 (ESV, emphasis mine) –
“Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.”
Galatians 5:22-23 (ESV, emphasis mine) –
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”
Psalm 100:4 (ESV, emphasis mine) –
“Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name!”
Psalm 136:1 (ESV, emphasis mine) –
“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.”
Romans 1:21 (ESV, emphasis mine) –
“For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.”
2 Timothy 3:2-3 (NIV) –
“...ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving...”
This is a description of the world around us and of the battle that rages within our hearts.
We live in a day characterized by self-worship. This shows what misplaced love leads to, if we don’t love God supremely, we’ll get everything else wrong.
Matthew 22:37-39 (ESV) –
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
It’s common to proclaim – I define who I am and what’s right for me. My goal in life is to pursue my pleasure. NO! God defines our identity and what is right and wrong! Our purpose is to know, love and glorify God. Self-focus, self-love and self-worship leads to emptiness. Perhaps some of us need to change our minds and repent.
Sadly, there are those who have some of the outward appearances of association with Christianity but their lives tell a different story.
2 Timothy 3:5 (ESV) –
“Avoid such people.”
3. Ungodliness will be found within the Church as well as outside of it.
1 Timothy 5:13-15 (ESV) –
“Besides that, they learn to be idlers, going about from house to house, and not only idlers, but also gossips and busybodies, saying what they should not. So I would have younger widows marry, bear children, manage their households, and give the adversary no occasion for slander. For some have already strayed after Satan.”
The false teachers were working their way into homes and the victims of their manipulative teaching were always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth.
Ephesians 4:14 (ESV) –
“… so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.”
Ask – Am I gullible? Am I tossed to and fro by every wind of teaching? If the answer is yes, take steps to protect yourself. Study the truth.
Jannes and Jamberes are not mentioned by name in the Old Testament but Jewish tradition named them as the magicians who worked for Pharaoh opposing Moses.
Exodus 7:11-12 (ESV) –
“...Pharaoh summoned the wise men and the sorcerers, and they, the magicians of Egypt, also did the same by their secret arts. For each man cast down his staff, and they became serpents. But Aaron's staff swallowed up their staffs.”
Religious imposters have been a problem for a long time. Moses had to deal with this problem; they performed some real signs but they opposed the truth. The same is true in what Timothy was facing and what we face today.
2 Timothy 3:9 (ESV) –
“But they will not get very far, for their folly will be plain to all, as was that of those two men.”
2 Timothy 2:24-26 (ESV) –
“...the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.”
Forgiveness of sins, a right relationship with God, eternal life is of incalculable value –everything pales in comparison when compared to the supreme treasure of knowing Christ.
We need to understand that following Jesus has a cost. The long-range forecast includes suffering and persecution. Don’t be surprised, this is reality!
2 Timothy 3:1 (ESV) –
“But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty.”
We live in the last days. Hardship is normal and it lies ahead.
There is tremendous danger to a self-focused (self-love) orientation of life.
We’ve been confronted with the moral breakdown that characterizes the last days but it’s not the end of the story, Jesus is coming back!