But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come (2 Tim. 3:1).
Throughout the Bible there are a variety of uses for the phrase last days. In Daniel chapter two, as the prophet interprets the king’s dream, he says that the Lord has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will take place in the latter days (Dan. 2:28). In this instance, latter days refers to all of history from that day, hundreds of years before the birth of Christ, till the end of time.
When Isaiah prophesied, Now it will come about that in the last days the mountain of the house of the Lord will be established as the chief of the mountains, and will be raised above the hills; and all the nations will stream to it (Isa. 2:2), he was referring to the time of restoration when Jesus returns.
In Peter’s sermon on Pentecost, last days refers to the age of grace, the church age, all of time since the sacrifice and resurrection of Jesus as the Gospel is proclaimed and the Lord pours out His Spirit on all who believe, And it shall be in the last days, says God, that I will pour forth of My Spirit on all mankind; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams’ (Acts 2:17).
For the writer to the Hebrews, last days began with the advent of the earthly ministry of Jesus: God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world (Hebr 1:1,2).
The Apostle John uses a slightly different phrase, Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have appeared; from this we know that it is the last hour(1 John 2:18). We are living in the last hour — the last days — which, as the New Testament writers use the term, encompasses all of time from the first appearing of Jesus until He returns.
Paul says that in these last days difficult times will come The word difficult (chalepos) may be translated violent, perilous, grievous, savage. It is the same word used of the two demon-possessed men whom Jesus confronted, When He came to the other side into the country of the Gadarenes, two men who were demon-possessed met Him as they were coming out of the tombs. They were so extremely violent (chalepos) that no one could pass by that way (Matt. 8:28).
Times is not the word chronos — clock time — but kairos which refers to ages, seasons, eras. This perilous last age will increase season by season in its grievous intensity, in its death spiral into violence and depravity and every form of evil as we move closer to the end of the age.
Paul then provides the fundamental reason for the disintegration of this age: evil people. And he describes the characteristics of these people: For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; avoid such men as these (2 Tim. 3:2-5).
1. Lovers of self (2 Tim. 3:2):
When Jesus said, You shall love your neighbor as yourself (Mark 12:31), He was referring to a healthy, balanced concern for the well being of others and for one’s own well being. But Paul is referring to an unbalanced, inflated love for self which always causes a person to decrease their affection for God and for others. In fact, self love can become so exaggerated as to obliterate any love for God or others; can even degenerate into hatred of God, contempt for that which is holy and contempt for other people. The first created being to fall from grace was Satan and the cause was prideful self love. He became so enamored with his own beauty that he lost all reverence for God and became the arch enemy of God.
Secular, humanist, God-rejecting society is built on selfish, self-centered, unbalanced self-love. The kingdom of God is comprised of people whose hearts are set on worshipful service to God and loving, self-sacrificing service to others.
2. Lovers of money (2 Tim. 3:2):
Another characteristic of end time humanity is the unbalanced love of money. This is the materialist mindset that values wealth and prioritizes the acquisition of wealth over all other desires and priorities.
God is not opposed to money. We need money to pay for the necessities of life. Money, rightfully earned, is God’s blessing. But the unbalanced love of money is dangerous. Paul said to Timothy, But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs (I Tim. 6:9,10).
It is not money but the love of money (that) is a root of all sorts of evil. Unbalanced love of anything can produce deception and corruption. And one does not need to be wealthy to be a lover of money. Rich and poor can be deceived by an unbalanced love of money.
Jesus said, But the worries of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful (Mark 4:19). Wealth is not evil but unbalanced desire for wealth can choke out the word of God, prevent that word from sinking roots in our soul and deceive us into believing that we do not need God or His saving grace. Paul reminds us that greed is an expression of idol worship (Col. 3:5).
3. Boastful, arrogant (2 Tim. 3:2):
It follows that if people have an inflated love of self and wealth they will also be boastful and arrogant. They will have an exaggerated view of their talent, their accomplishments and their status and will be quite aggressive in letting others know. They will see themselves as superior to others, superior even to entire social, racial or economic groups. Contempt for others considered to be inferior or lower has often led to prejudicial laws and violence, even genocide.
A less extreme expression of this would be the arrogant Pharisee who saw himself as spiritually superior and prayed, God, I thank You that I am not like other people (Luke 18:11). More extreme expressions of arrogance have resulted in massacres of religious and racial groups.
4. Revilers (2 Tim. 3:2):
This word is the translation of blasphemos, from which we have the English word blasphemer — someone one who slanders, who practices verbal abuse. We usually think of a blasphemer as one who slanders God but in fact refers to anyone who uses words to to malign, to vilify, to tear down. The boastful and the arrogant tend to be blasphemers.
Two primary expressions of this blasphemous spirit in the end times will be a lying, deceiving opposition to truth and an irrational, violent hatred of Israel. We are surely witnessing both of these expressions today. Public discourse is increasingly profane and untruthful. And we surely see a rapid growth of anti-semitism. In fact, the Bible predicts a day when all nations will gather together to wage war against Jerusalem and the Jewish people living there (see Zechariah 12:1-3; 14:1-2). This violent hatred of Israel is nurtured by blasphemous words.
5. Disobedient to parents (2 Tim. 3:2):
This may not sound like a dangerous quality of end time society but it speaks of a much larger, deeper issue: the disintegration of the family structure and parental guidance, children growing up without proper nurture or discipline and in an attitude of permissiveness in which there are no clearly defined moral boundaries. The result is a spirit of rebellion and lawlessness which leads to disintegration in every arena of life. We are seeing this today — a break down of respect for law, for decency, for social values, a multiplying of lawlessness which often begins in a dysfunctional family.
This may also refer to a rejection of the fathers and mothers of the faith — willful ignorance of the orthodox traditions of truth handed down from one generation to another.
6. Ungrateful (2 Tim. 3:2):
A self-centered, arrogant, blasphemous, rebellious personality will also be ungrateful, refusing to give thanks to God or to anyone else. This person has no concept of the grace of God, of unmerited blessing. They may have an attitude of entitlement — the world owes me. Or they may believe that every good thing in their life is the result of their own talent and ability. But they give thanks to on one other than their own self.
7. Unholy (2 Tim. 3:2):
Unholy is not so much a lack of spiritual sensibility as indifference to that which is right, proper or holy. In I Timothy 1:9 Paul refers to the unholy and profane. Unholy is the attitude, profane is the expression. The season of the last days is a long, slow parade spiraling into vulgar profanity in every arena of life. Surely we are witnessing this today, total loss of reverence for that which is holy and sacred.
8. Unloving (2 Tim. 3:3):
This is not one of the usual New Testament words for love. It’s root is storge, which refers to proper affection for that which is decent or right. This is the negative — astorge — the absence of proper affection. Therefore the old King James translates this word, without natural affection. We see this today in the plague of child and spouse abuse, animal cruelty, anti-Semitism, racial bigotry and a thousand other expressions of a remorseless conscience which is unwilling to express natural, normal affection. This is one small step removed from a personality which is able to commit any crime and feel no pang of conscience, no remorse.
9. Irreconcilable (2 Tim. 3:3):
This word, aspondos, can be translated unforgiving. This is the person who refuses to forgive, to be reconciled, to accept a truce, to compromise. Everyone else is wrong and unworthy of acceptance or even negotiation. This personality is so massively arrogant, so hardened in self love that there is no possibility of concession to anyone else’s point of view. This is a destructive personality and eventually, self destructive. We see this attitude spreading today, infecting on a micro level personal relationship and on a macro level, the political process of nations.
10. Malicious gossips (2 Tim. 3:3):
This word, diabolos, may also be translated false accusers or slanderers. It is the New Testament word for the devil — the accuser. It refers to the use of words to do harm. People who craft their language to damage or destroy others are giving expression to the mind and mouth of the devil. As with blasphemy, we see this attribute multiplying like a virus. Public discourse and media are increasingly malicious.
11. Without self-control (2 Tim. 3:3):
This is a personality that has lost all capacity to self-govern, a truly vulnerable man or woman. In Proverbs we read, Like a city that is broken into and without walls is a man who has no control over his spirit (Prov. 25:28). This is the life that is no longer held fast by any moral or spiritual anchors, like a boat with no rudder or anchor, spinning crazily through the sea, driven by wind and wave. Though they may believe the lie that they are free, liberated, they are in fact enslaved to their appetites and desires and vulnerable to the lies and propaganda and customs of this fallen world. When this kind of personality is multiplied throughout a society, the result is chaos, anarchy.
12. Brutal (2 Tim. 3:3):
This is the same word as in verse 1 — chalepos, the same word used in reference to the demonized men in Matthew 8:28. It could be translated fierce or savage. This is the aggressive personality that prefers to attack rather than negotiate. Again, inflated self love does not consider the needs of others, rather, is aggressively brutal in word and deed. Surely we see today a multiplying of brutality.
13. Haters of good (2 Tim. 3:3):
This refers to someone who not only rejects the good — they hate the good and hate those who do good. They call darkness light and light darkness. They call evil good and good evil. They have an inverted moral reason. They not only speak lies, they hate the truth and hate truth-speakers. Jesus said, This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil (John 3:19).
Isaiah said, Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; Who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! (Isa. 5:20).
14. Treacherous (2 Tim. 3:4):
This word refers to a traitor, one who betrays values, beliefs, customs, other people. They cannot be trusted because confirmed lovers of self will never be ultimately loyal to anything or anyone other than their own self. It follows that if a person loves self and wealth above all and is therefore deceived, boastful, arrogant, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, without self-control, brutal, hating that which is good, then they will also be treacherous.
15. Reckless (2 Tim. 3:4):
It follows that a person with no self control will live recklessly, not in only in regards to others but also in regard to their own life. They sow destruction wherever they go. This word is related to the word falling and truly the reckless person is fallen and falling.
16. Conceited (2 Tim. 3:4):
The word has to do with being puffed up, inflated, filled with hot air, which surely characterizes a person with inflated self love. The word can also refer to being encompassed in smoke which surely restricts one’s vision, one’s sense of reality. The conceited personality does not understand their limitations, their imperfections, their sinfulness, their mortality. Neither do they perceive others or the world around them with accuracy. Inflated with hot air, surrounded by smoke.
17. Lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God (2 Tim. 3:4):
Lovers of pleasure translates one word from which we derive the English word hedonist. A hedonist is someone who believes that pleasure is the most important thing in life. Certainly a person with an inflated love of self would prefer pleasure over God.
Notice that it does not say that the hedonist loves pleasure more than God. Instead, they love pleasure rather than … God — to the exclusion of God. The hedonist lives as if there is no God, entirely self centered. Of all the deadly idols in this world, by far the most dangerous is the false god of self — self enthroned as god.
18. Holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; avoid such men as these (2 Tim 3:5).
This personality profile of end times fallen humanity is summarized in this final statement. At first glance, this appears to be a contradiction. The lifestyle of the end time hedonist, lover of self, hateful blasphemer, appears to be entirely devoid of any recognition or awareness of God.
Yet some will hold to a form of godliness while denying its power. They will desire a measure of religious ritual added to their God-rejecting lifestyle, like a nice looking coat to cover their stained garments — it looks better; or like a pleasant drug — it makes them feel better. Some, especially those in positions of leadership, will prefer a bit of religion added to their godless lives but there will be no power in their religiousness because there is no presence of God.
It is the religion of hypocrisy, holding to an outward form without experiencing any inward power to transform. They deny, exclude the power of God to change their life because they do not know God and have no desire to change. They deny, exclude the power of God working through them because they have excluded the reality and truth of the true and living God from their lives. They may use their wealth to build ornate cathedrals, may use their power to become bishop of the cathedral or the king who attends the cathedral, but it is only show, devoid of Godly truth or power or meaning or reality.
The bitterest opponents of Jesus were the religious fundamentalists — the Pharisees; and the religious lawyers — the scribes; and the religious establishment — the Sanhedrin; and the leader of it all — the Chief Priest. But their opposition to the power of God and the truth of God and the reality of God revealed in Jesus Christ, their hateful, conceited, arrogant, reckless blasphemy, exposed their true reality: they did not know God and were as far from God as the most godless hedonist. How ironic that the Herodians (those loyal to Herod) and the godless Roman governor, Pilate, were no further from God than Caiaphas, the Chief Priest.
But it has always been this way — people chanting rituals and holding candles who know nothing of God or His transforming grace. These are the people of whom Paul warned Titus, They profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny Him, being detestable and disobedient and worthless for any good deed (Titus 1:16). Their profession of faith in God is revealed to be a lie by their lifestyle.
In fact, godless religious leaders are more dangerous than the most violent persecutor of the faith for they cover their demonically inspired opposition to Christ from within the church. They may hold religious titles and wear religious robes. They may quote Scripture, as Satan did to Jesus. But their quotes are misinterpretations of God’s truth. The most dangerous counterfeit is not a blatant lie but a mixing of light and darkness. Such deceptive doctrines of demons deceive the naive and the untaught. Paul’s advice to Timothy and to us is to avoid such men as these.
The apostle further describes these unredeemed religious folk, Always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth (2 Tim. 3:7). Some of the most brilliant people I have ever known were the false teachers in the seminary I attended. They had doctoral degrees, could read the Old Testament in Hebrew and the New Testament in Greek. But they did not believe the Bible to be the inspired, authoritative word of God, rather, they believed the Bible to be nothing more than flawed human literature, a patchwork of wise sayings, legend and myth. One generation later, the denominational leadership they trained is now shepherding apostate, heretical religious movements.
In fact, these unredeemed religious folk are not able to come to the knowledge of the truth (2 Tim. 3:7). As Paul reminds us, The god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God (2 Cor. 4:4). The word world — aion — refers not to this physical world but to this age and to the values and philosophies which define this final age of history. The god of this world — Satan, has blinded the minds of those who reject the truth — the unbelieving — so that they cannot understand the truth they have rejected.
Further, a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised (I Cor. 2:14). The natural man — that means unredeemed — cannot understand the truth of the Bible because only the Holy Spirit can open our understanding to the truth and an unredeemed man or woman does not have the indwelling Holy Spirit.
Therefore, though they are always learning, they are never able to come to the knowledge of the truth (2 Tim. 3:7. Paul describes these persons who oppose the truth as men of depraved mind, rejected as regards the faith (3:8,9). They oppose the truth because their minds are depraved, unregenerated. Therefore they are rejected (disqualified) as regards the faith. They may hold positions in Christ’s church, holding to a form of godliness, but they are disqualified as instruments of true ministry and disqualified from eternal life with our Lord.
Paul revels that these evil men and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived (2 Tim. 3:13). Jesus warned that in these last days, Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many (Matt. 24:11). Peter warns us that, There will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies (2 Peter 2:1). They deceive others because they themselves are deceived (2 Tim. 3:13).
These deceivers were already present in the first century, as John reveals, Many false prophets have gone out into the world (I Jn. 4:1). But as we proceed toward the last of the end times, Paul warns us, The Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons (I Tim. 4:1).
To summarize, in the last days — the age or era between the first and second coming of Jesus — there will be difficult times because God-rejecting people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power … Always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth … men of depraved mind, rejected as regards the faith … deceiving and being deceived (2 Tim. 3:1-5,7,8,13).
Human society is defined by the people who create the laws and values, the philosophical and religious systems, the artistic and cultural expressions, the economic and political systems which undergird that society. Society reflects the heart of its builder. As Satan continues to incarnate his values in men and women who then incarnate those values into the structures and expressions which define this age, humanity’s death spiral into darkness and depravity will gain momentum.
But Paul gives some very simple and profound advice to Timothy and to us: Now you followed my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, perseverance, persecutions, and sufferings, such as happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium and at Lystra; what persecutions I endured, and out of them all the Lord rescued me! Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted (2 Tim. 3:10-12).
We continue to follow the righteous example of the saints who have gone before us, even into suffering and persecution, trusting that the Lord will bring us through our trials, either into our next assignment or into His eternal presence.
And what is our guide-star? It is the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work (2 Tim. 3:15-17).
The word inspired is theopneustos which means God-breathed. Scripture is perfect, without error, unchanging, as the Psalmist says, Forever, O Lord, Your word is settled in heaven (Ps. 119:89). Jesus said, Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away (Matt. 24:35). Peter said, The word of the Lord endures forever (I Ptr. 1:25). It is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path (Ps. 119:105).
Because the word of the Lord is perfect and unchanging, it will teach us, reprove, correct, train and equip us for every good work. It will guide us through every expression of darkness.
Truly, in the last days difficult times will come. So it has been for the past 2,000 years and so it will be until our Lord’s return. This should not cause the redeemed church to retreat into passivity or fear. But we do need to understand the times. We must be discerning. We are in a spiritual war for the souls of a multitude of lost humanity. We need to understand that the weapons of our warfare are not political or military. Our primary weapons are:
1. Holy Spirit empowered prayer: we must pray with discernment and passion for ourselves and those who do not know Christ, for our cities and nations, for men and women of authority, influence and leadership..
2. Holy Spirit empowered preaching and teaching of the truth as it is defined in the life of Jesus and in His Word, the Holy Bible. But we cannot teach or live what we do not understand. So this implies a sincere commitment to study the holy Scriptures under the leadership of anointed, truthful teachers.
3. Holy Spirit inspired worship: God is enthroned in the truthful, passionate praises of His people and where God is enthroned, He rules and where God rules, He over-rules.
4. Holy Spirit inspired deeds of mercy: people hear the truth of God most clearly when they experience the mercy of God most deeply.
5. Holy Spirit inspired living: showing the truth and mercy and kindness of God in the way we live as followers of Jesus.
We are assured that just as time and history have a Genesis point, a beginning, so there is an end point. Jesus Christ will return and establish His kingdom on earth. As we await His return, we must continue to shine His light, speak His truth and share His mercy with the world around us.
And we must do so with discernment, wisdom and understanding.