The message was brought by Bro. Eddie Foster.
II Timothy 3:1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. 6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, 7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 8 Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. 9 But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was.
When Paula talks about the last days, what time is he referring to? The tribulation? Right before Christ’s return for the rapture of the church? The second coming? Some feel it’s the time between the departure of Christ in Acts 1:11 to now. That’s what I think. We’ve been living in the last days for 2,000 years; we are now in the latter end. We are very close to the rapture and then the second coming of Christ. People everywhere are stressed. There are lots of things going on all around the world.
These verses are an outline of the deplorable behavior and character of people. Blasphemous. Abusive. Foul mouthed. Disobedient to parents. Unthankful–which is always followed by being unholy. Irreverent. Truce breakers–a person’s word (promise) means nothing these days. False accusers (this is not gossip, which is wrong as well, but a person who knowingly spreads lies with the intent to bring harm). Incontinent–no self control–remember our actions always involve others. Traitors. Headstrong–people act rashly. God help us to think before we talk. Our little member (the tongue) is out of control. Have a wrong opinion of self. Not humble. We should not be thinking so much about ourselves. Despisers of those who do good. To some Christians are “goody two shoes” people. We are no better than other people. We’re all sinners. We’re just sinners saved by grace. Affections are wrong: people harm their own children. This also speaks to unnatural affections. Women with women and men with men. Call it whatever you want but God calls it sin. Our affections are to be on things above. Why? Earthly things don’t satisfy. You always want more. They don’t last–here today and gone tomorrow. Invest in the eternal.
Lovers of self: let’s remember to love God first. Love others. Think less of ourselves. Lovers of money. This makes one covetous. There are many stories in the Bible where this got people in trouble. Achan in the Old Testament. Judas in the New. They were judged; it was a high price to pay. Zacchaeus proved that people in this category can be saved. Lovers of pleasure and not lovers of God. I enjoy life; I have a good time. But this cannot be our purpose in life. Most people have some sort of religion. For many it’s only the “form of godliness” the Bible speaks about. Others have a surface Christianity. It’s only on the outside. There is nothing on the inside. God changes us on the inside when we get saved; then he works on the outside; it’s not the other way around. The characteristic of the church should be the power of God. Worship is only acceptable to God when it comes from the heart. We need to praise God outwardly more than we do, but it has to come from the heart. This brings the power of God to the church and nothing can be a substitute for it. Programs and planning are good but we must have the power of God first and foremost in the church to be pleasing to God.
The last days are here and quickly coming to an end. If you’re not saved, now is the time. As Christians, let’s be what God wants us to be.
Adwolfe Freewill Baptist Church 