(1 Tim 3:1) “….in the last days…(2)…men shall be…..(4)….. 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,…”   People will say all kinds of things that will “seem” right. Remember, Satan did the same. Read what Job’s friends said. They seemed right. As long as self comes first, “me and mine”, that individual is not godly: (Mat 10:37) “He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. (38)  And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. (39)  He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.” 

(2Ti 3:2) “For men shall be lovers of their own selves, [various and numerous sins listed]…..(2Ti 3:5)  Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.”   Friend, it is not the sin of “judging” to discern hypocrisy and separate from such a person. The sin of “judging” is to 1) think we know the motivations of others, and 2) think ourselves better than them. We separate because 1) we influence and thus need to guide others in the right things of God; 2) we can be influenced by evil (we still possess the old nature); and 3) we do not wish for anything to hinder our fellowship with God.

(2Ti 3:1) “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. (2)  For men shall…. (5)  Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof:…”  “Doing” in the name of God is not godliness. Obeying God’s Word is godliness. If I “do” but am disobedient to God’s Word, outwardly I appear to be godly, but in reality I have denied (He Who is) the power thereof (the power of god’s people). True godliness is yielding our hearts (wills) to He Who gave His life so that we might live.

(2Ti 3:1) “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. (2) For men shall be….. (4)….lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God.”  The evidence is plain for any person with a heart to look that this is true in the church. The number of people holding to pleasure (desire before God) is evident in the number of people that return on any given Sunday Night – 20% maybe? Churches across the land have gone to one service. Why? “I” come before “God”. Yet, those same individuals think God should bless their lives. As a pastor I say, “Heartbreaking. I speak words to people who will not hear”.

(2Ti 3:2) “For men shall be….. (4)  …..highminded,..”   “Highminded”: to inflate with self conceit.  Today we think so much of ourselves that we sit as judges (in our minds) of all others.  Yes, the world has affected we the saved. We even think ourselves superior in thinking, knowledge, and taste than those the Lord has appointed our spiritual leaders. God help us – we are “inflated”, thus in sin before our Holy God.  We know better than Him!  

(2Ti 3:1) “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. (2) For men shall be….. (4)  Traitors, heady,….”“Heady”: rash, literally falling on their faces. We see the results in our government as decisions are made to terrible foreseeable consequences. God’s people must make their decisions with God’s plan and people in mind. It is not about me and mine – but our Savior and the good of others (love Him and others). For more come to www.thirstingsouls.com

(2Ti 3:2) “For men shall be…. (4)  Traitors,…..”  Surely we have seen this in America. But we have also seen it among God’s professing people. He is a traitor to His Lord who does not stand firm upon the revealed Word of God. Friend, there are no exceptions to God’s rule. What He has said will stand for all eternity: (Psa_119:89) . “For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.” 

(2Ti 3:2) “For men shall be… (3) ….despisers of those that are good,…”  The phrase is of one word that means “haters of virtue”. Jesus told us, “darkness hates light”. Today there are those who wish to feel they are God’s and yet hold to darkness. Therefore they will seek a church where the preacher makes them feel good about themselves rather than tell them, “Thus saith the Lord”. If these are in a Bible preaching church, they will simply ignore that which they do not want to hear.

(2Ti 3:2) “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,……”  “Fierce”: savage.  When we think of one that is savage, we think of beastly, behaving more like an animal than a man. People like that act on impulse rather than thought. Among God’s people it seems we are more fleshly also. Our emotions rule over us. We have confused emotion with spirituality.

 (2Ti 3:2) “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,….”  “Incontinent” : without self control. This person has given self license to do whatever they please: “If it feels good – do it.”  In other words, self comes first in every way. Yes, this has invaded the church. We judge what is right to do there by if “I” like it or if “I” think it is right. We tell ourselves God agrees with us.