Perilous

2 Timothy 3:1–5 NASB95

1 But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. 2 For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, 4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these.

This Passage is a warning for the believer.

I. Know What’s Coming

Last Days

Hebrews 1:1–2 NASB95

1 God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, 2 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.

Difficult - hard to bear, painful, sore, grievous,

Liddell, H. G. (1996). In A lexicon: Abridged from Liddell and Scott’s Greek-English lexicon (p. 879). Logos Research Systems, Inc.

1. Self Love

Jon Courson’s Application Commentary Chapter 3

Of the students in the ten leading industrialized nations, American high-school students scored either ninth or tenth in every academic category. But in the category of self-esteem, they came in first. In other words, our culture is very good at teaching our kids to say, “I’m okay. I’m somebody. I’m proud.”

The Letters to Timothy and Titus 4. Withstanding the Suction of Terrible Times (3:1–5)

In self-love under Christian auspices, Christ is not explicitly denied, just effectively displaced. This is the subtle deception of narcissism, the excessive love of self.

2. Greed

φῐλ-άργῠρος - Brother of silver

3. Boasters

Jon Courson’s Application Commentary Chapter 3

The Greek word translated “boasters” is alazon, which speaks of a claim made by a quack promising something but unable to deliver that which was promised.

4. Arrogant

ὑπερ-ήφᾰνος - hyper, shine or be seen. Showing excessive confidence or pride.

5. Blasphemy

Saying lies about God.

“God is dead”

“There is no God but Allah and Mohamed is His prophet.”

“God doesn’t care”

6. Disobedience

7. Without Grace

a - negative and Charis.

Romans 1:21 NASB95

21 For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

8. Unholy

a - negative and holy. Profane.

9. Unfeeling

a - negative and feelings.

Jon Courson’s Application Commentary Chapter 3

I believe nothing identifies us more clearly as those who have fallen into unnatural affection than the sad statistics relating to abortion. We’re horrified when we read that the Canaanites placed their babies on the incandescent arms of idols. How can this be? we wonder. And yet we burn our babies with saline solutions in the wombs of mothers—a practice even more horrific, a practice that goes against every natural instinct to protect one’s offspring.

10. Irreconcilable

without a drink-offering.

“one who refuses to work toward settlement of a grievance or disagreement.” -Robert Yarbrough

11. Gossips

διάβολος - Slanderous or backbiting. we get our word diabolical.

12. Undisciplined

a - negative and krinos - judgement.

Without power or control over one’s self. They cannot restrict their own passions. Our obesity epidemic is a clear indication of this

13. Savage

You just need to watch the news to how children are being trafficked or the bizarre stories people being chained and kept as slaves or brutally murdered.

14. Haters of Good

not a friend of good

looters who take advantage of social unrest and steal from stores in broad daylight.

15. Traitors

Betray people for their own gain. purposely rear end your car so that you will get out and check the damage just so they can steal your car.

16. Reckless

falling forward

Proverbs 13:3 NASB95

3 The one who guards his mouth preserves his life; The one who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.

17. Conceited

metaphor - wrapped in smoke

18. Lovers of Pleasure

fond of pleasure.

Thrill seekers who dangerous stunts like hanging on high-rise buildings.

Drug epidemic in our world with phentenol and heroin.

unrestrained sexual expression.

19. Powerless

Are these church people or unsaved? Both.

Romans 1:29–31 NASB95

29 being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips, 30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31 without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful;

Hypocrites who claim to be Christian but don’t live up to the true calling of a child of God.

1 Corinthians 5:9–11 NASB95

9 I wrote you in my letter not to associate with immoral people; 10 I did not at all mean with the immoral people of this world, or with the covetous and swindlers, or with idolaters, for then you would have to go out of the world. 11 But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler—not even to eat with such a one.

The Letters to Timothy and Titus 4. Withstanding the Suction of Terrible Times (3:1–5)

Laansma captures the effect through his comment that what can be “a source of deep discouragement for the servant of the Lord—difficult times—should be a cause of deepened resolve and, indeed, hope since this is precisely what the Lord has told us to expect.”193

II. Know What to Do

Avoid them

These are those whose character is proven by their actions. They “are” these things. It is their settled state of being, not just a hiccup or lapse of judgement.

power denying pretenders. Like the Pharisees and religious leaders. Jesus avoided them. He did not cozy up to them or coddle them in their delusion. He spoke out against their hypocrisy.

Thomas C. Oden

The Letters to Timothy and Titus 4. Withstanding the Suction of Terrible Times (3:1–5)

Oden offers a contemporary analogy in those who are “deliberately unholy and still go to church, covetous and still say morning prayers, blasphemers and still repeat perfectly the Apostles’ Creed; they may be treacherous and still remain on the church board, haters of good and still give lip service to God.

This is reluctant last step that is not be done rashly.

Armed with this list, Timothy can sidestep the influence that those who fit this description. Their influence will not drag Timothy down and reduce his usefulness to His Savior.

We are under no obligation to be forced into fellowship with any so called believer who is proven to be just a pretender. We are commanded by God here not to legitimize their delusion both for their sakes as well as our.

John Picard had to be removed from our college of pastors and has been serving time in the Ohio state penitentiary.

Our African pastors have had to do the same with rogue pastors who only cared about getting rich.