The Depths

Paul told Timothy that in the last days “perilous times” would come.  Without taking the conversation deep into eschatology, I will simply suggest that we are indeed living in the last days and have been living in the last days since Christ ascended into heaven.  You can certainly disagree with that position but what follows I’m sure most will agree with.

Listen to what Paul said in 2 Timothy 3

But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. ² For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, ³ heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, ⁴ treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, ⁵ having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.

Here’s the list…

1. lovers of self
2. lovers of money
3. proud
4. arrogant
5. abusive
6. disobedient to their parents
7. ungrateful
8. unholy 
9. heartless
10. unappeasable
11. slanderous
12. without self-control
13. brutal
14. not loving good
15. treacherous
16. reckless
17. swollen with conceit
18. lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God

So, what do you think? Would you consider the 21st century as qualifying for the “last days” designation? I certainly do.

This blog entry is an introduction to a series that I’m going to write about our proper response to times such as these.  Stay tuned…