We live in a world of rampant ungodliness and the Bible tells it exactly as it is. In his second letter to Timothy, the Apostle Paul talks about the threatening and dangerous conditions existing in the present age we are living. He writes, “But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people” (2 Timothy 3:1-5). Here Paul is painting a word-picture of the godless and lawless state of affairs of this age. He identifies nineteen characteristics or traits that are responsible. The God of the Bible put it into Paul’s heart to accurately predict these things that are occurring in our day, and to warn us that they will exist until the Lord Jesus Christ returns.
In his commentary on this passage, William MacDonald writes, “The apostle now gives Timothy a description of conditions that will exist in the world prior to the Lord’s coming. It has often been pointed out that the list of sins that follows is very similar to the description of the ungodly heathen in Romans 1. The remarkable thing is that the very conditions that exist among the heathen in their savagery and uncivilized state will characterize professing believers in the last days. How solemn this is” (Believer’s Bible Commentary p. 2120). This is a timely warning for Christians to take note and be alert.
Sin has always existed ever since the “fall of man” when Adam, in the Garden of Eden, disobeyed God’s command. Disobedience was sin then and it is still sin today. The Bible states, “Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned” (Romans 5:12). This first sin brought about havoc and ruin to mankind. As a result of Adam’s disobedience “many were made sinners” (v. 19). Also, Adam’s “trespass led to condemnation for all men’ (v. 18). As imperfect humans living in an imperfect world, sin will continue to exist.
The deceitfulness of the human heart (our innermost being) is where sin lurks. Here is what God says about the human heart, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? I the LORD search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds” (Jeremiah 17:9,10). This means there is no escape. Everyone since the first man Adam, is born with a deceitful and desperately wicked heart. And as our text says “who can understand it? I the LORD … “ Absolutely no one but God our Creator can diagnose or detect the nature of the human heart.
It is most noteworthy that Paul starts his list of characteristics with “people will be lovers of self.” These people are egotistical, self-centered, and very conceited—the root cause of sin in the world and even in the Church at times. Someone has alluded to “self lovers” as “basic sin” because it forms a connection to other sins of the flesh, including the lack of self-control. This is nothing new. Going back to Adam and Eve, when through willful disobedience they had put themselves “above” the God who created them and placed them in a “perfect” sinless environment. The result? They yielded to the sin of self-interest, self-fulfillment and self-centeredness, which has and continues to have a devastating impact on the human race. Paul also noted: “For they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 2:21). There is no true concern for the gospel of Jesus Christ and the spiritual wellbeing of others. Neither for that which would bring honor and glory to God.
What now? You may ask. The bottom line of all this is that professing believers in the Lord Jesus Christ must rise to the occasion. Let us lift high the banner of the Lord and take a stand for that which is right and pleases God—those things which are most surely believed among us (Luke 1:1). Our Lord’s return is very near. We don’t know exactly when but we believe is is soon and therefore, the time is short. Lift high the banner of the Lord so that the faithful and fearless believers can rally round it and receive their reward for their faithfulness and commitment to God.
The Bible says, “Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp and said, Who’s is on the LORD’s side? Come to me. And all the sons of Levi gathered around him” (Exodus 32:26). As Christians. we need to ask ourselves, are we on the Lord’s side?” To be on the Lord’s side we need to be committed to God and the authority of His Word—what he says we will do and where He sends we will go. Jesus told the Pharisees, “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters” (Matthew 12:30). We are living in an age where sin is treated lightly and differently and regarded as a mere “bump in the road.” Also, right is wrong and wrong is right seems to be the order of the day.
The following Church hymn asks some questions that are worth our thoughtful consideration. “Who is is on the Lord’s side? Who will serve the King? Who will be His helpers, Other lives to bring? Who will leave the world’s side? Who will face the foe? Who is on the Lord’s side? Who for Him will go?” (Frances R Havergal, 1836-1879), Take the challenge of this well known hymn and respond to the questions asked.