2 timothy 3:1-6

2 Timothy 3:1-6
2 Tim 3:1 (KJB)
This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
Perilous - Difficult, dangerous, hard or fierce
Paul now turns to the subject of what Christians can expect to face in the last days. Now it must be understood that the last days began at the cross. (Heb 9:26 KJV) For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. Hebrews 9:26 states that Jesus had appeared to put away sin, in the end of the world. Now the end of the world did not happen at that time but the end days commenced. (Heb 1:2 KJV) Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; Hebrews 1:2 speaks of the fact that the days of individual prophets are done and now it is the Lord Jesus that we hear from through the indwelling Holy Spirit. It is not that we hear an audible voice, but we hear Him through the Scriptures. Now these things which follow will intensify as we head toward the last day and that is because when Paul had penned this book, there was probably about one billion people on the earth but now there is about seven billion people on earth, so that means with an increase in population, comes an increase in sin. This is because every person born into the world is a sinner and when population increases, so does the magnitude of sin. The Bible is warning us what the Christians can expect as we head toward the last day.
2 Tim 3:2 (KJB)
For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
The word for “men” in this verse is the general term for all humans, so women will also be included in the list. The words “shall be” is one word in the Greek and is in the future tense meaning that what Paul was speaking of, was not only for their time, but for time in the future till the last day.
Lovers of their own selves - This means that people will be selfish or self-centered. They will seek to do only what can profit them and build themselves up. They will not be other centered nor care about the affairs of others. They will concern themselves with their lives only and whatever benefits them. Have you heard of the acronym WII-FM? It means “What’s In It For Me.” That about sums up modern attitudes.
Covetous - This word teaches us that people will be avaricious or greedy for wealth. It basically carries with it the meaning of “lovers of money.” One only needs to look at the massive amount of lottery tickets being sold and the states which are passing casino gambling. People have no money for food or other essentials but they sure seem to have enough for gambling. People are always buying the newest gadgets and updating constantly, whether it be cars or cell phones with Internet capabilities.
Boasters - The word carries with it the meaning of an imposter, quack, or false pretender. There are those who are always bragging or boasting without any substance. One can find these impostors in politics who always claim they will limit spending and in the next breath they are increasing the debt. Then there are the Hollywood boasters called actors and actresses who have to read cards for a living meaning they don’t use their mind but use somebody else’s. Then there are the charismatic preachers on TV who always boast about them doing something great when in essence all they do is just talk.
Proud - This person is arrogant or haughty. They walk around like they are gifts to the world. Many pastors have this trait where they think that whatever they say is divine or gospel. People that have positions in companies or have much money also take on a proud demeanor thinking that it was them who made the money with their ingenuity. A person can be very attractive or handsome and think they are better than us but the clock gets even for all those who they have offended.
Disobedient to Parents - We see this at an alarming rate and many times this is the fault of the parents who have chosen to build their child’s self-esteem without any disciplines. In many homes children are the rulers and parents are the servants. Children tend to take advice from their friends more than their parents and when they get into trouble, the friends are nowhere to be found. Children who are disobedient to parents are growing at an alarming rate as many just see their parents as their servants to give them food, a roof over their heads, and whatever they want.
Unthankful - Many people have this trait. They think that life is one big entitlement program designed for their needs. How many times have you been benevolent to someone and they don’t even so much as thank you. When the Lord cleansed the ten lepers, only one turned back and thanked Him. We live in a very thankless society. Unthankfulness is such a sign of self-centeredness and it is not only the unsaved who are this way but many Christians too.
Unholy - The word also denotes a person who is wicked. Those who are unholy are normally those who are unsaved but will put on a pretense of being holy while they are living in unbelief. A good example was the Pharisees who pretended to be holy but their outward religious appearance did not match their inward evil. This trait can also be found among Christians who are divided in their allegiance. Instead of being totally sold out to the Lord, they will divide their time with other interests like environmentalism or save the whales. Holiness means that one is separated unto something and the Christian is separated unto God, and when they divide their allegiance, they are being unholy or unseparated.
2 Tim 3:3 (KJB)
Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
Without natural affection - The single word in the Greek carries with it the meaning of an unloving or uncaring attitude to those that are the closest to us such as our immediate family. Divorce rates are at an all time high because natural affection has disappeared. When you grow up in a family setting, you would normally think a person would become naturally attached to those they grow up with but that is not always the case. This can also be pointing to the rise of homosexuality in the last days since that is "unnatural affection."
Trucebreakers - This is the trait whereby somebody is irreconcilable and not willing to make peace. We can see this in marriages where divorce is imminent and neither party will give in. The person with this trait always thinks that they are right and therefore will never come to terms with others unless it is on their terms.
False accusers - The root Greek word for this is “diabolos” from where we get the name “devil.” It carries with it the meaning of slanderer or false accuser. In today’s society, a person no longer has to be guilty of something, all they have to be is falsely accused. Unfortunately, this has crept into the church where on a false accusation someone’s Christians testimony is completely ruined.

Incontinent - This word carries with it the meaning of powerless or having no self-control. This person has an unrestrained personality. They may become violent on a whim or they will not restrain their natural impulses. They take everything too far and seem not to be able to control themselves in any situation.
Fierce - This word carries with it the meaning of brutal or savage. We have seen many examples of this in modern times. Many remember the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre on February 14, 1929 when seven men were brutally murdered, even though two were not members of the gang. We remember the Tate-LaBianca murders on Aug. 9-10, 1969 by Manson and his crew. We also remember the eight nurses killed by Richard Speck on July 14, 1966. There could be many added to this list but these show how savage a man can get in dealing with others. It is unsaved man at his worst.
Despisers of those that are good - These hate not only those who do good but they also hate the good. This is because they are degenerate sinners and love to walk in darkness. (John 3:19 KJV) And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. They hate the good because the good is associated with the salvation the Lord gives and since they hate Christ, they also hate those who are saved and the good works they do.
　
2 Tim 3:4 (KJB)
Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
Traitors - This is not speaking of political treason but traitors to the cause of Christ. At the time this was written, there were people who pretended to be Christians and would turn real Christians into the authorities. This is still happening in many countries where Christians are being oppressed. However, the main meaning here is of those who once clung to the true Gospel and then turned around and surrendered to the enemies of Christ. Today we have Christians who believe the Roman Catholic Institution is Christian, preachers who will not speak of sin, preachers who focus only on health and wealth, teachers who focus on dates and date setting. Instead of them seeing the central message of the Bible as being Christ, they have been diverted and now teach falsely. Unfortunately some of them may be saved.
Heady - The meaning of this word is “rash, impulsive or reckless.” A good example of this is found in Acts 19:36. (Acts 19:36 KJV) Seeing then that these things cannot be spoken against, ye ought to be quiet, and to do nothing rashly. The town clerk in Ephesus had quelled the crowd and told them not to do anything rashly. The problem with people today is they do things on an impulse. If you were to look at the source of the financial problems of many people, you will find impulse buying as a root cause. If you look at church splits, it will be by impulsive behavior without any deep discussion on the matter. Impulsiveness is a major problem today and many young people get in trouble by being impulsive.
Highminded - The word means to be “arrogant or puffed up.” We see this as an epidemic in ministry. A preacher gets a large following and right away they begin to think they are higher in status and knowledge than all their followers. Many rich folks are very arrogant thinking that they are better than others because of money. We must never think of ourselves as more than what we are. (Rom 12:3 KJV) For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
Lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God - This is one that is prevalent in today’s society. People want a shorter work week so they can have more time to devote to pleasurable activities. How many people are on the golf course on Sunday morning instead of being in church. People seek pleasure for the purpose of avoiding God and the Gospel because they know if they go to a place where the Gospel is preached, it will convict them of their sin and their lifestyles. This is probably why Demas left Paul because he wanted the pleasures of this world instead of eternal life. He probably saw Paul being persecuted and figured why should he go through all that and risk execution, so he ran to the world and all its pleasures. Unfortunately, you can run for a while but everyone will face their sinful lives on the last day as they stand before the Lord Jesus Christ.
2 Tim 3:5 (KJB)
Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
Form - Appearance or semblance
Denying - Renounce, disown, or refuse
Paul now states that these false teachers and false Christians will have a form of godliness, that is, they will look the part on the outside but they will still be reprobate on the inside. Their actions will show that they deny the truths of the Gospel and will be steeped in false teachings. They will know all the external motions. In fact, in many churches today the service is very rote and there never seems to be any Gospel being preached just ritual. There is never anyone becoming saved because it is all dead orthodoxy. Paul commands Timothy to turn away or to shun these people and have nothing to do with them because they will help to turn someone away from the true Gospel. False teachers must be avoided at all costs because they minister to the flesh and say things that people want to hear, making them feel good all the way to hell.
2 Tim 3:6 (KJB)
For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,
Creep - Enter in or sneak in
Lead Captives - make prisoners of
Silly Women - Weak willed
Laden - Heaped up
Divers - Various
These false teachers follow the very pattern that their god used on Eve. In the Garden of Eden, Satan did not make an attempt to deceive Adam but went to Eve and instead of Eve rebuking him, she held a dialogue with him and that dialogue led to her deceiving her husband by giving him the forbidden fruit. So these false teachers do the same thing. They approach the women who they know are weak willed, and begin to add to their sins by getting them to accept the false gospels they are bringing. In Isaiah 14:17, the Bible speaks of Satan’s house being a prison. (Isa 14:17 KJV) That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners? As we see in our verse, that the false teachers, because of their false gospels, are making prisoners out of these already weak willed women. Ephesus was a center of Diana worship and maybe some of the women who came out of that cult were probably seeking something else and these false teachers had pretended to be true Christian teachers and then proceeded to spiritually seduce them with their false gospel, making these women twice as much a daughter of hell. (Mat 23:15 KJV) Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.

The principle which the Lord gives is that they go from one false teaching to another, since neither false gospel saves, they have become twice a daughter of hell. Now the same thing is happening in our day and is through the inclusion of psychology into the gospel. What it does it reduces the true gospel to an emotional appeal to a person’s emotions. For an example, Focus on the Family, which heavily uses the satanic system of psychology to mix with teachings, has an audience of 70-80% women. So when they want to sell books or tapes, they just air some weepy woman with a problem, and it gets to the emotions of all the women who hear it, and they get carried away into the gospel of psychology and become its prisoner, instead of basking in the liberating effects of the true gospel. Now with all these self-appointed women preachers and counselors, the spiritual prison population is growing among women because they all get hooked on the emotional-psychological Ferris Wheel which goes from emotion to emotion and incarcerates them rather than frees them.

Back