2 Timothy 3

1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. The word perilous in this verse means dangerous or grievous. Without much discussion we can see that this could apply to various times through history, but I believe this perilous time is to be a time far more wicked than any that has ever preceded it.

2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Lovers of their own selves speaks of self-centered or selfish people, and again, this could apply to any generation, but I believe the depth of selfishness will be intensified more than ever before. As a matter of consideration I believe all these things will be heightened to a level never before seen and never to be seen again. (A modern example of self love would be picture taking of “selfies.”)

Covetousness is wanting something that belongs to someone else.

Boasters are those who are haughty and always seeking glory for themselves. These boasters love to appear superior to others and are arrogant as a result.

Proud in this verse speaks of great swelling pride that is insufferable to God and godly people as well as some unbelievers who resent pride and arrogance in others. This pride is very conspicuous and lives to have the ascendancy over others! It seeks to take glory that belongs to God alone and does so without conscience!

Blasphemers are those who, in our generation, profane the word of God through false teachings, those who will openly and without shame curse the name of our God and our Christ, and those who exalt man above God and place man at the head of the universe and in a place meant only for God.

It is clearly evident that people in this generation are disobedient to their parents, but much of that stems from broken homes and homes where there is no discipline done in love. It is a disobedience that defies all authority both in and out of the home because it has been nurtured from a person's youth and through early adulthood and continues in many until death. This is the generation that is killing its children and children are killing their parents and suicide among families is rapidly on the rise. Parents have not given their children reason to respect them and so disobedience is the fruit of that negligence.

This in turn gives way to being thankless because there is no obedience in a thankless heart. From the home this ungodly, ungrateful attitude spreads through our society like a cancer and affects many among us as it rears its ugly head.

Further, we see that this in turn creates people who are unholy in and out of the church. Holiness is no longer desired among many professing Christians because we have become complacent about our walk with God and holiness is not on our list of priorities. We are content to be a little holy while being increasingly worldly, and we present a false Christ to a world desperately in need of the real Jesus who demands holiness and obedience from us.

3 Without natural affection, truce breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, This is true in our generation where homosexuals, transexuals, bi-sexuals, pedophiles, fornicators and adulterers run rampant, openly professing their wickedness without shame, and in some cases seeking to normalize their sin while forcing others to accept their sexual deviancy using civil law through the court systems. These have no “natural affection” but they are swallowed up in their lust, and yet the grace of God can reach out to them and deliver them if they will choose this great salvation.

The term truce breakers is self-explanatory as is false accusers. The word incontinet means “unrestrained or uncontrolled.” Fierce is self-expanatory and despisers of those that are good is equally understandable. The Bible tells us that the time will come when good will be called evil and evil will be called good. That time is upon us as the believers in America and around the world face more and more opposition and persecution. The Bible also tells us that the time will come when men will believe they are doing God a favor by putting the righteous to death. The scripture also tells us that “ALL” who would live godly in Christ Jesus WILL suffer persecution.

4 Traitors, heady (obstinate), high-minded (self-exalting), lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; America has become like Rome, and history is repeating itself. Rome fell because there was a time when the political system was corrupted enough to make Gods out of men, because they had become sexual immoral and held huge orgies where children were abused by adults and every sexual vice was permitted, and because they people had become immersed in being entertained through theater and the sports arena and lived to please themselves. They became a weak and drunken lot, drunk on wine and drunk on the blood of gladiators and Christian martyrs, and they became an easy prey to the invaders from the North. They were first conquered from within before they were conquered by others. America has become a haven for sexual deviants fed by a flood of pornography that is easily accessible everywhere and especially on the internet. We love our sports and watching the games we see people who are fanatical in their expressions of support for their teams. In politics we have a problem because we have career politicians who have become used to owning the authority entrusted to them to the point that they believe themselves to be above the law of the land – our Constitution, and have chosen to ignore the wishes of the people in their quest to govern without being accountable for their actions. They do not understand that the judge of all the earth will one day call them into account for their vile, abominable actions and oppression of the people. It would seem that mankind is incapable of learning from the mistakes of the past or has become blind to the trend that is leading us down the same path of destruction as Rome and other nations that have rejected the one true and living God of the Bible. Psalms 9:17 states; “The wicked shall be turned into Hell and ALL THE NATIONS that forget God.”

5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.This is the most horrible evil of our generation and any other generation, and it is widespread across the world. False religions abound that offer no hope to their followers, and the internet has made these religions readily accessible as never before. Beginning with the eastern religions to the cults there is a vast array of Christ denying teaching that is polluting our world rapidly. Then there are religions who use Christ in their teaching but he is not the Christ of the Bible but rather a Christ of their own imagining who offers no hope and no salvation or offers a false hope and false peace to multitudes who have never heard the true gospel. BUT – add to that the far greater evil of those who profess to be Christians but who are weak because they have never been taught about the immense importance of investing time in the study of God's word and investing much time in God's presence. These Christians have no answers to give to their generation and many are vacillating in their walk with the Lord and a shame to the name of Jesus. In a world where so many need to hear the word of God given in power and authority, they have nothing to give that will meet the deep cry of lost people except a weak and anemic Jesus who is not the Christ of the Bible. These Christians are easy prey to all the trends that pressure them to accept what's never acceptable to a Holy God and go with the flow without seeing the danger they present to both themselves and any others who follow what they subscribe to. They are easily fooled by money grubbing TV preachers, people calling for tolerance while denying the same tolerance to those who believe in preaching and teaching all of God's word and cults like the Mormons and Jehovah Witnesses.

6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, I believe this doesn't need any comment. Silly women who seduce foolish men have been a problem almost since the advent of time.

7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Here is a great tragedy. What a sad state of affairs it is! Always learning, but learning that which has no profit in the life to come. In our world we admire the so-called great intellectual genius of many men and women, and in many circles these people are given praise that they gladly receive not knowing that all praise belongs to God alone who will not share his glory with anyone! Many attain to greatness such as professors, doctors, businessmen, media moguls, and much more that gives them what they desire to attain in this life and all the perks that come with it. However, the Bible says, “What shall it profit a man if he should gain the whole world and lose his soul, or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” While there are some men who have attained great heights and remembered to give God the praise for their achievements there are many more who have not. These are ever learning but missing the most valuable lesson life has to offer, and as a result they die without hope, and all their worldly gains mean nothing to them in the torments of eternity.

8 Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. I don't believe this needs any more comment. Reprobate implies absolute corruption. I believe it means that a reprobate person can no longer discern between good and evil.

9 But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was. This is simply a follow up comment on Jannes and Jambres. Jannes and Jambres are believed to be two famous magicians of Egypt who are supposed to have used their art to deceive Pharoah. Exodus 7:9-13

10 But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience, This is Paul speaking to Timothy of his own ministry and how he presented himself to those he ministered to.

11 Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me. Paul reminds Timothy of how he lived, and I am sure there is no boast here because Paul lived to honor and glorify the Lord. He said; “For me to live is Christ and to die is gain.” The final deliverance for Paul was death, and so he could rightly say that God delivered him even over the final enemy.

12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. Ah, here it is! If we asked Christians if they look forward to suffering persecution, I doubt we would find many who would. But, if God's word is true then persecution is the lot of all who would live Godly in Christ Jesus. It is not that we desire persecution, but, in the words of a great man of God, “Living a godly life doesn't bring persecution, but rather, it is the confession of Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord that brings persecution.” Didn't Jesus say, “Is the disciple greater than his master? If they hated me they shall hate you also for ye are not of this world as I am not of this world.” If we intend to live wholly sold out for our Lord we will, of necessity, offend those who have no intention of serving him whether in the body of Christ or out of it.

13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. This is natural. An evil tree cannot bear good fruit and vice-versa. Unless changed through salvation this is irreversible.

14 But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;

15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. Paul reminds Timothy that he has been instructed from childhood in the things of God that have made him wise to the point of salvation.

16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: “ALL SCRIPTURE” - not certain portions. There were some people who believed that the words of Christ spoken in scripture were more anointed than the words of Paul or all the others, but the idea is false because the words all came from the same Holy Spirit and so all of them were equally inspired. ALL SCRIPTURE!

17 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. Perfect? There is a perfection that I believe is imputed to man just as the righteousness of Christ is imputed to us. It is not the perfection that God has because that perfection is unalterable and belongs to God alone. We cannot attain to it in our mortal bodies. All Good Works! God's all means what it says – we are enabled to do all good works that the Lord requires of us because he has promised his enabling.