In the last days before Christ's return, we can expect the wickedness of man to increase, as the truth is stifled and rejected. Our country will continue to drift away from the Biblical morals it once had, and it will become extremely rare to find people sticking to the truth. All this will happen because of the lusts of their flesh and their unwillingness to suffer persecutions to stand for the truth. Luke 17:26-30, “And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man: They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. Likewise as it was also in the days of Lot: They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed.” In the days of Noah and Lot, these men were a rare find. We can assume that the rest of the people of God at the time had been led away by various lusts. As the rest of the world carried on as usual, in their pride and arrogance, the judgement of God came unexpectedly upon them and destroyed them all.
Verses 1-5, “But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!” These verses describe the liberals in America and their agenda to a tee. We are seeing man's love of self, along with pride, and the result is a dangerous combination. In fact, every sin listed can be pointed back to this self love. After all, they "deserve" to do whatever they want, whenever they want. No rules, no authority, and a man created religion of their own making...where they can pick and choose what they will believe, and think they are really spiritual to boot. Sadly, this mentality has even crept into the churches of America. They are no longer under the Holy One's authority, but rather the corrupted authority of man. If they do not repent and turn back to their love and obedience to God, He will remove Himself from them permanently.
We are told to turn away from these people, because of the power of their leaven and its danger to our own spiritual well being. If you have the courage to do this, you most likely will be accused of being judgemental and unloving. However, we need to choose the word of God over our feelings and relationships with man. Make no mistake, the word of God will divide! People may try to take the offense out of the word, but then it has no power. Matthew 10:34-39, “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’; and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’ He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.”
Verses 6-7 describe these people as, “...led away by various lusts, always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.” Although they may think they are wise, and the world may treat them as though they are, their thoughts are futile and foolishness to God. If you stand on the word, you will be considered a fool in this world, but that is okay. 1 Corinthians 1:21, “For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.” We can stand on faith, despite our current situations, knowing that God is faithful to deliver what He has promised. 2 Peter 2:9, “..the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment.” We pray that we will be able to stand in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation so that we are not running this race in vain.
Verses 12-15, “Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.” Reading God's word and obeying it will make us wise, knowing that the fear of the Lord IS the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 9:10 ). We all need to be in the word daily in order to be adjusted to what is right and equipped to do God's work. If you resist the word and the correction of the word, you will be lacking in all ways and suffer the consequences. Verses 16-17, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” If the word is able to make you wise for salvation, why would you not want to receive it daily?
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