Second Timothy Three Plays Out Before Our Eyes

A lovely Christian sister sent me an article in the mail describing the Second Timothy three heart conditions of the end times. Because of a discussion we had she knew I would be interested in these definitions of the words in the passage 2 Timothy 3:1-5.

Here are some things she shared with me that may help us sit up and take notice. The descriptions in these passages seem ho-hum to us since we see them every day and we get through life not liking it but just letting it pass without too much emotion involved. In fact many people think what is happening now is normal.

2 Timothy 3:1-5
1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away."

"PERILOUS" is translated from the Greek word "chalepos" meaning "RAGINGLY INSANE."

"FIERCE" in verse 3 has the same meaning that describes a demon possessed man in Matthew 8:28-29. The word is "chalepos" again.

In short, public insanity would be common in the last days. We see this all the time but it has been minimized by the use of the terms "mental illness" or "bi-polar."

One thing I notice about mental illness and other terms like bi-polar, is that they always involve bad behavior. Why do the mentally insane never get nicer or kinder? Everyone whom I know who has a mental illness and I have met many, really do act as if they are not in control of their own faculties.

The doctors tell us that there are chemical imbalances in the brain that cause these irrational responses. But remember that devils can cause physical maladies.

Luke 13:10-17
Healing on the Sabbath
10 And He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath.
11 And there was a woman who for eighteen years had had A SICKNESS CAUSED BY A SPIRIT; and she was bent double, and could not straighten up at all.
12 When Jesus saw her, He called her over and said to her, “Woman, you are freed from your sickness.” 13 And He laid His hands on her; and immediately she was made erect again and began glorifying God.
14 But the synagogue official, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, began saying to the crowd in response, “There are six days in which work should be done; so come during them and get healed, and not on the Sabbath day.”
15 But the Lord answered him and said, “You hypocrites, does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the stall and lead him away to water him?
16 And this woman, a daughter of Abraham as she is, whom SATAN HAD BOUND for eighteen long years, should she not have been released from this bond on the Sabbath day?”
17 As He said this, all His opponents were being humiliated; and the entire crowd was rejoicing over all the glorious things being done by Him."

Notice in verse 11 the sickness the woman had was caused by a demon, an evil spirit. Verse 16 tells us Satan had bound her.

The self righteous religious leaders were the ones who hated Jesus Christ for being greater than them. The jealousy against Him caused the religious leaders who wanted to be above everyone else to reject Christ. Do we not see this in our day too!!!!

Those who flock to the seminaries to study instead of locking themselves away with Christ for a few years, want more than anything to be superior to others.

In the process of this quest for dominance and superiority they buy into all kinds of foolish unbiblical teachings. When they are finally hired to be the one man leader in a church gathering they deceive the people, leading them astray, down the same path as the Pharisees in Jesus day.

The self righteous become unteachable and more staunch in their defense of wrong ways all to preserve their dominant and revered position. In short......its all about them and very little about Christ.

When we take an accounting of all the wrong beliefs in the modern Christian churches today we see a whole lot of error just to keep the bodies coming in the door. After all, more bodies means larger salaries.

When the salaried pastor is the one who is elevated by the rest of the congregation it is nigh unto impossible to have support to challenge his teaching. The paid hireling is worshiped more than Jesus Christ. Since the teachings of Jesus Christ are set aside to elevate the teachings of the hirelings.

John 10:12
"12 He who is a hired hand, and not a shepherd, who is not the owner of the sheep, sees the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them."

The hireling does not care about protecting the sheep but only cares about his salary and a full happy gathering where only soft words are spoken and great swelling words of praise please the people.

I have actually witnessed hirelings who would intimidate members of the congregation when they attempted to challenge them on a scriptural matter. Rather than going to prayer and study together with those who differ, the pastor saw those questioning him as threats to his superiority and did all he could to intimidate them into silence.

These things are why so many godly people who love Christ and His word are leaving the formal gatherings. They want the pure word of God but are being fed baby food, so they leave. I am one of these.

We are now in a gathering that blesses us and blesses God. The Lord led us to it, but for four years we were without a gathering. For us it was more important to be alone than to be somewhere in which the teaching was not focused on Christ but modern ideas and rituals. It is a great blessing to be among people who have the same goal, that is to honor Christ and to grow in holiness. The Bible is searched for all truth and prayer that we are not led astray by strange doctrines.

We are watching 2nd Timothy 3 play out right now before our eyes. It is exciting as well as frustrating. Exciting because we know it is prophesy and we are watching exactly what God said would happen. It is frustrating because there are few who are aware of the devastation these end times bring to lives, as well as unaware that hell is a real place for those who refuse to hear the gospel.

My prayer is that many will repent and confess their need for Christ before it is too late.