These Are Perilous Times! Conclusion

2 Timothy 3:1, “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 2 For men shall be...3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 4Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 5Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.”

Paul told Timothy that in the last days perilous times would come and then he detailed the conditions that would come to pass. He said that men would become “...Lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God.” The Greek word used for “pleasure” is Philedonos. This word comes from two other words, philos and hedone. The first meaning “friend” and the second meaning “pleasure, desires for pleasure, and lust.” From this concept, the world has created Hedonism which is the ethical theory that pleasure (in the sense of the satisfaction of desires) is the highest good and proper aim of human life. Paul was saying that in the last days, man’s pursuit of pleasure would be greater than his pursuit of God!

“Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.” Having the resemblance of Christian service but without the spiritual dynamic of the Holy Spirit. Peter said, "These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest…" 2 Peter 2:17. The barrenness of this false religion mocks the thirsty soul by promising refreshment but can not deliver. Perhaps Jude states it best in vs.12-13, "These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear; clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit twice dead, plucked up by the roots; Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever." Paul says from such turn away or have no part with them. They will drag you into outer darkness with them!

Paul has described the characteristics of our world in 2023. We are presently living in that time! We can look at each character trait and we must admit that we are seeing that behavior in our society. Paul was prophesying about this time and the world we are living in and he connected these conditions with the last days! In the face of such overwhelming evidence in this passage and others, along with the conditions and events happening all over the world, we must conclude that THESE ARE THE PERILOUS TIMES OF THE LAST DAYS!