In this follow up post it won’t be as lengthy as the first but the commentary’s I share are a bit lengthy. I really hope you take the time to go through them. They are based on 2 Timothy 3 “But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.’
6 “They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over gullible women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, 7 always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth. 8 Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these teachers oppose the truth. They are men of depraved minds, who, as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected. 9 But they will not get very far because, as in the case of those men, their folly will be clear to everyone.” Read the rest here. 2 Timothy 3
“Self-centered behavior is the most destructive influence upon interpersonal relationships imaginable. It eliminates concern for the other person’s welfare and sucks the life out of any meaningful communication. It is the first sin of the universe, when Adam and Eve chose themselves over God, and it tops the list of sins that God hates (“pride”—Prov. 6:16). Self-love is the cesspool out of which oozes every other perversion of the human heart, for ultimately everyone and everything else becomes expendable in the pursuit of its insatiable lust. Yet the thing that is most exalted in our society is the “self.” Self fulfillment, self-determinism, and self-image are highly regarded as the essence of life by our hedonistic culture.”
“The breakdown of our society is usually blamed on other things (too much drugs, too many guns, right wing fundamentalists, etc.), but those who can see beyond their animal instincts recognize that the real culprit is the self-centered, egomaniacal, prideful condition of the human heart left unchecked by the moral laws of God. Relax the moral restraints on the depraved nature of man and it will seek its own narcissistic level—every time!” Read more here. Lovers of Self – 2 Timothy 3:2
1“But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! 6For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, 7always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.”
“The apostle Paul wrote these words to young Timothy to inform and instruct him in the perilous times he would observe. These are the conditions of the world Timothy lived in. These are the sins Timothy would need to confront and expose in his preaching of God’s Word. These are the sins he would need to avoid in his own behavior. And these are the people he would need to guard against and turn away from (see verse 5).”
“These conditions continue to be the perils of our society, and each one represents the personal peril of sin every individual needs to recognize (for repentance and forgiveness to become reality). The perilous times are composed of these things.”
“For Men will be lovers of themselves”
“There were people in Timothy’s time and there are people today who are utterly self-centered. They are “lovers of themselves.” What they think, what they say and what they do is driven by self-love. That means, nothing that interferes with the pursuit of self is allowed. They do not allow friends, neighbors or society to keep them from the pursuit of self-interests. They do not allow God through His Word, to call them out of the bondage of their sin. They are “lovers of themselves.” This is one of the basic vices of human ruin and rebellion against God; this misdirected love that lives for the pursuit of self-interests. Close behind this,” Read more here. The The Peril of Sin
“Just as the signs of Matthew 24 give us indications of the last days, so do the attitudes listed here by Paul. He says, “Know this!” because it is important in identifying the signs of the times. When he finishes with his litany, he writes, “Have nothing to do with such attitudes!”
“Unfortunately, we can see these attitudes in today’s youth. This discourse does not intend to ridicule but to analyze them. Nor does it intend to paint everyone between 15 and 35 with the same brush. Many do not fit the general type, but it may be surprising to learn how many of this world’s attitudes have rubbed off on us and our families.”
“According to the authors of the book, 13th Gen: Abort, Retry, Ignore, Fail?, everyone born between 1961-1981 belongs to the 13th Generation, the thirteenth since the birth of the eldest of America’s Founding Fathers (e.g., Benjamin Franklin). The authors, Neil Howe and Bill Strauss, admit that their findings are generalities. Not every person fits the mold of a 13er, as they call members of this generation, but 13ers typically follow certain trends, attitudes and ways of thinking.”
“Sadly, II Timothy 3 lists many of them. Here are some examples of how these attitudes appear in society today:” Read more here. Bible verses about Lovers of Self (From Forerunner Commentary)
24 And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple. 2 And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.
3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? 4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. 5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. 6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.” Read more from Matthew 24
9 And the Lord shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one Lord, and his name one. Zechariah 14:9
21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. 22 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. Revelation 3:21-22
God bless America and you.
Roberts Thoughts 2 