2 TIMOTHY LESSON 4


     We will begin this lesson in II Timothy 3:1 "This know also, that
in the last days perilous times shall come."

     In previous lessons, Paul has been cautioning Timothy of false
teaching that will come in the church. In this lesson, Paul speaks
prophetically of the last days. This will be things that are
happening primarily out of the church in society itself, but much of
it taking place in the church, as well. Perilous times would be times
of great uncertainty.  Possibly, a better way to say this would be to
say dangerous times. I believe if you will carefully investigate this
with me, you will agree this is speaking of the very day we live in.

     II Timothy 3:2 "For men shall be lovers of their own selves,
covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents,
unthankful, unholy,"

     There has never been a time when the statement "lovers of their
own selves" was more true than in our society today. I believe that
much of this can be blamed on Secular Humanism in the public schools.
Children are taught that everything is relative to something else.
They are not taught absolutes, especially of discipline. The Bible
teaches absolutes. The child, that grows up believing himself to be
the center of everything, finds it difficult to put God at the center
of his life. They can easily fall into being lovers of their own
selves. When you believe that you are the center of everything, then
you believe that anything you want should be yours, even if it belongs
to someone else. You can see that coveting is a form of loving
yourself, as well. Bragging seems to be the rule of the day.

     Blasphemers are everywhere. The Television, movie houses, and
video rentals all lean toward movies that are rated P.G., R., or X,
which means they are full of cursing. Many times the name of God is
included in the cursing, which would certainly be blaspheming. This is
so prevalent that children and adults who watch these filthy movies do
not even realize this blaspheming is going on. Their brains have been
so conditioned to accept it that they are immune to it. They do not
take thought that their brains are like a computer recording all of
these bad words to be used later, when they least expect it.

     There are so many divorces in our society today, that a child has
to think a minute or two to remember just who is their parent. Many
grandparents are raising their grandchildren, because the children are
on drugs, or worse. Some few parents are trying to raise their
children with respect for their parents, but they are thrown with
children from problem homes in the schools to such an extent that many
otherwise obedient children, become disobedient because of
association.

     In this affluent society, children have been given so many things
they did not earn, that they have the idea society owes them a living.
They never have to wait to a special occasion to receive their wants,
so they become unthankful.

     To say that we are unholy in our society today, is a gross
understatement. Very few even know the meaning of the word. The 10
Commandments of the Bible are broken so often, that many do not even
remember what they are. God is holy. He said for us to be holy,
because He is Holy. To be "holy" means to live above sin. In our
society, there are few marriages, most people just live together. The
Bible calls that adultery. Most everyone covets, because they want to
keep up with the Jones'. I could go on and on. Homosexuals live
together and call it an alternate life style. God calls it an
abominable sin. We would have to look around us and say we are unholy
as a society.

     II Timothy 3:3 "Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false
accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,"

     One of the disgraces of our society today, is how we throw our
parents away when they get old. We push their care off on someone who
does not even know them. Mothers are abandoning their children. Women
are destroying their unborn children. This is without natural
affection. When I was a child, a person would shake hands with you on
a deal, and it was done. People did not sue each other over slight
things. Now to insure that an agreement is legal, you must have an
agreement written down and signed before witnesses. People will break
a truce, if it will advantage them. We do not know our neighbors, so
we accuse them of things we do not know to be true. Incontinent means
without self-control. Our rehabilitation hospitals can vouch for that.
It is of national concern how to get people off alcohol and drugs.
This is a society gone mad. Fierce describes what is going on with the
drive-by shootings. This society makes fun of those who try to live
holy before the Lord. They call us "goody two-shoes". I believe the
reason they despise those trying to live good, is because they show
them how bad they are by comparison.

     II Timothy 3:4 "Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures
more than lovers of God;"

     True loyalty seems to be a thing of the past. For a few dollars,
your best friend will do you in. The main one we are traitors to is
ourself. "Heady" means falling forward. The Bible would call this
unstable in all thy ways. Highminded means to inflate with self
conceit. How many things in our life come before God? What excuses do
we make for not worshipping in church? I can think of a few. How about
golf, fishing, hunting, football, basketball, gardening, movies, etc.
I could go on and on. Anything that you enjoy more than fellowshipping
with God falls into this category, {even work}.

     II Timothy 3:5 "Having a form of godliness, but denying the power
thereof: from such turn away."

     We may appear to be a Christian to the world, we may even profess
to being a Christian. My question is, if you were on trial for being a
Christian, could you be convicted by the evidence in your life? Would
God declare you a Christian, by the condition of your heart, or would
he say get away from me, I never knew you? Is the power of God working
in you? God never changes. Do you believe that He is the same
yesterday, today, and forever, or have you put limits on the power of
God?

     II Timothy 3:6 "For of this sort are they which creep into
houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with
divers lusts,"

     This, to me, is speaking of someone who pretends to be of God
convincing those {silly women} who are not grounded in the Word of
God, to follow a false teaching. We see some religions today which are
actually very sensual in nature. Could that be what this is talking
about?  Lust does not have to be just sex, it can be flesh desires for
anything that is forbidden of God. The only way to be smart enough not
to fall for something appealing to your flesh, is to know the Word of
God and get your flesh under the control of the spirit. Do not listen
to the lust of the flesh. Let the Spirit of God direct your decisions.

     II Timothy 3:7 "Ever learning, and never able to come to the
knowledge of the truth."

     This statement, coupled with the statement above, makes you
realize that this could be false doctrines that appeal to the flesh of
mankind. The women are more vulnerable, because they have more time to
listen to these false teachings. If the teaching appeals to your
flesh, beware. It is probably not of God, if it appeals to the flesh.
Some people are constantly looking for something new. They read every
how-to book they can find and never read their Bible. The Bible has
the answers to all of life's problems. Look there first. Then read
your other books. The Bible is the Truth.

     Let me stop here, and ask you, have you not seen our society in
this warning on the last days? It seems to me that each thing fits our
society to a T. Next, I might ask, what are you going to do about it?
We must stop and take stock of ourselves, and do what we can to change
the world around us. Pray for God to become real in your life.
Let Jesus be your Lord, as well as your Saviour. Before you get
involved in anything, ask yourself is this sound by Bible standards?
Read the guidebook to a happy, productive, holy life. It is as near as
your hand, it is the Holy Bible.












                        2 Timothy 4 Questions


1.  What kind of times will there be in the last days
2.  What does this mean?
3.  Men shall be lovers of their _____ _________.
4.  What does the author think is behind people being in love with
    themselves?
5.  What is wrong with Secular Humanism?
6.  How does loving yourself cause you to covet?
7.  What is causing the blasphemy of our day?
8.  What is our brain really?
9.  Why are children being disobedient to parents?
10. What is wrong with being an affluent society?
11. What does "holy" mean?
12. What does the Bible call living together without benefit of
    marriage?
13. What does the Bible call the homosexual lifestyle?
14. What is one of the disgraces of our society?
15. Describe "without natural affection".
16. What is a trucebreaker?
17. What does "incontinent" mean?
18. Give some examples of the incontinent.
19. What could drive-by shootings be called?
20. What are the people called who are trying to live for God?
21. What does "heady" mean?
22. What excuses do you make to God for not fellowshipping with Him?
23. If you were on trial for being a Christian, could you be convicted
    by the evidence in your life?
24. Who are being led away in verse 6?
25. Who are leading them away?
26. If the message is appealing to your flesh, what should that tell
    you?
27. Have you seen our society in this lesson today?