How many times have you flipped through Paul’s second epistle to Timothy and saw the words “In the last days, perilous times will come…”? It’s there in 2nd Timothy 3:1. Right? But how profound is that warning to us believers of today? I tell you that it’s even more solemn today than the time the epistle was written. Why? Because the second coming of Jesus is nearer than before. Let’s read the scripture and break it down into the subsequent topics.
[1] “But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: [2] For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, [3] unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, [4] traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, [5] having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!”
2 Timothy 3:1-5 (NKJV)
From the scripture above, all the various attitudes of people that would be manifest in these last days are because of men’s attitudes, not any demon or the devil. So that means there are evil men in today’s generation. And unfortunately, some have even fraternised with the brethren in Christ. That is why Paul tells us to turn away from such people (2 Timothy 3:5). Let’s break down such attitudes.
1. Men will be lovers of themselves
The first and foremost thing Paul stated is that men will tend to love themselves individually, not others. But let me ask: “Is it wrong to love yourself?” Didn’t even Jesus quote Leviticus 19:18, saying “Love your neighbour as yourself” as the second greatest commandment in God’s kingdom (see Matthew 22:39)? If you can’t love yourself well, how can you love your neighbour? God wasn’t wrong. He knew what He inspired Paul to write very well.
Here is a mystery. When a person loves himself alone, it’s wrong. That love turns from the God-kind of love, which has an inflow from God and an outflow to oneself and others, to selfishness.
How do selfish people behave? Aren’t they so self-centred in their actions that they don’t factor others in their decisions? That is the kind of world we live in today. Many people don’t care about the negative impact of their bad choices and actions on the future generation. That’s very unfortunate. But it’s happening. And I pray for you, dear reader, that God will root out every selfish thing in your heart, whether you’ve realised it or not.
2. Men will be lovers of money
This one is even common. As a young minister, I’ve had the privilege of interacting with people of diverse ages – teenagers, young adults and some elderly people about the subject of money and work. Through the feedback I receive, most of them tell me that they work to get money, not necessarily to make an impact. Anytime I hear this, I keep wondering why people live.
I have no problem with people working. And money is essential both to do purposeful things and also to live in this highly economic world. But to love money is hugely problematic.
Loving money means doing all things possible precisely to get money, usually resulting in amassing wealth without any purpose or vision. The King James Version translates that aspect of the scripture (lovers of money) as “covetous.” Therefore, when you crave material things, and all that you’re doing is to acquire them while putting your faith aside, you’re loving money. That is wrong.
Sincerely, covetousness won’t take you anywhere in life. Instead of craving material things, be mindful of building God’s kingdom, and He will supply all your needs (see Matthew 6:33, Philippians 4:19).
3. Boasters
The word “boasters” used in 2 Timothy 3:2 means empty pretenders. A boaster is like an inflated balloon, huge on the outside but empty within. These are the kind of people who like talking about doing big things in life without any encounter from the Lord, a detailed plan ready to follow through or even people to help them. Be watchful of them. But don’t confuse the talk of a visionary person with that of a boaster (I speak this especially to men).
Visionary children of God who know their divine mandates usually speak about their future rather than their present lives. Anyone who isn’t deeply rooted in the knowledge of the Word can despise and possibly treat them inadequately. It’s just like what Joseph’s brothers did to him. God gave this young boy two dreams about his future. But because his brothers were not spiritually discerning, they hated and sold him. And even through that unfortunate incident, God turned it for good.
Are you a visionary or a boastful person? Don’t just talk; talk out of your encounter with Jesus. That is what brings solidity to your words and prayers about your future. Or else, you’ll become a boaster.
4. Proud
Men will also be proud in the last days. But proud in what sense – about good things or evil things? It’s not wrong to be proud of yourself for accomplishing something great in life. That’s a good form of pride. But what Paul spoke about was different.
“Proud” in 2 Timothy 3:2 means showing oneself above others. It is about a person being so consumed in himself that he looks down on others. Today, many people do that inwardly in their minds, especially young adults who seem to have reached a higher feat in life compared to that of their little siblings.
There are two primary ways you can look at someone beneath you – with a leadership or low-esteem perspective. Saul was proud of himself as king. That’s why he looked down and hated young David. But Jesus loved the disciples and looked at them with a leadership perspective, which was to train them to build His church. Saul failed and eventually died. But Jesus was successful to date. Why? Because the Church is still spreading. Pride (looking down on others) doesn’t glorify God. So instead of doing that, receive the grace to esteem others better than yourself (see Philippians 2:3) regardless of whatever you have accomplished in life.
5. Blasphemers
Blasphemy is another common sin in today’s generation. The word means to speak evil of or slander someone. Usually, this occurs in the absence of the people on the topic.
Today, it’s easy for someone to say nice things about you in your presence and then speak evil about you in your absence. I’ve seen this in ministry over the past five years. Watch such people and disassociate with them. Anybody who gossips about others to you will gossip about you to others. If you’re a boss and there’s such a person in your team, advise him to stop several times in order to maintain both the company or ministry’s reputation and integrity, or else let him go. If you don’t, he’ll spread venom in the team, and eventually, nobody will believe you or what you’re doing.
Moreover, some people blaspheme against God. They speak evil of God because of their unbelief and atheism. As a believer, do not allow such people in your close-friends’ circle. They’re detrimental to your walk of faith. Be watchful!
6. Disobedient to parents
This one goes to children. Never have I seen children rebel against their parents than today’s generation. By saying this, I speak of children engaging in evil deeds while throwing away the moral upbringing of their parents.
Today, more teenagers are involved in money laundering, gambling, drug abuse, and sexual promiscuity without their parents’ knowledge. In Africa, most parents above 50 years didn’t grow up in a tech-driven age during their youth. So many of them aren’t even aware of the evil things their children do online.
Yes, your parent cannot monitor you all day. You have a life. But as long as you’re unmarried and still depend on them for a living, honour them. That will be profitable to you both presently and in the future (giving you a long life – Ephesians 6:4).
7. Unthankful
Have you ever done something for someone and never received a “Thank you” note or text? I suppose so. Right? It shouldn’t surprise you because we’re in the last days. So many people are ungrateful even for the help others give them. And I think it’s because of the first attitude Paul wrote – “men will be lovers of themselves.”
An unthankful (or ungrateful) person focuses on getting what he wants from you. And when he finishes with his agenda, he vanishes off the scene. When someone shows this behaviour to you, remember the scripture so that you’ll not get demoralised and conclude that you’ve stopped helping others.
Put it in your consciousness that God created you to walk in good works (see Ephesians 2:10). So let that flow out of your life, whether man rewards you or not for what you do.
8. Unholy
Eighth on Paul’s list of men’s bad attitudes in the last days is the unholiness of people. Translated word “unholy” means impious or wicked. So, in the last days (which we’re living in), people will be unholy. In other words, wickedness will be evident in their talk and actions. People will love speaking about wicked things without any regret for saying them. And I guess believers in the secular world of work will attest to that.
God is holy and expects us (believers) to be holy in all manner of our conduct (see 1st Peter 1:15). But men of this generation live otherwise. That is why we, believers, are called to witness Christ wherever we go, especially in the secular workplace. If you ever see people speaking unholy words, live wisely with them and pray for God to change them.
9. Unloving
Men will also be unloving. Translated word “unloving” means without natural affection. Is this not being manifested today in people’s lives? Trace deeply to know why people do evil things against others, and you’ll conclude that all those things come from their corrupted hearts.
I once had a minister tell me that he doesn’t trust people again because of the numerous disappointments he has experienced in life. He entered into business deals with a few unbelievers and got duped. How unfortunate.
Dear believer, the unloving nature of people is evident. Do not downplay it. Live with people wisely, always doing good out of God’s love.
10. Slanderers
Slander is common these days. It’s an abusive attack on a person’s character, usually in his absence. But the King James version specifies the word well – “trucebreakers.”
A trucebreaker is a person who violates a covenant or treaty. That means, in the last days, people will live contrary to the promises of God in the New Covenant. And it’s happening now. Several people live wayward lives and aren’t even aware of their wrong lifestyle. But God is watching. When He shows you who slanders you in your absence, disassociate yourself from the person because your relationship with him won’t be profitable in future.
11. Without self-control
Self-control is a fruit of the Spirit (see Galatians 5:22-23). So, if a man lacks it, then he doesn’t have an intimate relationship with the Lord. That means his flesh (sinful nature) has a higher controlling power over his life, which is very bad.
Today, many people lack self-control because they’ve decided to live by their own understanding of how things ought to be done instead of sticking to God’s principles.
For example, God says no sex before marriage, but flesh says succumb to that sexual pleasure ticking in your body. And many people fall for it, thinking it’s normal. Meanwhile, it’s sinful and breaches God’s principles for sexual purity.
Do not be surprised when people act weirdly only to meet their selfish needs. It’s part of the behaviour of men in these last days. However, as a child of God, be distinguished to live by God’s dictates.
12. Brutal
The twelfth on the list of destructive behaviours of men is their brutality. Paul says in the last days, men will live fiercely, fighting over things that can be obtained without envy or immorality. I believe that is why many people in Africa fight over land ownership and involve themselves in heated arguments just to prove a point.
Brutal people are not promoters of peace. They like stirring up strife amongst people. Maybe some could be in your family, workplace or even church. When you notice them, you have God’s validation to stay away from them because they’ll not stir up good works in you. Please be careful.
13. Despisers of good
When you read 2 Timothy 3:3, this time from the King James Version, the phrase used in place of “despisers of good,” as written in the New King James Version, is “despisers of those that are good.” So the word “good,” used in the New King James Version, doesn’t speak of good things but good people. After all, nobody hates receiving good things in life, isn’t it? And if that is so, why will people despise good things, except they are not discerning?
Many people despise good people in their lives. And as far as I know, you’ll not get the maximum benefit from anybody or anything you detest.
Treat your spouse badly, and you’ll have problems in marriage. Treat your job poorly, and you’ll start receiving bad news about you in the office. Despise your pastor, and you’ll not get spiritually fed in church.
Just don’t forget this principle — that you get more of what you honour. Others around you may be despisers of the good things and people in their lives. But stick to following God’s principles. Everything will turn out for your good.
14. Traitors
A traitor is simply a betrayer – someone who gives forward to enemies. That attitude is common these days because of selfishness.
Judas Iscariot was a traitor in Jesus’ team. He was interested in getting thirty pieces of silver for Jesus’ life. But in the end, he died. Today, no parent likes naming their child by that name. But many people behave like Judas today. Such people like twisting the agreement specifications of people related to them, especially businessmen, just to get extra profits for their selfish needs.
Many times have people gotten duped by these traitors who tend to behave well at first sight. Dear friend, be watchful of such people in life. Spy them by how they talk. You’ll do yourself so much good for identifying a traitor and disassociating with him.
15. Headstrong
Another behaviour Paul mentioned that will be evident in men’s lives in the last days is headstrongness. It means to be heady or reckless. That’s also common these days.
So many people aren’t careful of their actions today because of so-called fierce courage from the pit of hell. Many accidents on our roads could have been prevented if drivers were a bit more careful while driving. Many fights couldn’t have happened if people had reached an amicable conclusion with one another over a case.
Dear believer, do not copy the course of this world. Becoming headstrong in your behaviour will make you bossy. And that can even make you lose the respect of people due to your reckless living. Endeavour to maintain the calm Spirit of the Lord in your inner man.
16. Haughty
To be haughty is to be lifted with price or to inflate with self-conceit. That is manifested by people who draw their fulfilment in life from their achievements and possessions. Meanwhile, Jesus said in Luke 12:!5 that,
“… Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.”
Luke 12:15 (NKJV)
The eternal life of God in you isn’t measured in quantities or by the things you own. So the moment you start drawing fulfilment from these earthly things, you‘ll speak haughtily to people who don’t live by your standards.
But please understand that life is in phases. And each person’s life trajectory is known by the ancient One – God. Do not force your way of life on others. Be lovely and patient enough to see others grow in their faith journey with the Lord.
17. Lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God
Nowadays, many people don’t care about spending large amounts of money on entertainment stuff like nightclubs, parties and excess food. But if you tell these same people to attend church, they’ll refuse.
One pastor in my local church once gave a testimony of a friend who, before getting saved recently, asked about how Christians have pleasure. She thought there was no joy in Christ. But today, this lady dances out of a grateful heart in church more than several others she came to meet.
Dear friend, loving pleasure at the expense of loving God is detrimental to your life. There’s no hope in this world. Ask the drunkard whether his problems vanish after regaining consciousness, and he will tell you they’re still there. All his drinking is deception.
Avoid fraternising with worldly people. Keep your focus on the Lord. He is the source of real joy.
18. Having a form of godliness but denying its power
How many people have you seen seeking external help from the world whenever problems occur in their lives? Many right? These are the people Paul described. They believe in God but limit how much He can do for them in their mind because they lack intimacy with Him.
Every wife knows that to get the best from her husband, she has to develop intimacy with him. And the better the development, the deeper they’ll know each other. This teaching is derived from Jesus’ relationship with the Church – His bride.
You’ll only see God’s power at work in your life when you develop intimacy with Him. The disciples fasted and prayed several times before God started using them to do mighty things. So today, if you see people attend church, and yet not trust in God’s power, it shows how prayerlessness and shallow people have turned their relationship with God. May God have mercy on us.
Friend, seeing all these eighteen kinds of attitudes being manifested by men in these last days, be watchful and turn away from every one of those people who live like that in your life.
You’re a blessing.