1 You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. 2 For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. 3 They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. 4 They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. 5 They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!
When I read these words from the apostle, I obviously ask myself how close to the end times we must be! These words echo that of the very nature of culture that as a pastor we continually try to come up against. Paul gives specific warning to the fact that things really are not going to get a whole lot better in the future, but they will become increasingly difficult. And Paul commands Timothy to stay away from the following:
1. People who love only themselves and money
2. People who are boastful and proud
3. People who scoff at God
4. People who are disobedient to their parents
5. People who are ungrateful
6. People who consider nothing sacred
7. People who are unloving
8. People who are unforgiving
9. People who slander others
10. People who do not have self-control
11. People who are cruel
12. People who hate what is good
13. People who betray their friends
14. People who are reckless
15. People who are puffed up with pride
16. People who love pleasure rather than God
17. People who act religious but reject the power that can make them godly.
what a list!
If I were to summarize these attributes I would say the people Timothy is to avoid, and the people we should also be sure to not become are people who are in love with themselves, and their stuff, who don't care about loving one another, and who especially do not give God his proper place in their lives, even though they may claim to follow him.
This is a huge reminder for us, living within the very culture that Paul paints here as the end times culture, that we be bigger than these people, to live counter to these people. But we must also continually remind ourselves as pastors that this is the types of people who are showing up in our churches, who are our neighbors, who are our students, parents, etc. This is our ministry field. We must not be discouraged at the fact that this is our present culture, but help people to see that none of these things are lasting, or have any value, or do nothing more than harm, and help point them towards the one and only thing that ultimately matters now, and for all eternity. that's our call, that's my call, and I count it a privilege to be part of such a mission, yet i still humbly must remember to measure myself up against some of these negative attributes as lifestyle to completely avoid.
No comments:
Post a Comment