2 Timothy 3.1-5 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

The last days is a biblical phrase that refers to the present era ushered in by the coming of Christ in the flesh and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, and ending with the second coming of Christ. Our passages this morning are a chilling revelation of the world that we live in. The world system has always been just that. Antichrist and rebellious by nature and in deed. This list inspired by The Spirit of God is a “cat scan” of fallen man. This list is no respecter of persons. It is a description of any and every unregenerate person on planet earth.

Would you note that at the top of the list of this list of fallen man is that they are lovers of their own selves. Everything revolves around themselves. Self rules. Self must not be denied or interfered with. Self is lord. But what scares me about this list is that The Holy Spirit is not primarily talking about people who do not believe in God. He is talking about people who embrace a form of godliness, whatever that means. And, they are lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God. In other words, in the battle of lordship, the God of self wins over the God of the universe. That does not mean that a Christian will never sin or drift away from time to time. It means that when they do, God is going to chasten them and deliver them out of the muck and more of sin into sweet fellowship with Christ and others who know Him as Lord.

Beloved, the call of God upon your life is to reveal His Son Jesus in you. God in His good pleasure has saved you from the fleeting and poisonous pleasures of this world, to be God glorified, God satisfied followers of Jesus Christ. The God of our salvation is also the God Who richly gives unto us His Son and every spiritual blessing in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. Reader, do not settle for a form of godliness that has no power to save you or satisfy your deepest longings. Trust in Jesus Christ.