New Testament Reading Plan: 1 Peter 1-2
SCRIPTURE READING
2 Tim 3:1-5 But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. 2 For
people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their
parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal,
not loving good, 4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than
lovers of God, 5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.
(ESV)
In this passage, Paul is speaking to Christians. Most Christians read this passage and
don’t apply it to themselves, or the Church, because they automatically assume that Paul
is talking about unbelievers in this passage. So they assume that Paul is prophesying that
unbelievers will behave like this in the last days – and they will, no question about it. But
Paul is not talking about unbelievers here. Would Paul tell Christians to avoid unbelievers?
No way! Let’s look at some of the characteristics that Paul identifies in these so-called
Christians: they are lovers of self; lovers of money; lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of
God and they have the appearance of godliness but no power. They have some Christian
form on the outside, but no power on the inside; they go to church every week; they think of
themselves as Christians; they tell people they are Christians; they have Christian beliefs in
their heads – in other words they have the Christian label on their life but there’s no power to
change – in their character and behaviour they’re not much different from anyone else; they
are self-centered, materialistic, lovers of money and pleasure, rebellious, angry, disobedient
and unsubmissive. Paul says that in the last days the church will be full of people just like this.
But the real problem is that the label “Christian” doesn’t save you, but there’s hope...more on
that tomorrow.
PRAYER and MEDITATION
1. Do a bit of a self-examination by going through this passage of scripture. Ask yourself:
am I a lover of self? A lover of money? Proud? Arrogant? Abusive? Disobedient? Etc.
Confess as necessary.
2. Pray for much understanding in the church in the area of living a righteous and holy life
and fear of the Lord. Pray that God would grant wisdom to those who are pursuing Him.
