“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vein conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.” (Phil 2:3-4)

“But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God – having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.” (2 Timothy 2:1-5)

“Terrible” times is also translated perilous or grievous times. It is the Greek word, chalepos, Strongs #5467.¹ Commentary notes, “Perilous in verse 1 means 'difficult,' 'hard to deal with,' or 'dangerous.' It is the same Greek word used to describe the demoniac in Matthew 8:28 and translated 'exceedingly fierce.'”²

The only other time the word is used is in Matthew 8:28. It says, “When he came to the other side, to the country of the Gadarenes, two demoniacs coming out of the tombs met him. They were so fierce [chalepos, violent] that no one could pass that way.”

This is consistent with what is spoken in Revelation 12:12 about the latter days, “But woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has gone down to you! He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short.”

While this scripture in Timothy focuses not on fierce external persecution (which also exists in the end times according to Mark 13:11-13), but rather this “fierce” internal gravitation/pull towards maintaining a godly exterior image while hiding and denying ungodliness of heart.

Commentary notes that there “would be perilous times; not so much on account of persecution from without as on account of corruptions within. These would be difficult times, wherein it would be difficult for a man to keep a good conscience.”³

These specific versus in Timothy speak of Christians whose hearts are full of sin but they have an outward form of godliness in their external representation. Commentary notes, “A form of godliness an outward appearance of reverence for God. Denying its power describes religious activity that is not connected to a living relationship with Jesus Christ.”⁴

Brings me back to the sermon from this past weekend at the church I attend. Our pastor spoke of the true and false self. He mentioned that in the false self we put on an external appearance that is not truly who we are and Jesus does not know us as our false self.⁵

Jesus says in Matthew 7:22-23, “Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?' "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you who practice lawlessness.”

Perhaps Paul was talking about people being tempted to put their energy into an exterior image of Christianity that looks good to others and is accepted and embraced (false self) than putting one's energy into genuinely following Christ and being a disciple at the expense of one's image – coming more into one's true self as the beloved in the midst of our weakness.

Perhaps Paul could have also possibly been speaking of a strong tendency towards self-deception. As we focus and put our energy into presenting an external image and meeting other's expectations, we are sowing into this false self. We begin to believe our own deception of this image we present and fail to see the plank sticking out of our own eye. It becomes easy to judge others on external actions and live in an illusion about our own sin.

Brings me back to a saying on all my AA medallions growing up, “To thine own self be true.” A focus of the program was admitting we were a work in progress (had a problem), prone to go the wrong way (unmanageable on our own) and needed God in our lives to help us (powerless to do it in our own strength). We were all broken people in need of a Savior.

Part of this program was continually going through a process of taking our own inventory of wrongs and confessing our sins to others (bringing them to the light) so that God can cleanse us and heal us. Part of this process also included (not making a list of all the people who caused us harm or hurt us), but in making amends to others we have harmed by our actions (where it wouldn't cause further injury to them or others).

It was not anticipated to be a one time process we walk through, but a lifetime of continual effort of “working our program.” Each week, a group of us got together to talk seriously about our hopes, dreams, shortcomings, and what we needed. We boldly confessed our sins to each other and lovingly confronted each other with the truth. We had fun together and encouraged each other to keep moving forward, even when we failed.

How often I wish that I would walk this out more seriously in my spirituality as I did to deal with my addictions. Ultimately as we are willing to look to God and be dependent upon Him for our transformation, He works His nature into us.

Paul says to Titus in Titus 2:11-14, “For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in the present age, while we wait for the blessed hope – the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.”

Being lovers of self, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, conceited, indifferent, and unforgiving are the opposite characteristics than that of the work of God's Spirit in us. The Spirit works in us to put to death the flesh and works in us a new nature that is outward focused, self-sacrificing, grateful, holy, humble, loving, attentive, and merciful – forgiving wrongs. 
 

Jesus says in Matthew 11:6, “Blessed is he who does not take offense at me.”

So many of the characteristics of being a lover of self, proud, unholy, uncaring, ungrateful, rash, boastful, lovers of money, etc. all frequently bear fruit of offense (with others and God) in our lives.

Jesus warned in Matthew 24:10 that during the end times and persecution many would fall away and betray one another and hate one another. They would become offended. The result, according to Jesus is that because of the wickedness, the love of many would wax cold. (Matthew 24:12)

These are the opposite characteristics of keeping short accounts, being thoughtful, considerate, humble, generous, lovers of others, grateful, etc. which bear the fruit of unity, peace and being unoffendable.

Proverbs 16:7 says, “When a man's ways are pleasing to the LORD, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.”

Jesus, my heart is so easily offended these days. I can by the fruit that is being produced that I have a great deal of self-love that needs to be worked out of my life. Forgive me. Fill us with your Spirit that our lives would overflow not with offense but with mercy and kindness to all around us. Help us to be unoffendable in these end times.

1 Strong, J. (2001). Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon. Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.

2 Wiersbe, W. W. (1991). With the Word Bible Commentary (2 Ti 3:1). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

3 Henry, M. (1994). Matthew Henry’s commentary on the whole Bible: complete and unabridged in one volume (p. 2363). Peabody: Hendrickson.

4 Radmacher, E. D., Allen, R. B., & House, H. W. (1997). The Nelson Study Bible: New King James Version (2 Ti 3:5). Nashville: T. Nelson Publishers.