WILL the reader open the Bible and glance for a few moments at 2 Timothy 3:1-51This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 2For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 4Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 5Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. (2 Timothy 3:1‑5)? We are there told in plain unmistakable language the signs or characteristics of the last days. “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, truce-breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof.”
Most of the evils enumerated above have always characterized man in his unregenerate state. In Romans 1:18-3218For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; 19Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath showed it unto them. 20For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: 21Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 23And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. 24Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonor their own bodies between themselves: 25Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. 26For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: 27And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. 28And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; 29Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, 30Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: 32Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them. (Romans 1:18‑32), the same things are said of the heathen — the dark, ignorant, idol-worshippers, who are without God and without hope in the world.
The deeply solemn and dreadful fact in these last days is that all these evils are enacted under a form of godliness. Now look around on Christendom to-day, and let me ask you, reader, are we not living in the midst of these very evils set forth so vividly in the verses just quoted? In a religious form people of to-day are
“Lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God.”
Concerts, musical services, bazaars, popular lectures, and even theatrical performances in many cases take the place of preaching the Word of God; and the prayer-meeting is often left out altogether. Many of those who profess Christ, instead of meeting together as believers did of old to enjoy in sweet fellowship His things, are taken up perhaps with a social gathering, when the order of the day is to sing the world’s songs and pass the time in amusement with scarce a thought of the One who suffered the untold agonies of Calvary to save them from the very things they so eagerly seek after.
Reader, if you have not yet come as a poor hell-deserving sinner to Christ, let me warn you to come now; delay not a moment, for
The Last Days have arrived.
The time is near when the One who now waits in long-suffering mercy, not willing that any should perish, will come to execute “the day of vengeance of our God” (Isa. 61:22To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; (Isaiah 61:2)).
Yes, God’s greatest gift — the giving of His only begotten Son — has been willfully rejected by this evil world. That precious blood — which is able to cleanse from all sin the vilest that comes to Him — is being treated like the One who shed it, despised and rejected, and in its place is substituted doctrines and commandments of men, something that will please the natural depraved taste of people in their sins; something that will tend to lull into false peace the troubled conscience, or otherwise, the devil’s lie of “peace, peace, when there is no peace,” for “when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them,” for “the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of His power; when He shall come to be glorified in His saints, and to be admired in them that believe,” &c. (2 Thess. 1:7-107And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, 8In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: 9Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; 10When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day. (2 Thessalonians 1:7‑10)).
Now perhaps, dear reader, you have believed on the Lord Jesus, and know for certain that your sins are gone forever, and that you will not come into judgment, but you are distressed and grieved with the things you see and hear in the sect or system to which you belong. The apostle’s words to Timothy concerning the above evils hold good to-day, and they are — “from such turn away.” The believer is to have no fellowship with these things, but “let everyone that nameth the name Christ depart from iniquity” (2 Tim. 2:1919Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. (2 Timothy 2:19)).
“Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers,” but, “come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be My sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty” (2 Cor. 6:14-1814Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? 15And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? 16And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 17Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, 18And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. (2 Corinthians 6:14‑18)). If you see, according to the Word of God, that these things are wrong, then the first thing for you to do is to “come out,” and His promise to those who thus separate themselves is, “I will receive you.” Yes, dear fellow-believer, the Lord Almighty pledges Himself with all the loving tender care of a father to undertake the keeping and providing of His children in their many trying and needy circumstances while passing through this hostile world — to those who in simple faith stand aloof from its deadly allurements. “If God be for us who can be against us?” (Read Romans 8:31-3931What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? 32He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? 33Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. 34Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. 35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 37Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 38For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:31‑39).) Let the god and prince of this world muster his forces and combine all his power against the believer thus standing, and he cannot in any way harm him. So long as it pleases the Father to keep His beloved children here for a testimony to the Lord Jesus, all the power and rage of men or devils cannot remove them.
But oh, my reader, if still unsaved, once more I say, be warned in time, for “he that despised Moses’ law died without mercy... of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?” (Heb. 10:2828He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: (Hebrews 10:28)).
“Yet a little while, and He that shall come will come, and will not tarry” (Heb. 10:3737For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. (Hebrews 10:37)). God grant, dear reader, you may be ready. J. S.