Being Faithful in Difficult Times

But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.

6 They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over gullible women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, 7 always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth. 8 Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these teachers oppose the truth. They are men of depraved minds, who, as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected. 9 But they will not get very far because, as in the case of those men, their folly will be clear to everyone. 2 Timothy 3:1–9

Terrible times will happen

1 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days.

In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, Hebrews 1:1–2a

Characteristics of ungodliness

2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—

This ungodliness is in the church!

5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.

The strategy of false teachers

6 They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over gullible women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, 7 always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth. 8 Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these teachers oppose the truth. They are men of depraved minds, who, as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected.

God still reigns.

But they will not get very far because, as in the case of those men, their folly will be clear to everyone.
Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but whoever takes crooked paths will be found out. Proverbs 10:9.
Pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall. Proverbs 16:18

What does that mean for me?

What is the most important love in my life?
Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. Revelation 2:4

Be discerning and grounded in God’s Word.
Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world. 1 John 4:1.

Don’t despair, even though there are terrible times.