End Times? 2 Tim. 3:1-5

“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 them.” (2 Tim. 3: 1-5) .....It certainly feels like we are in the last days. “That “the last days” in this passage does not refer only to the time just prior to Christ’s return is apparent from Paul’s command to Timothy to have nothing to do with the unbelieving and unfaithful people who characterize this time” (Concordia Self-Study Bible. "Lutheran edition of the NIV study Bible" (2 Ti 3:1)). Here Paul gives a laundry list of people from which Timothy is to stay away. His reason is obvious. It would be easy for even the very elect to fall into disbelief and loose their very eternal home. “Timothy is to do his work in the sobering conviction that times and men will grow worse and that opposition to the truth will increase. The only alleviating feature of this dark future is that the folly of those who oppose the truth will expose itself” (Concordia Self-Study Commentary (226)). How sad it will be for those who refuse to obey the truth. How hard it is becoming to witness the truth to them. Actually, so hard that Paul tells us not to have anything to do with them. .....We are already there in many respects. All of the items on Paul’s list exist today and I fear they are growing in intensity. Movies that were rated “X” in the late 1960’s are now rated “R.” Words that I would have gotten my mouth washed out with soap for saying are now common on TV, even during the family hours. One cannot even trust old standby channels like Disney. I am especially aware of this as I write this paper now in late October when my family has to turn the television off because of all the occult and satanic shows celebrating Halloween currently being aired. We are being desensitized to evil in the world. .....For my part in being a lover of myself above You forgive me, Lord. I have loved money above You. Forgive me, Lord. I have been boastful, proud, abusive, and disobedient to my parents. Forgive me, Lord. I have been ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, and brutal. Forgive me, Lord. I have not loved the good. I have been treacherous, rash, and conceited. Forgive me, Lord. I have been a lover of pleasure rather than a lover of God. I have portrayed a form of godliness but I have denied its power. For all of these things forgive me, Lord.....AMEN