But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. ² For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, slanderers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, ³ unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, ⁴ treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, ⁵ holding to a form of piety yet negating its power; avoid such people as these. ⁶ For among them are those who slip into households and captivate weak women weighed down with sins, led on by various impulses, ⁷ always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. ⁸ Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men of depraved mind, disqualified with regard to the faith. ⁹ But they will not make further progress; for their foolishness will be obvious to all, just as was that also of Jannes and Jambres (2Tim3 vv1-9)

“In the last days, difficult times shall come”, writes Paul. This must be referring to that time immediately preceding the return of Jesus Christ. The Latter also warned  of disasters to come at such a time in Mt24:7, and unlike Paul’s warning, that included international strife (wars) and natural disasters such as storms and earthquakes. But before returning to Paul, notice the good news that Jesus signified. For He follows his statement with:  “But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pains”! (v8).Indeed, a few verses later Jesus suggests that far from despairing, when the Christian observes these things, he/she should rejoice, “recognizing that (the coming of Christ) is near, even at the door!” (v34).

If a woman is approaching labour and doesn’t experience pain, something is wrong – the birth my not happen or may be she imagined it all. Likewise, if everything were currently reasonably hunky-dory with the world and the Church, it would suggest the “restoration of all things”(Acts3:21) that shall occur at Christ’s coming would be a long way off. That is, if Jesus and Paul are to be believed (so count me in).

The intended role of the Church

This will appear rather counter-intuitive for many Christians. For surely, say they, the Church was established to be light and salt to the world – the means of inaugurating God’s Kingdom on earth. Surely, things should be getting progressively better, not worse.  That might be the case if the Church were anything like it was intended to be. It is and has been for many years divided and consequently to a degree corrupted such that it cannot effectively fulfil its intended function. As to why God has permitted such a state of affairs, the final two chapters of my book endeavour to explain. In a sentence God has deemed evil, suffering and division in the world and the Church to be necessary for the fulfilment of His purposes for humanity.

That is a supreme act of love on the Father’s part 😯 – in view of the implications for His only begotten Son . Through His life, death and resurrection, mankind (starting with the elect) is not destined  merely to return to the Adamic innocence of Eden, but through the arduous course set out for the children of dust we shall be raised to the heights of glory as co-heirs with Christ (Rom8:17) . The events of Calvary were central to that outcome, as in turn were the seemingly dire events of Eden, exactly as they transpired. God has always known what He’s doing but few, even if Christian if they are honest, will currently comprehend it.

Context of Paul’s warning

So returning to 2Tim, is Paul referring to unsavoury characters of the world or of the Church? It is surely primarily the latter. Remember, Paul wrote this letter whilst imprisoned in Rome when Nero was emperor. The secular society of his day would have been at least as bohemian and often depraved as anything we might experience today.  Roman unbelievers were not primarily the people Paul was telling Timothy to avoid (except to evangelize), regrettably it was fellow church members he had in mind. This is further suggested by his reference to the fact that such were “holding to a form of piety/religion” (v5) yet some were “characters of a depraved mind” who would be “disqualified (ἀδόκιμοι) from the Faith” (v8). 

Reasons to be cheerful

A depressing prospect for people of the current age whether they be inside or outside the Church? For many of the latter it may be, for whether they use the label or not they are effectively post-millennialist. Not so yours truly and not so the consensus of the pre-Nicene Church, as the likes of Irenaeus and Church historian Eusebius affirm, as of course does the last book in the bible, albeit symbolically. But Paul and Jesus’ prophecies also accord with historical reality, but especially in the Latter’s case also bring reasons to be cheerful. If the labour pains seem to be growing, the baby must be on its way, being “the restoration of all things”. So, when you observe these calamities, know that it is near, even at the door.