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GODLESS GENERATION Could you ever imagine how it would be if all of this world were without God? How would people behave if they all believed that they had to answer to no one, ever? Would people be any different if they truly believed that death was the end of all things and that they would never be held accountabe for how they had lived in this world? Our society would be pretty much the way things are in so many places. Most people live their lives as if there is no God and they have to give account to no one. The apostle Paul wrote to Timothy about living in a world which could be very dangerous for any Christian, including Timothy. Paul wrote in II Timothy 3:1-5, | ||
| "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 pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof; from such turn away." | ||
What are some of the things that we can learn from this inspired apostle regarding a world without God? First, the apostle Paul said that these things would happen in the last days and would bring perilous times to Timothy as well as to other Christians. When Paul made reference to "the last days," he was referring to the Christian dispensation. This dispensation began on the day of Pentecost when the church was established in the city of Jerusalem and will end when the Lord comes for the last time, to judge and destroy this world. Paul was saying that during this period of time, Christians all over the world would be in the midst of perilous times in that if they were not careful, they also could be influenced to become just like those who live as if there is no God. The people described here are those who had no place for God in their lives. The sad thing is that some of the characteristics of these people are also found in some who call themselves Christians. These people were described as being lovers of themselves; that is, selfish and self-centered, thinking only of themselves even at the expense of others. They are also described as being covetous, desiring to have that which they have no right to have. And they are described as being boasters and proud, bragging about themselves as to how great they are and also thinking that they are better than everyone else. Blasphemers are those who insult God and others. They also insult that which is holy. How often we see this being done by many, especially those in the television industry! Disobedient to parents, unthankful, and unholy were other characteristics that Paul mentioned. Are there not many today who have these character traits? How do we measure up to what Paul wrote in this passage of Scripture? | ||
