2 Timothy 3:2 –
For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred.
This chapter is one of this that starts with mention how to recognize “the last days”. As you read this and the next few verses you have to wonder if we have arrived! As you read each thing to watch for and look in the mirror we sometimes can see ourselves, at least I can with some of these! If we look back in history it’s easy to get to the “Roaring 20’s” and wonder if we are just repeating history. I worry that this time in history is worse.
This verse is just the start of a laundry list of ill’s that plague society today. And at the root is self-gratification and inward thinking. Jesus said we need to die to self and this chapter is an example of why. The very first warning Paul mentions is people who love “only” themselves. This alone could be the root of all evil and not money. I mean think about it, self-love makes you want more pleasure and therefore you need more money to satisfy that unquenchable desire. If you don’t believe me look at the “uber” rich and wonder if they are still looking for “more”.
Once self-love takes control, pride and boasting are easy. You no longer think that there is any “higher power” than yourself. Parents become old and stupid. What should be sacred becomes a hindrance to fun! Slandering your friends who question your morals gets ugly. I have a pro-choice friend and whenever I question their beliefs, the verbal vomit that gets dumped on me is amazing. Recently they were complaining about Planned Parenthood getting audited and I said I hoped every government expenditure got this same scrutiny.
We recently talked about money being the root of all kinds of evil. This takes the blame off us and puts it on something that is just metal or paper. No all these ills that Paul is pointing out and we are experiencing today stems from loving oneself more than God. How many times do we pray “you will be done” and mean it? I know I often hesitate on that and focus on the “pray for it in Jesus’ name.” So how can we “save the world” from the end times? Paul answers it at the end of this chapter!!