1 But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, 4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. ~ 2 Timothy 3:1-5
As the days race toward eternity, the Return of Jesus draws closer and closer, and things will take a turn for the worse for the Church. And it already has in many places, but it will get even worse. Those who are called by His Name will be persecuted. We will be despised, hated, and even hunted down and killed, all because we love Jesus. Because we have chosen Him, because He first chose us.
Jesus has given us an opportunity to accept Him and to follow Him by loving Him and keeping His commandments. We love Him by being obedient to Him and loving others and living in harmony with each other. Therefore, we keep ourselves from being defiled by the world.
We live in the world, but we are not a part of the world. We do not partake in what they partake in. We do not take pleasure in what they take pleasure in. We are a peculiar people, a royal priesthood. A people chosen from before the foundation of the world (1 Peter 2:9).
We are loved by God, who purchased us with His own blood and wrote our names upon His palms and in His Book of Life. We all have been given the privilege of choosing Jesus (John 3:16). That is our choice. To accept Jesus or to reject Jesus. It’s that simple, but it has devastating consequences if we choose unwisely.
Therefore, separate yourself from the world. Be in the world, but not of the world. We are to be the light of the world (Matthew 5:14-16), not friends with the world. So, build your spirit-man now. Crucify your flesh now while these days are still ahead of us because when they come, it will be difficult to prevail without preparation.
Peace. Love. Go Forth and Prepare For Perilous Times.