LOVERS OF SELF - www.babylonforsaken.com

2nd Timothy 3:1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.

Here the Apostle Paul warns us that in the last days, which are the days in which we live, perilous times will come. That is, dangerous or difficult and troublesome times would come.

Now do you think that this trouble that Paul is speaking of, will be caused by the weather? By earthquakes? By trouble from outer-space? What will be the source of the trouble? Paul answers:

2nd Timothy 3:2-5 For men shall be lovers of their own selves,

Why will it be such dangerous times? Because of men. It is because of the hearts of men.

Now do you think that it is only referring to the hearts of those out in the world? To the hearts of men who do not profess religion? Or who do not profess the Christian religion? Be not deceived. Read verse five:

2nd Timothy 3:5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away

The trouble clearly comes from those who have a "Form of Godliness", they have an outward appearance of Godliness, but they do not have the inner power of Godliness.

Do you remember our study on the Parable of the sower? How that some seeds would sprout up quickly but fall away in times of testing because they didn't have the root, and we learned that the root that keeps us, that makes us sincere Christians is the Love of God? In the last days we are being warned, that the vast majority of those who have a form of Godliness, or the outward profession of Christianity, would not have the power, or the root, which is the true love for God.

TRUE LOVE WILL WAX COLD

What was one thing that Christ spoke of as being a sign in the last days? It was the condition of men's hearts, the condition of the professed Church's heart. He said this:

"And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold". - Matthew 24:12

Iniquity is sin isn't it? And sin is the cause of the troubles of the world isn't it? And here we are told that iniquity shall abound, why? Because the love of many would wax cold. Now what kind of love is this speaking of? It must be speaking of the Love of GOD, that restrains iniquity. Mark my words, iniquity will abound in a heart that does not Love God.

Now let's look at some of these sins that are said to abound in the last day Church and see if they are not rampant:

Covetous: Do men covet today? Are they content with such things that they have? Or are they lovers of money?

Boasters, the Proud and unthankful: Do men boast today? Are men's hearts lifted with pride? Do we lift up our nose at those who are not as fortunate as we are? Are men thankful? Are they grateful for all things?

Blasphemers, false accusers: Do men use abusive language today? Do they rail upon one another? Do they spread lies and rumors about others?

Disobedient to parents: Do young people, who claim to be saved, disobey their parents and show disrespect toward them? Do parents keep their children under subjection?

Without natural affection, incontinent, and fierce. Without Natural affection, means without compassion, incontinent means without self control. Fierce means to be violent. Does this sound familiar?

Despisers of those that are good - That is men will not love good works, or those who do and teach good things.

And why will the Church be in such a state?

" because... the love of many shall wax cold". - Matthew 24:12

THE LOVE OF SELF AND PLEASURE

Now I want us to notice that all "LOVE" will not be gone in the hearts of the last day Church. They will still love, but their love will not be the TRUE LOVE that constrains, and compels, and purifies the true Christian! What will these men love?

2nd Timothy 3:2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves...

Do you see? It is self love that Paul predicted would rule in the Church world in the last days. And self love, which is selfishness is the root of evil. It is the greatest attribute of Satan and all those who are under his control.

Are men lovers of self? Are they selfish? Let's have an honest look. Christians will go and spend Thirty-Thousand Dollars on a new car. Why? Usually not because their old car was no good, and even if it was "no-good", you can buy a reliable family car for $1,500 to $2,000 around here. Why do they get the "NEW CAR" for 30 grand, while their brother's and sisters near by do not even have a car?

Why do they go and buy the "New Coat", when their coat from last year is still good? Why buy a "new coat" when you have a good coat, and neglect the man or woman on the street who wear rags?

Why go to the fancy restaurants and pay $100 for a meal, when you could have eaten just as good at home for $10? Especially when we have brethren overseas who could eat for three months on that $100?

Why do people pay a fortune for fancy lotions, perfumes, make up, bath supplies and scrubs. When you can come just as clean with a bar of Dial soap? And you can buy some Vaseline lotion for a buck for your dry skin?

That is just a few examples, I could name hundreds of others!

What is an obvious way that this 'love for self' is manifest?

2nd Timothy 3:4..... lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;

They will put their "Love for Pleasure" above their Love for God.

What pleasures? Sinful pleasures? Yes, but not sinful pleasures alone. It is any pleasure that is vain.

What are men seeking in the United States today more than anything else? Amusement or entertainment. What is one of, if not the biggest businesses in the world today? It is the entertainment industry.

Look at the Amusement Parks that are in the world! They take in millions and millions of dollars a year; and it is all vain amusement.

Look at the Movie industry, they take in Billions of dollars a year.

The Cable networks and the Dish networks that carry these vain television shows in to the homes of the people, take in untold millions of dollars.

Then you have the drug and the alcohol sales. The sex industry [porn, prostitutes, strip clubs, and other forms of "adult" entertainment].

Then you have the Sports industry. Which usually consists of grown men, fighting each other over a rubber ball. And they take in millions and millions of dollars for such an unprofitable task!

How are these things able to go on? Because the 85% of Americans who claim to be "Christians" are lovers of self, and lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of GOD.

DOES IT MEAN I LOVE PLEASURE MORE THAN GOD?

I know that most of these people who are 'lovers of pleasure' will say, "but I love God more". And they may believe that they do, for many people think that love is a feeling or an emotion. But Love is not simply a feeling. Love is a motivating power.

1st John 3:18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.

True love motivates you. True love causes you to do things. True love produces fruits. You will spend the time with and doing what the one you love wants you to do.

We can say, "I love GOD more than my television". But our works prove it or not.

If I spend three hours in a day with my nose in the television.

And just an hour in prayer, study, and working for God, then my works prove that I love that television more than God.

Let me rant for a moment: Television is the biggest deception and trap that Satan has ever fostered off on the Church. He uses it to bring evil images and evil words into your home. He uses it to plant evil thoughts in your mind, into your very subconsciousness.

And when you begin to wake up to that, he throws you another lie. He says, "It is okay to watch television, as long as you are watching programs that aren't that bad". Well let's pretend that there was such a thing as Televisions that's not "so bad". And you sit on your rump and stare at that box for three hours. You know what the devil caused you to do? He caused you to take three hours of God's time, time that God wants us to REDEEM, and you simply wasted it sitting in front of the television. You didn't edify anyone with it, and you weren't edified by it.

Now do you think that the love of GOD motivates us in this manner?

SAVE BY A FAITH THAT WORKS

1st John 3:16-17 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?

Who is our brother? Do they have needs? Don't kid yourself!

There are many people with many needs, but my friends the greatest need in the world is the salvation of souls and the restoration of the Backslidden.

What are we doing in this work for their souls? Are we taking time to pray earnestly for them? Do we take the time to fast for them? Do we take the time to witness to them? Do we study the Word of GOD, so GOD can use us to share a good word with these people?

Do we have the "Bread of life" in our possession so we can share it with those in need?

Now some attempt to stifle conviction over their lack of motivating love, by repeatedly saying, "We are saved by Grace, just Grace." It is as if they think that if they repeat it enough that it would be so. But I want you to know that Grace is just half the story.

GRACE THROUGH FAITH

Ephesians 2:7-9 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Now how are we saved? By grace. And what other ingredient? Through faith. You see without faith, you cannot receive the grace. Now when you are truly saved by grace through faith, what will be produced in your life?

Ephesians 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

True faith activates "Good works", if Good Works are absent, then more than likely true faith is absent.

Turn with me to Galatians 5:6

Galatians 5:6 For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.

You see, the only thing that is going to avail in the end, is the true faith that works by love.

Do you know there are two types of faith in the world? A dead - demonic faith, and a true and living faith that leads to eternal life. What is the difference?

James 2:14-20 ¶ What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

My friends what faith have ye? Don't think that because you attend Church on Sabbath, and believe Jesus is 'Lord', that you are safe from the deceptions of the last days. This Spirit of Apathy, and of Self love and pleasure seeking is rampant in the Sabbath Keeping Churches today, just like the Sunday keeping Churches.

It is of utmost importance that we "Examine ourselves", and see which faith we have. How shall I know? Christ said you would know by the fruits. To which are you bearing the fruit?

WHAT DID YOU DO?

When Jesus returns, and separates the sheep from the goats, he shall separate them not by their 'profession', but by their fruits. Not what they claimed to believe, but what they did with what they had.

Matthew 25:31-34 ¶ When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

Here Christ is describing his coming, when he separates the wheat from the tares. Notice he does not say, "Baptists to the right", or "Pentecostals to the right" or "Church of GOD people to the right". No he has warned over and over again, that it is not those who simply say, "Lord, Lord". But those who are "Blessed of my Father" because they have done the will of my Father [Matthew 7:21].

Why will they enter?

Matthew 25:35-36 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

And those who will enter shall ask, "WHEN DID WE DO THIS UNTO THEE?"

Mathew 25:40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

You see it is those who truly have the love of God, active in their hearts, that will be in the Kingdom. And that love will be seen by their selfless acts of love.

Some men might say, "There are Christians who are bedfast, who cannot do much". God knows what they can and what they cannot do. And if they have true faith, they will do the best they can for the Glory of GOD.

For instance: One man was bedfast, he could not go out and labor for the Lord, and few sinners came to him, to hear his witness. So what did he do? Do you think he buried his nose into the television? NO, he gave himself to PRAYER. He began to pray fervently for 30 churches that he had personally come in contact with. And he would pray and pray until the Spirit let him know that he had prayed through for that particular church. And he would then write in his journal, "This day I have prayed through for the Church at so and so". Now not long after this man died, God brought revival to the land where he lived. And this man's wife brought the journal to the leading minister in the revival, and it was astonishing, for revival came to the Churches in the very order that the man had prayed.

Isn't it a sad testimony on our part, who are reasonably healthy, that a man on his death bed can accomplish more than we for the Kingdom of God?

I tell you Church we truly need to be seeking the Kingdom of GOD and his righteousness, for things are not right.

Turn with me to: LUKE 8:14

WHAT WILL CAUSE MEN NOT TO HAVE FRUITS?

Luke 8:14 And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.

It is certainly the cares of this life, the love of money and of pleasures that lead men not to bring fruit onto perfection. The world is filled with the thorns and thickets, and instead of ridding our lives of these things, we nurture them, and cause them to increase until they take over our lives.

WILL THOSE IN THE THORNS BE READY TO MEET GOD?

Luke 21:34-35 And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth

Here is the clear warning from the Lord, he tells us to TAKE HEED, unless our hearts become full of the cares of this life. And if our hearts are taken in the cares of this life, then his coming will take us unaware, and we shall be unprepared to meet our Lord.

UNTANGLE THY SELF

2nd Timothy 2:3-4 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.

We are to be soldiers of the Cross, the Church is to be a mighty army on the face of the earth. We are to have power and victory, yet the Church world is powerless and sin has dominion over her. Why? She has been entangled with the cares of this life, she has been consumed with the love for self, and a love for pleasure, and the Love for God has waxed cold.

What shall we do? Christ tells us to repent. He tells us to humble ourselves and pray and to turn from our wicked ways. Repent, and untangle yourself from the snare of Satan. Give your whole life to Christ. And as he lives through you, his mighty and good works will be shown in you.