The Prophetic appeal: (chap.3)
The terrible time before the end: (3:1-5):
We know that our Lord would return one day. The day and hour are not known. But before he comes, there will be terrible times and life will be very hard. People would be engaged in terrible sins and we can see them all already in the world now. But they will spread wider and get far worse in the last days. But believers need to fear. It is a warning for us to prepare ourselves what is to come. This gives the reason why life will be so hard. It is not that these things are new. There have been people like this all through history. But in the last days, there will be an increase of high proportion in such evil acts. Their aim in life is to get as much money as they can for their own benefit.
They will say evil things. They will not respect other people in how they speak. They will be insulting and not polite. They will not obey or show respect for their own parents.
Paul gave an exhaustive list of 19 general characteristics the worldly people will exhibit:
- Lovers of themselves: People become more selfish. They do not care for others, their neighbours or society. Some husbands do not care for their wives and vice versa. Children do not care for their parents and parents too do not care for the children. Bible tells that “love your neighbour as yourself” but in homes, churches, society are dwindling in the last days. Paul writes “Christ’s love compels me.” Such a love was displayed by the foreign missionaries who came to India and lived in primitive conditions and their only motto was to preach the Gospel. The love of love is the foundation of depravity.
- Lovers of money: The love of money makes the person to go to any extent. Love for money blinds the person from knowing the truth, lose their morality, drowned to neck deep in corruption.
Ex: The rich man and Lazarus is a good example for lovers of money. The life of Zachchaeus should become an eye opening to such people. When Zachchaeus confessed that he would return the money four-fold and give 50% of his property to poor, he received the true salvation. Jesus said: “it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of the needle than the rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.”(Mk.10:25)
3. Boastful: It is the self importance one portrays. A hollow life filled with boasting not giving any respect to creator.
4. Proud: “whoever has haughty eyes and proud heart, him will I not endure”(Ps.101:5b). God is against the proud and arrogant people.
5. Abusive: Offensive reproach.
Boastful, proud and abusive are very common these days. Boasting, pride, abusive or blasphemy are the pictures that “I am the most important person”, but not God or any other person. Satan was thrown down because his pride
6. Disobedient to their parents: The society particularly the 20th and 21st century has gone from bad to worse. Children no longer care their parents. The important Command “Honour they father and mother” is completely lost. The disobedience of the children is also partly due to the dwindling family values. Separated parents, selfish and ambitious parents are some of the reasons too.
7. Ungrateful: Children forget their past life and hardship their parents have put in for upbringing them.
8. Unholy: The present generation has become more unholy due to lack of moral values in the society and Besides this, movies, pornography, books have aggregated people to become perverts, unholy, unethical and unnatural.
9. Without love: Parents and children have no love. It is because the parents are not caring them. They are forceful. The upbringing of children are bad. In the last days, there will be a growing dis-regard for the normal family-ties and love.
10. Unforgiving: Forgiveness is divine. Our Lord Jesus gave us the patter of how to pray: “Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.”