With the beginning of the third chapter, Paul lists a series of descriptive terms, giving Timothy a vivid picture of what ungodly people will look like in the last days. Last week, we saw the first eight of these terms. In this week’s passage, we will look at the rest of the list. You can see the latter half of the list in 2 Timothy 3:3-5:
Last week, Paul began to describe what characterizes evil people living in the last days. Most of the items on this list seem highly accurate of the times we are living in. Of such people, Paul instructs Timothy to have nothing to do with them. This command is a repetition of 2 Timothy 2:16, to avoid the godlessness of such people and their activities. Paul continues his list, describing these people as being:
Without love
This could be translated as “unloving,” and refers to a lack of natural affection or love, such as a parent holds for his children, and children for their parents. Child abuse and negligence would qualify in this description. Paul is describing people who are so focused on themselves that even the closest of human relationships mean nothing to them.
Unforgiving
This term could be defined as irreconcilable. This isn’t because of an inability to be reconciled, or circumstances beyond control. This is willful, unyielding, hatred for others.
Slanderous
Some translations list this as “malicious gossips,” but the term “slanderer” is much more accurate. Here we have a word that is derived from one of the names for Satan, diabolos, meaning “accuser.” This in itself shows just how serious this is.
Without self-control
In Paul’s descriptions of elders, self-control is mentioned twice (1 Timothy 3:3 and Titus 1:8). This is a key quality found in the spiritually mature, but is missing in these ungodly people described here. This lack of self-control could manifest itself in various ways: finances, the tongue, pleasures, or even appetites. A lack of self-control will lead to a weak resistance to temptation and sin.
Brutal
This term is most often used to describe a wild beast. One who is brutal is savage, with no room for sympathy or mercy for others.
Not lovers of the good
This term means to have no love for good people or for good things. When we diet on a steady stream of junk food, we lose the desire for good food. The same is true of our spiritual nourishment.
Treacherous
This word literally means “betrayer,” and is used to describe Judas Iscariot in Luke 6:16. This is the kind of person who betrays a trust.
Rash
Reckless and headstrong. It is the idea of being so obstinate that wise advise is unheeded. When Rehoboam succeeded his father, Solomon, as king, he rejected the wise advice of his father’s counselors, choosing instead to listen to his peers. This lead to very poor leadership choices, and the kingdom being divided (1 Kings 12).
Conceited
Paul used this same word in 1 Timothy 3:6, to describe one who is not to be an elder or overseer. The word carries the idea of emptiness. Those who are conceited are empty or void of a conception of reality. They are surrounded with delusions of themselves.
Lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God
This is hedonism in its most basic form. When men deny their love for God and focus on whatever can bring them pleasure, they have slipped away from the truth. The pursuit of pleasure comes before all else. This is a terrible state in which to find oneself.
Having a form of godliness
Paul uses the term he uses throughout the Pastoral Epistles, meaning “true religion.” The false teachers, and ungodly people through the last days, look godly, showing the outward signs of religion. These are the people who know a lot about the Bible, who can talk the talk.
But denying its power
But they can’t walk the walk. Even though they look religious, they deny the power of the gospel and miss the point entirely. These people profess to be Christian, do things that look Christian, say Christian things, but do not know the reality of Christianity. Their denial is not simply accidental, either. This word connotes a willful, decisive rejection of the truth.
This list describes one who is utterly devoid of the truth, one who is completely lost. Is there hope for such a person? Absolutely; provided that they repent and turn away from such ungodliness. Paul’s fear here, however, is that they will not do so. If they refuse to reject such a lifestyle, Paul wants Timothy to have nothing to do with them, in order to not be affected by their attitudes. However, I’m fairly certain that Timothy continued to pray for the false teachers, just as we are to pray for those we know who fall into such categories. Only God knows what those prayers might accomplish.
Do you struggle with any of the things listed here? What are you doing to improve? You can leave your thoughts in the comments section below.