Warnings are nice to have. Honestly though we often ignore the warnings we receive. Like the warning lights on the dash or screen in our car. For instance, if we ignore the check engine light it can result in disastrous consequences. The warning light is a sign of something happening or about to happen worse. There are others signs that should warn us as well. Maybe a light doesn’t come on, but you feel a shimmy or a thumping somewhere in your vehicle. It’s something to consider. It’s something to pay attention to, before something worse comes next. Ignoring the warning signs is never a good idea.
In Second Timothy three the Apostle Paul is showing a series of warning signs of times to come. Specifically when the last days of our time here before the rapture of the saints. He leads with, “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come,” in verse one. Clearly he specifies the last “days”. He did not indicate any other form of time frame but the shortest possible: days. We can start to gauge things by days at this point. Much like the warning signs in your car, it is displayed in order to notify you that you don’t have much time. He says the warning is: perilous times. It is not difficult, but seriously perilous. Perils right and left. Look no further than the first sign, “For men shall be lovers of their own selves…” (2 Timothy 3.2a).
First, The Audience. Contextually chapter three, verse five, proves these are church people of some kind. The “world” or lost people have no need to have a “form of godliness.” The powerlessness is the sign of verse five more than the “form”. The form of godliness is the hypocrisy seen also in the pharisees. The powerlessness is the one attribute you cannot fake. Within the context of the first century churches, there was no denying what God was doing versus what was only empowered by man’s hand. Again, this issue of apostasy is clearly not the world outside. They have no way of “fallen away” from the example Jesus demands for a church to be one of His. But the ‘churchanity’ culture of today’s churches definitely fit the accusation.
Now let’s sink our teeth into some of the specifics of this age: Love of self will be unbridled. Today’s society has no problem with ‘love of self’. It reminds me of the character from Popeye The Sailor Man, Wimpy. Wimpy will gladly “pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today.” He doesn’t have a hamburger problem, He’s good at consuming them. But to the onlooker, he defiantly has a problem. All we hear and see is: self-focus, self-centered, self-absorbed, self-consumed people…including believers. This word for “lovers of their own selves” is a word meaning: a deep, profound, love of fondness and attraction. These are people who are inordinately self-focused and self-infatuated. It is a form of idol worship… we are the idols. An idol has no power except the power we can give it. If we hold and wield the idol, doesn’t that make us the god in the scenario?
Children are born with self-love enthroned in their hearts. All of us have said and heard, ‘my ball, my spoon, my toy, my room.’ A spiritually healthy person has put a curb on self-pleasure and self-will. Self love is in the same vein. Yet that’s all the world talks about today. How contrary to the teachings of Christ. In fact, Jesus taught us to: share, take turns, think of others before ourselves. These are all principles we should be teaching children. Except, if we do not live it ourselves, then our lives undo our own teaching.
Let me be frank. The discipline of self has been nearly totally abandoned. Psychologists, social workers, and all those in so-called ‘authority’ positions have insisted, in fact shoved, massive powers of intrusion, intervention, and intimidation at believers to love self. In fact we are encouraged to love self without limits. It’s agreed among the ‘experts’ that a person is socially unhealthy if they do not unashamedly love themselves. Therefore temper tantrums never cease, even when we arrive into adulthood. We beg, whine, cry and show passive aggressive tendencies when we don’t get our way. And guess what?! It works. All of this is wrong, according to God’s word. Children are allowed to grow up with every wish gratified, believing that their will should be allowed. They eventually become adults, thinking the world (others) owe them.
Biblically, Self is a problem. John 3.16 clearly tells us that we are loved: perfectly, lavishly, and unconditionally. This is in-spite of my self. Self is our humanity. It is a sin-filled, lustful wreck. Self is my main enemy. This is best proven in Romans 5.8. He loved how I can’t. If I don’t like it, I won’t do it. I must like it, or else I won’t be involved in it. But in contrast, God gave Himself, loved unconditionally, and sacrificed for me…while I was unloveable.
I know this conjures up some need of explanation. In Matthew 22.36-38 Jesus explains the love-in-action we should be taking, and the order it should come in. First we are to love God. Then secondly love others. The phrase which causes confusion is “as yourself”. Loving as you love yourself doesn’t mean loving them as you love you. If it did, then we could be disobedient anytime we don’t like ourself or are exhibiting insecure tendencies. If this was the case, then we are suppose to obey God in the second command only when we are in a ‘good place.’ That’s illogical. It means: “as we were loved by God.” Love others like God loves you.
Let me share with you the source of this lie. It’s found in 2 Corinthians 4.4. It says that the god of this world is Satan. The word “world” is the system we all work and play in. Who is running the lie-game we have all been fed? Satan. This wisdom is not even close to comparing to God’s wisdom and ways. Why would we trust the enemies advances? We learn in 1 Corinthians 1.19-20 that God has decimated that fake so-called wisdom of the world. Later in 1 Corinthians 3.19 we are taught that God says worldly so-called wisdom is foolish thinking. We have been sold on the idea of self-love. A loyalty to self above all else. We share, post and tweet: me time, my goals, my life, my thoughts, my feelings, me, myself, and the main character of “I”.
It’s all a lie. If this is our sacred right…then Jesus, Paul, and the Apostles all had it wrong. We have to have our minds changed by the renewal of God’s word of truth (Romans 12.2). This is the key: that we see our own selves and our love in accordance to God’s truth and not man’s worldly wisdom.
Folks, this is why Jesus saved you (Galatians 1.4). We need to see this, think about this, as God sees and thinks. We have to see that being a lover of ones’ self is basic lust. Besides, our human self-love is junk compared to God’s everlasting perfect love, according to Romans 8.35-39. Can your love do that? No. You need more and more and better and better. Lust always demands more!
We are to love supremely the one who loves us unconditionally; then rest in that peaceful assuring love He provides. We cannot provide that for ourselves, not in a million years.
We must get off of ourself and start truly loving the One who can’t be out-loved. We need to cultivate a deep, profound, love of fondness and attraction…for the One who loved us first. His love to us then should be enough.