We as “the faithful” intelligized grace age believers of this age of pure grace have a serious admonishment from our Apostle Paul commending us to “study” and ‘look for His appearing” and our “appearing with Him in [heaven’s] glory.”

Thankfully, we today have “that blessed hope” while we endure life’s situations and circumstances ‘in faith’ during these “perilous times.”

Titus 2:13 (KJV) ¹³ Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

Philippians 3:20-21 (KJV) ²⁰ For our conversation [Old English for ‘citizenship’] is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: ²¹ Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.

Colossians 3:4 (KJV) ⁴ When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in [heaven’s] glory.

This below speaks of Paul’s words of admonishment for us today, as noted by Rod Jones.

‘Faithful Living in Perilous Times’

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

2Ti 3:2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 

2Ti 3:3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 

2Ti 3:4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 

In today’s vocabulary, the word ‘peril,’ or ‘perilous’ is often used by many today. But this doesn’t mean that mankind does not experience things that are ‘dangerous,’ hazardous,’ or ‘full of risk,’ but this is what the definition of “perilous” refers to. And with that being said, the Apostle Paul desires Timothy, and the members of the Body of Christ to “know” what the “last days” will consist of. And that is that the “times” in those days will be “perilous.” And as evil as the times were in Paul’s day, they did not compare to the future times of the “last days” that Paul mentions. Now the question is, are we in those ‘prophesied’ last days that Paul mentioned? The answer is all around us, and yes, we are living in the last days that Paul teaches the Saints. And these times that we are living in are indeed perilous to our godly edifying, and the ‘spirit of this world’ is designed to ‘draw in’ the Saints away from the Word of God, the life of God, and to keep the Saint “conformed to this world,” and not “transformed by the renewing” of his mind.

2Ti 2:24 And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, 

2Ti 2:25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; 

2Ti 2:26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will. 

Therefore, the ‘dangerous,’ hazardous,’ or ‘full of risk’ times are just that, but not for the people of this world who are the “lovers of their own selves,” but perilous for the sanctification of those who are in Christ. Notice what Paul says in 2Timothy 2:25-26, the justified in Christ being “in the snare of the devil,” and being “taken captive by him at his will” is not even mentioned as being part of the “perilous times” in the prior chapter! This is because throughout God’s Word we see the Saints, whether in Corinth, or Galatia, that are justified, but given over to Satan and following his “power of the air.” But the times we are living in today are the “perilous times” of the “night” of Satan’s “darkness.” Satan’s “power of the air” has ‘ramped up’ its working unto this world. The Men of this world WILL worship a ‘god,’ and in these times, the Men of this world worships, and serves their own heart as the ‘god’ of their life, and are “lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God.”

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

2Ti 3:6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, 

2Ti 3:7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 

Moreover, we are living in a time far more perilous than being just caught in the snare of the devil and being taken captive by him at his will. Satan knows the Men of this world will ‘fall in love with’ this world more, and more as time goes on, he knows that when the heart of Men begins to love this world with the knowledge that this world can now cater to all of his 5 senses, he builds an ‘addiction,’ and an ‘affection’ to what this world now fulfils unto his heart. He now has the “lusts of the flesh” fulfilled anytime he desires, this world that we live in allows for the Man to make “provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.” The difference between Paul’s day and today’s “night” of darkness that we are living in is, that the Men of these times have fallen in love with Satan’s power more than they were in Paul’s day. The “works of darkness” have become ‘celebrated,’ and promoted unto this world, the whole world gets a ‘birds eye view’ of these works of darkness by way of the internet, TV, radio, and ‘word of mouth.’

2Ti 3:12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. 

2Ti 3:13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. 

Rom 13:12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. 

Rom 13:13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. 

Rom 13:14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof. 

Finally, we are exhorted to “put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.” And even though the “evil men and seducers” will continue to deceive this world with the counterfeit doctrines designed to have the Men of this world ‘fall for’ their words, and this is based upon the preaching that goes according to the lusts of Men. Their words are patterned after what their flesh loves, and worshipping God “in the flesh.” And this is what Paul tells Timothy in the verses below, when the Men of this world places his lusts above God, having a family, and others of this world, he will “turn his ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.” And the Man “turns” from the truth because he has ‘turned’ unto the ‘god’ of his life; and that is his own heart, and the “lusts” that his flesh desires. But we are to “put on the Lord Jesus Christ,” and “stand fast” in the doctrine which is according to godliness.”

2Ti 4:1 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; 

2Ti 4:2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. 

2Ti 4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 

2Ti 4:4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. 

2Ti 4:5 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.