Today with all the dangers we face (Aids, drug trafficking, nuclear warfare, terrorists,

uncertain economic trends, ect.) calls to mind the Apostle Paul's prophecy in 2 Timothy
3:1-5, "This know also, that in the last days PERILOUS TIMES shall come. For men
shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to
parents, unthankful, unholy. Without natural affection, truce breakers, false accusers,
incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good. Traitors, heady, high minded, lovers
of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power
thereof: from such turn away." The words contain a warning of imminent dangers. The
time and season of it: "They shall come in the last days." They are "PERILOUS TIMES."
PERILOUS is defined as "hard to bear, troublesome, dangerous, harsh, fierce, savage."
Hence, the days ahead are going to be "hard to bear, troublesome, dangerous, harsh,
fierce, savage." The Greek word for our translated English word PERILOUS is chalepos.
The term chalepos means to “reduce the strength of an intended target” in the specific
relationship of making the one targeted more susceptible to a furious, fierce and
dangerous onslaught. The phrase is intended to convey to the reader that the powers of
darkness in the Last Days will intensify their conspiratorial strategy against Christ’s
followers for the design of rendering them as an easy prey. This ominous stalking of the
prey is also depicted in I Peter 5:8 where Satan is portrayed as a roaring lion seeking
whom he may devour. While Satan has always lurked around as a ravening beast, it is
apparent from the scriptural rendering of this verse that the supernatural enemies of God
(Satan-demons) and the earthly enemies of Christ and his Church, will conspire together
to extricate a covert supernatural assault in an attempt to undermine the very foundations
of the “Christian strength” on the earth in the Last Days, before the final Satanic
offensive against Israel that shall occur during the Great Tribulation.
Timothy’s reference to these “PERILOUS TIMES in the Last Days” has a familiar
parallel of refrain in eschatology (literally 'study of the last' is a part of theology
concerned with what are believed to be the final events in history, or the end of the
world) dealing with the conspiratorial rise and climactic appearance of the Antichrist.
There is no doubt that Paul and Timothy discussed the subject of the Last Days on
numerous occasions, and that Paul shared with young Timothy a tremendous wealth of
information about the PERILOUS conditions that the Church and the world would face
just before Jesus returned. Lets look once again closely at Paul’s overview of these
PERILOUS TIMES. 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the
coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, That ye be not
soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from
us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day
shall not come, except there come a “falling away first."
The PERILOUS TIMES of the Last Days have a direct relationship with the Laodicean
church age (Revelation 3:14-20) and the great Falling Away of the general church as a
whole in the days just preceding the emergence of the Antichrist. We can plainly see in
Paul’s exhortation that the “falling away” comes first, and only afterwards then may the
man of sin be revealed in his time. Paul continues on to say that the “mystery of iniquity”
was already working in the first century (by the dilution or departing of/from the truth),
yet it was checked by the multi-faceted work of the Holy Spirit (a with holder or
restrainer of mankind from performing evil acts) working within and throughout the body
of the Church. Paul is saying that the withholding capacity of the Holy Spirit would
gradually be withdrawn in the Last Days leaving the world more and more subjected to
times of peril. But "God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that
every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually."
The Holy Spirit will only abide in the hearts and lives of the true believer in Christ Jesus
(hence the name Christians, of Christ - See Galatians 3:26-28). Towards the end of time it
will be nearly exactly like in the start. During the days of Noah there were only eight
souls saved by water (1 Peter 3:20-21). Many man walked after corruption (sin) and
violence instead of the Lord. He tried to convict them (of it) or "strive with man" but they
were obstinate (stubbornly persistent in wrongdoing), and He eventually gave them up to
their own lusts (Genesis 6:1-13 and Romans 1:24). The Bible foretold of these fierce and
troublesome times. But carefully notice in verse 2 of 2 Timothy 3 why these times will be
so perilous, "For men shall be lovers of their own selves." It is selfish and sinful people
who make life so difficult. Proverbs 13:15 says, "Good understanding gives favour but
the way of a transgressor is hard." So, the way of a transgressor is hard, not the way of
the righteous. Christ's yoke (way) is easy and His burden (word) is light. It's much easier
and better for us all to follow God's ways than Satan's deceptions. 1 John 5:2-3, "By this
we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his
commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his
commandments are not grievous."
"Now the Spirit speaks expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith,
giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy;
having their conscience seared with a hot iron; Forbidding to marry, and commanding to
abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them
which believe and know the truth. For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be
refused, if it be received with thanksgiving." (1 Timothy 4:1-4) These scriptures say in
the latter days that many shall depart from the true faith. In Luke 18:8 we find that Jesus
is saying the same thing. "Nevertheless when the Son of man comes, shall he find faith
on the earth?" Furthermore it says the apostate churches (the Roman Catholic along with
some of her trinity doctrine daughters) will forbid marriage (for their priests) and meats
(fish on Friday instead).
2 Timothy 4:1-4 "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; Preach the word; be
instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and
doctrine. 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; And they shall turn
away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables." The truth is that in the
days of both Paul (died 67 A.D.) and Timothy ( died 80 A.D.) there were only baptisms
in the name of Jesus Christ, for the forgiveness of sins. The concept of the trinity had not
yet been invented nor adopted. There were no priest, nuns or popes. Nobody was selling
indulgences or forbidding bible reading. The idea of of praying to the saints was
considered anathema (a banished, denounced, cursed person or activity). Nobody as yet
prayed to or worshipped Mary, nor called her "the mother of God." In fact, nobody at all
prayed to the dead! At that time there were no theories of a purgatory. All these non-
scriptural, non-biblical or false doctrines (teachings) exist today. But not then. Paul
would have sternly rebuked the teachers of these fables of men in the name of Jesus.
Timothy would of called them false prophets and men pleasers.
People are taught openly both lies and fables in many churches. PERILOUS TIMES are
upon us now because many so-called Christians do not read and apply the word of God
for themselves. As they alone are responsible for their own salvation. Peter said, "Save
yourselves from this untoward generation." (Acts 2:37-40) We read in Romans 14:12,
"So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God." Revelations 22:12, "And,
behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his
work shall be." They take the word of man about/on the word of God instead of simply
reading, praying and interpreting it as God grants them wisdom. Rather, we should all
seek God in prayer and ask Him to guide us in the paths of righteousness (Psalm 23:3 and
James 1:5-6). 2 Peter 1:20-21 said that there's only one way to interpret God's word, His.
"Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For
the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they
were moved by the Holy Ghost."
Your pastor, preacher or priest cannot save you from hell nor place you in heaven.
Ezekiel 14:13-20, "The word of the Lord came again to me, saying, Son of man, when
the land sins against me by trespassing grievously, then will I stretch out mine hand upon
it, and will break the staff of the bread thereof, and will send famine upon it, and will cut
off man and beast from it: Though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it,
they should deliver but their own souls by their righteousness, saith the Lord God. If I
cause noisome beasts to pass through the land, and they spoil it, so that it be desolate, that
no man may pass through because of the beasts: Though these three men were in it, as I
live, saith the Lord God, they shall deliver neither sons nor daughters; they only shall be
delivered, but the land shall be desolate. Or if I bring a sword upon that land, and say,
Sword, go through the land; so that I cut off man and beast from it: Though these three
men were in it, as I live, saith the Lord God, they shall deliver neither sons nor daughters,
but they only shall be delivered themselves. Or if I send a pestilence into that land, and
pour out my fury upon it in blood, to cut off from it man and beast: Though Noah,
Daniel, and Job were in it, as I live, saith the Lord God, they shall deliver neither son nor
daughter; they shall but deliver their own souls by their righteousness." Here God shows
even in the Old Testament that a person alone is responsible for their own destination.
And righteous persons can only save themselves from the wrath of God.
They cannot give the Holy Spirit but God can and will - if you obey His words, exactly as
they are written. Even as Jesus said, "But he answered (Satan, who was tempting him to
disobey God) and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word
that proceeds out of the mouth of God." Isaiah 1:18-20, Come now, and let us reason
together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow;
though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. If ye be willing and obedient, ye
shall eat the good of the land: But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the
sword: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. While on earth people can and will act
anyway they want, but after death there is judgement. No amount of tears or pleading will
save a person from certain destruction should they refuse to obey God's words or
instructions. Hebrews 10:26-31, "For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the
knowledge of the truth, there remains no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful
looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. He that
despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: Of how much
sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot
the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified,
an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? For we know him that
hath said, Vengeance belongs unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The
Lord shall judge his people. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God."
My prayer is that all who read this along with myself will be found worthy, finding the
grace of God and entering into his glorious kingdom. There can no doubt that all that God
said by the hand of His apostles and prophets will come to pass shortly. Are you ready for
the PERILOUS TIMES? As they are upon us all right now! The birth pangs (Matthew
24) have already started and will only completely finish when Christ returns one day
soon. May the blessings of God be yours.