Page 68 - Prophetic Word Newsletter Archive 2011

Perhaps a consideration of these verses as stated in the Amplified Bible will help to bring to front the
severe gravity of what we are facing as followers of Christ in these last days:

“BUT UNDERSTAND THIS, THAT IN THE LAST DAYS
WILL COME (SET IN) PERILOUS TIMES OF GREAT STRESS AND TROUBLE,

HARD TO DEAL WITH AND HARD TO BEAR.
FOR PEOPLE WILL BE…

LOVERS OF SELF AND UTTERLY SELF-CENTERED…
THEY WILL BE ABUSIVE…

RELENTLESS, ADMITTING OF NO TRUCE OR APPEASEMENT;
THEY WILL BE SLANDERERS (FALSE ACCUSERS, TROUBLEMAKERS)…

THEY WILL BE TREACHEROUS BETRAYERS, RASH,
AND INFLATED WITH SELF-CONCEIT.

THEY WILL BE WITHOUT NATURAL HUMAN AFFECTION
(CALLOUS AND INHUMAN),…

DISOBEDIENT TO PARENTS…UNGRATEFUL…
FOR THEY HOLD A FORM OF PIETY (TRUE RELIGION),
BUT THEY DENY AND REJECT AND ARE STRANGERS TO THE POWER OF IT
(THEIR CONDUCT BELIES THE GENUINENESS OF THEIR PROFESSION.)
…AVOID ALL SUCH PEOPLE(TURN AWAY FROM THEM.)”

2 Tim 3:1-5 Amplified Bible

As Christians, we tend to shrink back from “…THEY WILL BE
what we perceive as harsh and unloving
commands such as stated above, …”
“avoid all such people (turn away from them.)”
Was Paul “harsh and unloving” in saying, “THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE WE MUST
SIMPLY LEARN TO AVOID
“BUT NOW I HAVE WRITTEN TO YOU
NOT TO KEEP COMPANY BECAUSE THEY ARE DANGEROUS.
TO ALLOW ABUSIVE, VIOLENT,
WITH ANYONE NAMED A BROTHER, OR DEEPLY ADDICTED PEOPLE
WHO IS SEXUALLY IMMORAL, UNRESTRICTED ACCESS
TO OUR LIVES IS FOOLISH.
OR COVETOUS, OR AN IDOLATER,
OR A REVILER, OR A DRUNKARD, PRUDENCE REQUIRES THAT WE ESTABLISH
STRONG AND CLEAR BOUNDARIES WITH
OR AN EXTORTIONER -- PEOPLE WHO REFUSE TO RECOGNIZE OR
NOT EVEN TO EAT WITH SUCH A PERSON.” TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE DAMAGE

1 Cor 5:11 THEY HAVE CAUSED OTHERS”
Christian Psychologist, Larry Crabb
Such things were written for our protection.
Among the list above from 2 Tim. 3:1-5 is
the statement, “…they will be abusive.”
Consider carefully this warning from Larry
Crabb about the danger of continuing to
associate with abusive people:

Note also in the above passages from 2 Tim. 3:1-5 that Paul includes some “believers” along with the
obvious class of unbelievers. They hold to a profession of belief in Christ, but are strangers to the
power of Christ at work in their lives. Paul states their conduct undermines any genuineness to their
profession of belief in Christ. We are commanded to avoid such people, to turn away from them.
In Titus 1:16, Paul proclaimed about such professors of God:

“THEY PROFESS TO KNOW GOD, BUT IN WORKS THEY DENY HIM,
BEING ABOMINABLE, DISOBEDIENT, AND DISQUALIFIED FOR EVERY GOOD WORK”

The Amplified brings the point home even more:

“THEY PROFESS TO KNOW GOD [TO RECOGNIZE, PERCEIVE, AND BE ACQUAINTED WITH HIM], BUT
DENY AND DISOWN AND RENOUNCE HIM BY WHAT THEY DO; THEY ARE DETESTABLE AND

LOATHSOME, UNBELIEVING AND DISOBEDIENT AND DISLOYAL AND REBELLIOUS, AND [THEY ARE]
UNFIT AND WORTHLESS FOR GOOD WORK (DEED OR ENTERPRISE) OF ANY KIND.” Titus 1:16-2:1 Amp.