‘I Feel Fine’

(7-11-04)

2Tim.3:1-7

            “2Ti 3:3 without natural affection [or,heartless], unwilling to be at peace with others [or, unforgiving], slanderous, lacking in self control, fierce, not loving what is good, 2Ti 3:4  traitors, headstrong [or, reckless], having been swollen up with pride, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God,”

            Paul tells us that in the end times the tendency will be for people to be as he describes in these verses to Timothy. We are in the end times. What Paul seems to be saying is that there will be a cultural mind set that will govern what is to be considered normal and acceptable behavior for that cultures people. The acceptable and even expected behavior will be for people to act as he describes here in 2 Timothy 3.

            In verse one Paul refers to this as “perilous times” (KJV) “difficult times” (NASB) or “terrible times” (NIV), Why? (Prov.29:2) If the normal, acceptable, expected behavior is governed by wrongness, what kind of life will one find people living?  Can a person expect to find compassion, kindness, justice, equality or fairness? NO! Why? Because what governs the hearts and the minds of the masses – the cultural norms of the day – will not be drawn to these good qualities. They are not normal for them.

            I have been willing to draw a conclusion from the Holy Word of God concerning humanity:  in the absence of the Spirit of God, mankind is not capable of thinking  and reasoning and feeling in a right ways. What I mean is they are broken or at best, incomplete and can not function  100% right. That is to say that without the Holy Spirits involvement in the restoration of a person to his or hers God made design, they are left inferior and incapable to operate to their complete potential. Fact - We are incomplete without God’s finishing work through Jesus.

            God designed us humans to think and feel and act and react in certain ways. When mankind chooses to reject God and His influences they become more and more reprobate and warped and depraved.  Now reason with me for just a moment: What happens to a country and a culture when the very people who control (or at the very least strongly set the popular trend) the desires and attitudes and actions of the people are people who not only are without God in their lives but are in denial of His existence? Terrible times. Difficult times. Perilous times.

            Paul tells us that when this happens people will be without natural affections. They will be people who don’t feel right towards or about each other. Look to what Paul said about these same circumstances in the letter to the Romans. (Rom.1:18-32) 

            This is the Churches struggle in the world. What we know to be right and true by God’s word is not right and true in the eyes of the world. The challenge of the Church is to become credible and true to the people of the world so that they will believe and come to know the truth and be saved. This also is the challenge of the Church; to bring freedom from this cultural captivity of our own minds and emotions so we too can be free from this evil cultures persuasive ways and.

            The Churches that come to terms with these truths will be healthier, more stabile, and more productive. (or so I believe)  How does a person or group of persons overcome such influences. How do we know that we are not thinking and feeling and acting right?  The only sure gauge to measure ourselves by is Jesus and the Word of God.

            How to we each compare to Jesus as our best example. How do we compare to Godly men and woman of the bible? When our culture and our Government and our schools dictate what is right and they are in conflict with the truths of Holy writ, what must we choose as our guide and government?

            I feel fine! But by whose standards? I feel fine when I feel how I should feel about what ever I am experiencing at that moment.  I feel fine? I think?