A Few Thoughts On The Last Days Church

Tommy Ice lists:

The following is a list of the seven major passages that deal with the last days for the church: 1 Timothy 4:1-3; 2 Timothy 3:1-5; 4:3-4; James 5:1-8; 2 Peter 2:1-22; 3:3-6; Jude 1-25. Every one of these passages emphasizes over and over again that the great characteristic of the final time of the church will be that of apostasy. The New Testament pictures the condition within the professing church at the end of the age by a system of denials.

Denial of GOD — Luke 17:26; 2 Timothy 3:4-5

Denial of CHRIST — 1 John 2:18; 4:3; 2 Peter 2:6

Denial of CHRIST’S RETURN — 2 Peter 3:3-4, Luke 12:45

Denial of THE FAITH — 1 Timothy 4:1-2; Jude 3

Denial of SOUND DOCTRINE — 2 Timothy 4:3-4, 1 Timothy 4:1-2

Denial of THE SEPARATED LIFE — 2 Timothy 3:1-7, 2 Peter 2:19

Denial of CHRISTIAN LIBERTY — 1 Timothy 4:3-4

Denial of MORALS — 2 Timothy 3:1-8,13; Jude 1:18

Denial of AUTHORITY — 2 Timothy 3:4, 2 Peter 2:10-12

Denial of Truth [My add] — Romans 1:18, Romans 1:25, 2 Timothy 3:8

These are areas of theology and the Christian Life.

Notes:

Some relevant passages

• 1 Timothy 4:1-3
• 2 Timothy 3:1-5
• 2 Timothy 4:3-4
• James 5:1-8
• 2 Peter 2:1-22
• 2 Peter 3:3-6
• Jude 1:1-25

We need affirmation

Affirmation of GOD — Romans 1:18-20, John 1:1, 1 Corinthians 8:5-6

Affirmation of CHRIST — Romans 1:18-20, John 10:30-33

Affirmation of CHRIST’S RETURN — Matthew 24:30, Matthew 25:31, Acts 1:11

Affirmation of THE FAITH — Hebrews 11:6, James 2:23

Affirmation of SOUND DOCTRINE — 2 Timothy 3:16-17, Titus 2:1

Affirmation of THE SEPARATED LIFE — 1 Corinthians 9:21, Romans 6:1-2

Affirmation of CHRISTIAN LIBERTY — Galatians 4:8-12, 1 Peter 2:16

Affirmation of MORALS — 1 John 2:15-17, Romans 12:1-2

Affirmation of AUTHORITY — Matthew 28:18, Ecclesiastes 12:14, John 5:22, 2 Corinthians 5:10

Affirmation of Truth [My add] — John 17:17, Proverbs 6:16-19

The Denials

Denial of GOD

• Denial as in rejection
  • Titus 1:16 NLT Such people claim they know God, but they deny him by the way they live. They are detestable and disobedient, worthless for doing anything good.
  • 2 Timothy 3:4-5 NKJV Traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!
• Denial as in atheism
  • Romans 1:25 NKJV Who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
  • Romans 1:28 NKJV And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting;

Denial of CHRIST

• Denial as in reject
  • 1 John 2:18 NKJV Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour.
  • 1 Peter 2:7 GNB This stone is of great value for you that believe; but for those who do not believe: "The stone which the builders rejected as worthless turned out to be the most important of all."
• Denial as in disown
  • 2 Timothy 2:12 GNB If we continue to endure, we shall also rule with him. If we deny him, he also will deny us.
  • Mark 8:38 GNB If you are ashamed of me and of my teaching in this godless and wicked day, then the Son of Man will be ashamed of you when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels."

Denial of CHRIST’S RETURN

• 2 Peter 3:3-4 NKJV Knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, "Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation."
• Luke 12:45 NKJV "But if that servant says in his heart, 'My master is delaying his coming,' and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and be drunk,

Denial of THE FAITH

• 1 Timothy 4:1-2 NKJV Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron,
• Jude 1:3 NKJV Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.

Denial of SOUND DOCTRINE

• 2 Timothy 4:3-4 NRSV For the time is coming when people will not put up with sound doctrine, but having itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own desires, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander away to myths.
• 1 Timothy 4:1-2 WEB But the Spirit says expressly that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons, 2 through the hypocrisy of men who speak lies, branded in their own conscience as with a hot iron.

Denial of THE SEPARATED LIFE

• 2 Timothy 3:1-7 NKJV But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
• 2 Peter 2:19 NLT They promise freedom, but they themselves are slaves of sin and corruption. For you are a slave to whatever controls you.

Denial of CHRISTIAN LIBERTY

• 1 Timothy 4:3-4 NKJV Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving;

Denial of MORALS

• 2 Timothy 3:1-8, 13 NKJV But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Now as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith; ... But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.
• Jude 1:18 NKJV How they told you that there would be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts.
• Jude 1:4 NLT I say this because some ungodly people have wormed their way into your churches, saying that God's marvelous grace allows us to live immoral lives. The condemnation of such people was recorded long ago, for they have denied our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.

Denial of AUTHORITY

• 2 Timothy 3:4 NKJV Traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God.
• 2 Peter 2:10-12 NRSV —especially those who indulge their flesh in depraved lust, and who despise authority. Bold and willful, they are not afraid to slander the glorious ones, 11 whereas angels, though greater in might and power, do not bring against them a slanderous judgment from the Lord. 12 These people, however, are like irrational animals, mere creatures of instinct, born to be caught and killed. They slander what they do not understand, and when those creatures are destroyed, they also will be destroyed.

Denial of TRUTH

• Romans 1:18 NRSV For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and wickedness of those who by their wickedness suppress the truth.
• Romans 1:25 GW These people have exchanged God's truth for a lie. So they have become ungodly and serve what is created rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen!
• 2 Timothy 3:8 LEB And just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these oppose the truth, people corrupted in mind, disqualified concerning the faith.

We need affirmation

Affirmation of GOD — Romans 1:18-20, John 1:1, 1 Corinthians 8:5-6

Affirmation of CHRIST — Romans 1:18-20, John 10:30-33

Affirmation of CHRIST’S RETURN — Matthew 24:30, Matthew 25:31, Acts 1:11

Affirmation of THE FAITH — Hebrews 11:6, James 2:23

Affirmation of SOUND DOCTRINE — 2 Timothy 3:16-17, Titus 2:1

Affirmation of THE SEPARATED LIFE — 1 Corinthians 9:21, Romans 6:1-2

Affirmation of CHRISTIAN LIBERTY — Galatians 4:8-12, 1 Peter 2:16

Affirmation of MORALS — 1 John 2:15-17, Romans 12:1-2

Affirmation of AUTHORITY — Matthew 28:18, Ecclesiastes 12:14, John 5:22, 2 Corinthians 5:10

Affirmation of Truth [My add] — John 17:17, Proverbs 6:16-19

The Affirmations

Affirmation of GOD

• 1 Corinthians 8:5-6 NIV For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many "gods" and many "lords"), yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.
• John 1:1 NIV In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
• Romans 1:18-20 NIV The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.

Affirmation of CHRIST

• Romans 1:18-20 NIV The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.
• John 10:30-33 NIV I and the Father are one." Again his Jewish opponents picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus said to them, "I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?" "We are not stoning you for any good work," they replied, "but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God."

Affirmation of CHRIST’S RETURN

• Acts 1:11 NIV "Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven."
• Matthew 24:30 NIV "Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory.
• Matthew 25:31 NIV "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne.

Affirmation of THE FAITH

• Hebrews 11:6 NIV And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
• James 2:23 NIV And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness," and he was called God's friend.

Affirmation of SOUND DOCTRINE

• Titus 2:1 NIV You, however, must teach what is appropriate to sound doctrine.
• 2 Timothy 3:16-17 CSB All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

Affirmation of THE SEPARATED LIFE

• 1 Corinthians 9:21 NLT When I am with the Gentiles who do not follow the Jewish law, I too live apart from that law so I can bring them to Christ. But I do not ignore the law of God; I obey the law of Christ.
• Romans 6:1-2 NLT Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace? Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it?

Affirmation of CHRISTIAN LIBERTY

• Galatians 4:8-12 NLT Before you Gentiles knew God, you were slaves to so-called gods that do not even exist. So now that you know God (or should I say, now that God knows you), why do you want to go back again and become slaves once more to the weak and useless spiritual principles of this world? You are trying to earn favor with God by observing certain days or months or seasons or years. I fear for you. Perhaps all my hard work with you was for nothing. Dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to live as I do in freedom from these things, for I have become like you Gentiles--free from those laws. You did not mistreat me when I first preached to you.
• 1 Peter 2:16 WEL [Live] as freeborn, yet not using [your] freedom as a cover for evil but as servants of God.

Affirmation of MORALS

• 1 John 2:15-17 NIV Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world--the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life--comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.
• Romans 12:1-2 NIV Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God--this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Affirmation of AUTHORITY

• Matthew 28:18 NIV Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
• Ecclesiastes 12:14 NIV For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.
• John 5:22 NIV Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son,
• 2 Corinthians 5:10 NIV For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.

Affirmation of Truth [My add]

• John 17:17 NKJV Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.
• Proverbs 6:16-19 NKJV These six things the LORD hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to Him: A proud look, A lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood, A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that are swift in running to evil, A false witness who speaks lies, And one who sows discord among brethren.