II Timothy 3: 1 But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, 4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. 6 For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, 7 always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth.
Often we forget. We forget that Paul is talking to those in the church about things in the church. The "people" to whom he is referring are not those "out there in the world", but within the fellowship of believers. The Grace of God attracts: it draws sincere seekers, but it is also fertile ground for worms - those who wiggle their way in seeking self-assurance, acceptance and power, without coming to repentance and faith. They infiltrate and irritate, but we are not called upon to retaliate, but avoid. Don't let them pull you into the muck. Be everything they are not. Pray that they will come to the knowledge of the truth and come to love and trust God instead of themselves.
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