In 2 Timothy 3, the apostle Paul writes to his young disciple about the time we are living in now. “In the last days,” he tells Timothy, “it is going to be very difficult to be a Christian” (verse 1 TLB). What’s the reason for his statement? Look at what he says a few verses later:
[People] will act as if they are religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. -2 Timothy 3:5 NLT
By the power of His grace, God has given us the resources we need to please Him. Yet we are living in a time when many people who profess to being saved by grace do not cooperate with that power. In speaking of the latter days, Jesus warns:
Sin will be rampant everywhere, and the love of many will grow cold. But those who endure to the end will be saved. -Matthew 24:12–13 NLT
The bottom line is that, because of the deceptive nature of sin that Jesus said would run rampant in our time, walking in a way that pleases God is more important now than ever before. God has given us the ability to endure in the midst of corruption.
We must be lights in these dark days for two reasons: first, for our own sake, and second, for the sake of the lost. Many in this world are crying out to see God. We are bone of His bone and flesh of His flesh. Let’s imitate God as His dear children so the world may see His light.
Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. -Ephesians 5:1 NLT
Are there any areas of your life that don’t line up with God’s desires? What are they? Spend some time this week meditating on what God’s Word reveals about His grace. By faith, invite the Holy Spirit to empower you to live rightly before Him. You’ve got what it takes. It’s called grace. Now is the time to walk in its extraordinary power!
