Text: 2 Timothy 3:3
By: OGUMOR, SUNNY
A mother’s love for her child is an example of natural affection. A feeling of liking and caring for someone just like that as God made it. Today we are talking about people without this character how it affects us in our daily living.
Apostle Paul said know this, “that in the last days perilous times will come” men (people) will be lovers of their own selves and without natural affection (for others), love thy neighbor as thy self will be out of their dictionary. If you tell them God created you; that makes no meaning to them, all they know is man is born to live and die. In the last days there will be increase in no regard for God and man, man slaughter man like animal no more natural affection as children will be more disobedient to parents, parents too without natural affection selling their children or throw them away, that makes the times perilous.
People “without natural affection” are brutal, wicked, crude and cruel and barbaric, sometimes naughty and capricious to the last degree. “From such act and behavior turn away” 2Ti 3:5
A faithful believer should have nothing to do with the people Paul described in this section. It is important to note that some of these people operate under the guise of religion: “Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof’ (2 Tim 3:5). They are “religious” but rebellious.
Heb 4:2. The gospel was preached to all of us but the word preached did not profit them because they did not receive it with faith. That is, they which have a form of godliness without faith. Rom 10:2-3
A child use to be the pride of a mother
Mothers are often the primary caregiver during a child’s early years, which creates a deep bond between them. This bond is based on a unique and powerful emotional connection that begins during pregnancy and continues throughout the child’s life.1Kg 3:26.
When perilous times set in
Abortion become so commonplace for those who don’t want to be bothered by children or do hide and seek game, hardly anyone raises a protest anymore concerning abortion. The killing of innocent babies is very, very unchristianly. Thuo shall not kill (Exodus 20:13; Deuteronomy 5:17). It has even graduated from abortion to producing babies for sell because of the love of money, that is what people now do to innocent babies.
Family Structures disintegrating.
God created us as social beings in need of one another and with affection for our family. We now live in a time when people are so focused on self-gratification that family means little or nothing to them. The natural love that members of the same family have for each other is waning. Some persons don’t want to associate with generational or family name any more. Some say due to generational curse or lack of care. Ex 20:5-6 those who hate God.
Today, it’s like even in the best families, we don’t see the closeness and togetherness as it was in those days. What we see today is people who disengage themselves from family, who disregard family structure, disrespect family elders, everyone to his own tent seems the order of the day. Everyone seems happier doing his own thing his own way. People now prefer happiness to holiness.
Fathers and mothers are sometimes forgotten because children want to do their own their own way. We are so in love with ourselves that we have no time for others. The fruit of the spirit is love. Gal 5:22. Love your neighbor as yourself. Matt 22:39.
A failure of the family affects all of society in every way. Without natural affection the family fails and that affects the children for the rest of their lives and that creates problems far beyond the walls of the home.
Without natural affection there will be more and more child and spouse abuse, domestic violence, child neglect, extra affairs, perversion of truth, divorce, etc. The failure of one family unit leads to the failure of another and another. And so it affects the church.
These things are common in our society today
- Parents sell their children to make money.
- Children using parents to do rituals for money.
- Friends luring friends to be used for money rituals
- Men capturing men and selling them for barbeque.
- Killing someone to sell the body parts.
- Children killing parents due to annoyance.
- Parents kill children due to domestic arguments.
Ex 21:16 “Anyone who kidnaps someone is to be put to death, whether the victim has been sold or is still in the kidnapper’s possession.
What God made natural will become unnatural to “men”.
Homosexuality: Men marrying men, women to women. Marrying cats and dogs, changing their sex to the opposite. No more interested in their natural sex, no natural affection with humans but with animals. How did we get here one may ask. We have left the first “love” Matt 23:37 Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind”. A failure here is leading to a failure everywhere.
Rom 1:18-32. Paul told us that the root of sin is man’s rejection of God. Man worships the creature rather than the Creator. The result of this rejection is that God gives them over to their sins and the consequences will follow. Rapist, adulterer, murderers are increasing on daily bases. Fornication and adultery on the increase in our society.
“Pretending that something is normal doesn’t make it so and changing the name doesn’t make it less serious and making it lawful doesn’t make it right”.
Rom 1:32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them. They professed to be Christians but deny God’s power, because they do ungodly things.
Friends are no longer friends in deed.
Without Natural Affection as cause of neglect of one another.
Some family members show no interest in their aged parents.
Before now the elderly are well respected and given priority, all that is passing away gradually as we see today many people are high headed. They don’t care about your age. Older people are more and more becoming the victims of abuse and neglect. It is common nowadays to hear reports of the aged being mistreated, robbed, beaten, even murdered, that is why some are kept in old people home, some are call witch and wizard, even by the children they gave birth to.
But both physical abuse and sexual abuse are on the rise because natural affection is on the decrease. Paul wrote; Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise— “so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.” Eph 6:1-3
Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity.1 Tim 5:1-2.
Lawlessness is on the increase
Jesus Christ said that lawlessness is going to increase and the love of many will grow cold. Matthew 24:12 however verse 13 says anyone who stand firm to the end will be saved. Sin and lawlessness produce more sin and lawlessness, and affection and love disappear. Because we are living in these times, we must guard our own affections so that we can be saved.
This generation is more advanced than previous generations; but surely more people have been murdered in our century than ever before; these are violent, brutal times. Christians need to wise up and shift from this queue.
The natural love that should exist between family members is sadly lacking in today’s world. Why do so many expectant mothers have abortions? Why does the divorce rate continue to skyrocket? The answer really is, Lack of natural affection, certainly that Perilous time is here.
Those who ignore God’s laws on morality have always offended our Creator. That is the worst risk one can take in life. Today disobedience has brought an added risk.
In modern day, influence of drug abuse has eroded natural affection
Some persons are deranged due to drug abuse which have resulted in mental health challenges.
Train up the child the way he should be.
As parents we all want a close and trusting relationship with our children that lasts well into their adult years, but the truth is that some common parenting behaviors though well intended may actually prevent the deep connection as the children grow up.
- Be a guide not a dictator as they grew up.
- Be available, not to keep distance, be in touch as they grow up.
This will keep the affection that started from birth.
Conclusion:
Isa 49:15 “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and has no compassion on the child she has borne?
Parents do not abandon your children for the hard time and children too do not abandon your parents for the hard time.
Love your neighbor as yourself perilous times are here.
May God add blessing to His word.
In Jesus Name, Amen.