2 Timothy 3:1-4 (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,In the last days, men will do things that are ethically wrong and not of godly principles. People will be lovers of pleasure and money, self-centred, proud, boastful, blasphemers, disobedient, unthankful, unholy, unforgiving, slanderers, despisers of good instead of being lovers of God. They will ignore the truth found in God’s Word or choose to listen to non-confrontational messages that will not prick their conscience. They will have a form of godliness but deny the power through the Holy Spirit to live out a godly life. They will always learn and accumulate knowledge about God’s Word but never coming to the knowledge of the truth. From such people, we are to turn away.
James 5:1-6 (NKJV) Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you! Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten. Your gold and silver are corroded, and their corrosion will be a witness against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have heaped up treasure in the last days. Indeed the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, cry out; and the cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth. You have lived on the earth in pleasure and luxury; you have fattened your hearts as in a day of slaughter. You have condemned, you have murdered the just; he does not resist you.
The things that God has intended or created for us to have can easily be perverted. Therefore, we need to strike a balance whenever we look at certain issues that are being highlighted. For example, God created us to have desires like the desire to eat but not to be gluttons. God also wants us to have abundance i.e. more than enough/sufficient. But having excess at the expense of others through exploitation is wrong.
People will want to store up for themselves treasures on earth which will lead them to retreat from the Word of God. Through their lust and egocentrism, they will exploit their workers so that they can store up more for themselves. The rich who oppress the poor will be judged by God. God vindicates those who are oppressed and listens to their cries and will come to their aid. God is compassionate and merciful. He responded to help those who were under oppression during their time of slavery in Egypt. He is righteous and merciful. He loves His people and He is the deliverer! He is not the oppressor. God is not our problem neither is He the source of the problem. He is the answer to our problems and the Saviour in times of trials and tribulation.
We should pray to God, cry out to Him, ask Him to do justice for our case and restore what the devil has stolen from us. We should not be partakers of greed and exploitation, instead we should draw closer to God in the last days.
Sermon Series – Character of God
末后的日子里
提摩太后书3:1-4 你该知道，末世必有危险的日子来到。 因为那时，人要专顾自己，贪爱钱财，自夸，狂傲，毀謗，违背父母，忘恩负义，心不圣洁， 无亲情，不解怨，好说谗言，不能自约，性情凶暴，不爱良善， 卖主卖友，任意妄为，自高自大，爱宴乐，不爱 神，
末后的日子里, 有些人会去做违背道德, 违背敬虔原则的事情. 他们不爱神, 转而去贪爱宴乐和钱财, 以自我为中心, 狂傲, 自夸, 毀謗, 不顺服, 忘恩负义, 心不圣洁, 不解怨, 好说谗言，不爱良善. 他们对神话语里面的真理置若罔闻, 转而选听不刺痛良知的非对抗信息. 他们会有敬虔的外在形式, 但他们拒绝籍着圣灵的大能活出敬虔的生命. 他们会学习并积累关于神的话语的知识, 但至始至终没有得到真理. 针对这样的人, 我们务必转身远离.
雅各书5:1-6 嗐！你们这些富足人哪，应当哭泣、号咷，因为将有苦难临到你们身上。 你们的财物坏了，衣服也被虫子咬了。 你们的金银都长了锈；那锈要证明你们的不是，又要吃你们的肉，如同火烧。你们在这末世只知积攒钱财。 工人给你们收割庄稼，你们亏欠他们的工钱，这工钱有声音呼叫，并且那收割之人的冤声已经入了万军之主的耳了。 你们在世上享美福，好宴乐，当宰杀的日子竟娇养你们的心。 你们定了义人的罪，把他杀害，他也不抵挡你们。
神为我们所预备或所创造之物是很容易被扭曲的. 因此, 当审视某些被突出的问题时，我们要取得一个平衡. 例如, 神创造我们让我们有欲望, 如食欲而非贪吃. 神希望我们拥有丰盛的生命, 也就是足够有余. 但是通过剥削以他人为代价而得到更多却是不义的行为。
当人们想要为自己积攒地上的钱财, 就会导致他们背离神的话语. 因为贪婪和自我为中心, 他们会剥削他们的工人们, 从而为自己积攒更多. 那些压迫穷人的富人将被神审判定罪. 神为那些被压迫的人辩护，倾听他们的呼求，并会帮助他们. 耶和华是有怜悯有恩典的神. 在以色列百姓在埃及为奴被压迫时, 祂回应呼求, 拯救他们. 祂满有公义和怜悯. 祂爱祂的子民, 是他们的拯救者. 祂不是压迫者. 神不是问题, 更不是问题的根源. 祂是问题的答案,是我们在试炼和患难时的拯救.
我们应当向神祷告, 向祂呼求, 求祂为我们主持正义, 恢复撒旦所偷窃的。我们不应该在贪婪和剥削上有份, 相反. 我们要在末后的日子里更靠近神.
讲章系列：上帝的品格