It says in verse 1, this know also that in the last days, perilous times shall come.
And the word perilous means dangerous.
Peril is danger.
Say, these are going to be dangerous times to be living in.
And he gives the reason why in verse 2, he says,
for because men shall be lovers of their own selves.
Then he begins to describe what that looks like.
Somebody who just loves their own self.
Covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy.
Now, let's look at the first few things on that list.
It says, men shall be lovers of their own selves.
Covetous, boasters.
Now, I find that those two things always go hand in hand.
Covetous and boaster.
Why?
Because covetous people are people who are desirous of material goods.
They're materialistic.
They want to have a new truck.
They want to have a new car, a better house.
They want fancy clothes.
They want all the latest gadgets.
And people that are covetous are never satisfied or content with such things as they have.
But they're always just looking for more wealth, more material goods.
But you'll notice that people who are very wrapped up in material goods and getting wealth
and spending a lot of money are the same people who like to brag a lot about the material goods that they do have.
Now, they're not satisfied with what they have.
But it almost seems like they're trying to tell themselves that it's enough.
So they brag to you about the motorcycle and their truck and their hot rod and the RV and the summer home.
And they brag about it and they tell you about it all the time.
And it's just like, it gets annoying listening to people just brag about how much wealth they have.
But then these same people are never satisfied with it.
They always wish they had something else.
They want to have a little more.
The Bible says that a person who's like that is one that loves himself.
It's a sinful attitude.
The Bible says covetousness is idolatry.
The Bible says that we don't even want covetous people in our church.
Because in 1 Corinthians 5, he lists that along with fornication as being someone to just put away from among yourselves.
Not to even eat with somebody like that because it's such a bad influence on you.
This spirit of covetousness and boasting about your wealth.
Have not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which he had promised to them that love him?
But you've despised the poor?
Do not rich men oppress you and draw you before the judgment seat?
Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which you are called?
Look, the Bible tells us we should not be like the world where we exalt the rich and look down upon the poor.
That is an ungodly philosophy.
It's a covetous boasting philosophy that has the love of money at its core and the love of money is the root of all evil.