The character of the last days

Are we living in the "last days"?

There is a sense that all of the time since the first coming of Christ are the "last days". Cf. Hebrews 1:1,2 "God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds"

On the day of Pentecost, Peter confirmed, that this age is called the "last days": Acts 2:17, "And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,Your young men shall see visions,Your old men shall dream dreams"


Are there some defining characteristics of the "last days"? The Scripture speaks to this:

1. There will be a departure from sound doctrine: 1 Timothy 4:1-3, "Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth."
   
2. Men will be characterized by inordinate affections: 2 Timothy 3:1-3, "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"
   
3. Men will scoff at Biblical truth and deny the 2nd coming of Christ: 2 Peter 3:3,4: "knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, 'Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.'"
   
4. Christ deniers and subsititute Christ's will abound: 1 John 2:18-19, "Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us."
   
5. Sensuality (sexual sin) will abound: Jude 18,19, "how they told you that there would be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts. These are sensual persons, who cause divisions, not having the Spirit"
   

The "last days" will culminate with the coming of Christ - "the revelation of Jesus Christ". When this will occur, no one knows! But it could be soon!

1 Peter 1:3-7, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ"

Revelation 22:20, "He who testifies to these things says, 'Yes, I am coming soon'. Amen. Come, Lord Jesus"