The state of the world

Paul taught Timothy what the world would be like in the last days.  It sounds an awful lot like the state of the world today. . .  2 Timothy 3:1-5 is today's scripture mastery:

 1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.

 2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,

 3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,

 4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;

 5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

These attributes that Paul describes here are not attributes that I would like to be described by. . .

These are, unfortunately, attributes that can be used to describe many in the world today.  Just turn on the TV, or look around on the internet.  It does not take long to find people who these attributes describe very well.

I think the best advice from these verses is this "from such turn away."  In other words--don't "hang out" with, or spend time with those who (i.e. make friends with) those who do these things.  We especially don't wan't to accept their ways!  The reason is very simple--these are all attributes that describe the "natural man."  King Mosiah in the Book of Mormon describes the natural man as an enemy to God (Mosiah 3:19)

 19 For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father.

Now, this doesn't mean that we should "shun" those that do these things.  Heavenly Father still loves them and wants the best for them that He can give them as well.  We should do all that is in our power to help them see the error of their ways.  We should help them to "put off the natural man" as Mosiah said.  We should continue to show love to them.  In short, we should love the sinner, but not the sin.