“For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God” (2 Timothy 3:2-4 ESV).
In addition to the characteristics already mentioned, 2 Timothy 3:2-4 continues with a series of additional qualities that typify the last days. The next character trait mentioned in this list involves those who are boastful (CSB) or braggarts (Mounce). This word refers to one who is “an empty pretender” (1) and it describes the type of person who is driven by a need to embellish their accomplishments, skills, qualities, or capabilities.
The most visible form of this attribute is often exhibited in those who are clearly less than what they claim to be. However, this quality may also appear in casual conversations, workplace relationships, or other forms of social interaction as well. From an acquaintance who is driven by the need to subtly “one-up” another person’s accomplishment, to the individual who seeks to draw attention to his or her achievements, one author exposes the hidden reality behind this mindset…
“When we’ve got something to boast about, we work it into conversation, don’t we? We are so sneaky, so effectively dropping those statements that let people know that we got the raise, that we won the prize, that we were so spiritual, that we did so well. We can work anything into any conversation, no matter how much of a stretch it is.” (2)
The problem is that this quality does not originate with God. The New Testament epistle of 1 John puts it like this: “…everything in the world -the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does- comes not from the Father but from the world” (1 John 2:16 NIV). This brief declaration effectively summarizes the attitude of self-praise that characterizes the last days.
Finally, we should recognize that these expressions may serve to mask a hidden sense of insecurity, one that seeks to promote ourselves at the expense of others. But for those who find their approval in Christ, the need for such boastfulness disappears. Therefore, as we’re told in the Biblical book of Romans…
“Christ died for us while we were still sinners. This demonstrates God’s love for us. Since Christ’s blood has now given us God’s approval, we are even more certain that Christ will save us from God’s anger” (Romans 5:8-9 GW).
(1) G213 alazon https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g213/kjv/tr/0-1/
(2) Ron Daniel, Study Notes Galatians 6:6-18 http://rondaniel.com/library/48-Galatians/Galatians0606.php