America - A Culture
of Narcissism
"This know also, that in
the last days perilous times shall come. For
men shall be lovers
of their own selves... lovers of pleasures more than lovers of
God." - 1 Timothy 3:1-5
Paul says interesting
things about the last days. They will be marked by two
particular features. The first is what we might call a
culture
of narcissism. The Greek mythological fellow, Narcissi, saw his
image in the river and fell in love with his own reflection. One
of the characteristic marks of these perilous days is that men
will be lovers of self rather than of God. They will be lovers
of pleasure rather than of service. In our own time, there are
many social commentators (not necessarily with the discernment
of Christians or with the Bible in their hands) who have said
if there is one thing that marks the
American culture today it is that we have become a culture of
narcissism, lovers of self and pleasure rather than of
God.
- Sinclair Ferguson, from
sermon entitled, Our Times, Our Needs, Our Resources
