Some sins listed by Paul are often taken as signs that the second coming is close.
But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people (2 Tim 3:1-5).
Christians love to quote these verses as proof that the second coming of Jesus is getting close. They say, "Look, young people are rebelling against their parents. 2 Timothy 3 proves that the second coming is near". This approach wrenches these verses out of context and fails to consider Paul's message to Timothy. Nothing is proved, because the scriptures are used in a misleading way.
Context
A key message in Paul's letter to his friend Timothy is a warning about the opposition that he will face in his ministry. Paul urges him to press on regardless. Paul cites his own experience. In chapter 2, he refers to the opposition from Hymenaeus and Philetus, who undermined the gospel by claiming that the resurrection of the dead had already taken place. When referring to widespread wickedness, Paul is simply warning Timothy that he will have to deal with the same stuff as he fulfils his calling.
Paul was not giving signs of the second coming. He only mentions the second coming in one place in the entire letter (2 Tim 4:1-2), where he gives no signs, but simply urges Timothy to keep on preaching the gospel.
Chapter 3 of the letter has nothing to do with the second coming. Paul is not giving signs of anything. He is simply warning Timothy that he will have to deal with some messy stuff. Christians who use these verses as signs of the time are wrenching them out of context.
Meaning
Paul lists a number of sins in 2 Tim 3:1-5. The problem for those using these verses as a sign of the times is that there is nothing unique about the sins on the list. They are all common and garden variety sins. Boasting, rebellion, pride, religiosity have been present in every culture in every age. Children have always rebelled against their parents. These sins exist at all times, so they cannot be a sign of a particular time.
Christians throughout history have seen children rebelling against their parents and assumed that the second coming is near. They have always been disappointed, because these sins are not a sign of anything.
These sins are normal in the world, so every young evangelist will encounter them. Paul explained to Timothy how he should respond to them.
A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will (2 Tim 2:24-26).
These are not signs, they are pastoral and evangelistic issues that must be handled sensitively. People encumbered by sin should be set free by repentance and faith.
Not a Prophecy
2 Tim 3:1-5 is not a prophecy . Paul was warning Timothy that he would experience hostility from Jewish teachers clinging to their religious system. Timothy actually had to deal with this stuff, so the things Paul described have already happened, and have continued to happen throughout history.
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