“… Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, shall he find faith on the earth?” Luke 18:8
These words of Jesus tell us two things: He is coming again, and it will be a time when Christianity is in decline: “Now the Spirit speaks expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; speaking lies and hypocrisy, having their conscience seared with a hot iron” (1Timothy 4:1-20).
The conscience is a beautiful thing when it is good, pure, and working. It acts as an inner alarm system to warn us when we are erring from truth. When we get that little twinge in the pit of our stomachs telling us what we are about to say or do is wrong, we should not ignore it. It makes us feel uncomfortable, but that is a good thing, because our sanctified consciences are doing what they are supposed to. The Bible describes it as “the law of God written on our hearts, our thoughts bearing witness, whether accusing or excusing us” (Romans 2:15).
But those whose consciences are seared can commit evil and feel no conviction. It is a subtle erosion of righteousness in a person’s life that permits him to develop a tolerance for sin. If he becomes tolerant of sin in others, then he will become tolerant of sin in himself. Paul said:
“Unto the pure all things are pure, but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled. They profess that they know God, but in works they deny him, being abominable and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.” (Titus 1:15-16). This means they reach a state when they are no longer able to judge between right and wrong according to God’s Word; yet they claim to know Him. This is the progression:
Something once thought to be unthinkable and unacceptable—is reluctantly tolerated, then condoned, then endorsed, and finally—promoted. The conscience of America is becoming seared.
The de-Christianization of America will have catastrophic impact around the globe, because we have been the champions of evangelism for the past 200 years. There’s no other nation ready to take the baton if we fail.
The Supreme Court ruling in June legalizing same-sex marriage in America has stirred many Christians to take a righteous stand against this redefinition of marriage, the corrupting of God’s design, and the looming persecution being unleashed against those who preach against it. They understand preachers who preach against homosexuality are now the biggest target for those who want to silence the voice of all who oppose this lie. Because it matters to God, it should matter to us!
Others are rallying out of their patriotic sense of protection of our First Amendment rights of freedom of speech and freedom of religion. They understand if we lose these rights, we lose the very essence and fabric of what makes America the land of the free and the home of the brave. This is why it matters to them.
Some Christians Don’t Get It
But in the midst of this there are Christians who have taken a fatalistic view: “We shouldn’t be upset by all these events, because this tells us Jesus is coming soon, and it’s predicted in the Bible: ‘As it was in the days of Noah, and in the days of Lot, so shall it be in the days of the coming of the Son of man’” (Ref. Luke 17:26-30).
But this is a selfish view. We certainly want Jesus to come soon, but He told us, “Occupy till I come” (Lk.19:13). This means to carry on the business of the kingdom of God without losing our zeal and vision; to continue to preach the whole Gospel, because souls are in the balance. Some are on the fence, even our children and grandchildren, and the message of righteousness can put them in the soul-winners’ sheaves. If we don’t speak out against same-sex marriage, we leave them exposed to deception: Sending them to public schools to be indoctrinated with this lie, allowing their consciences to be desensitized to the normalizing of same-sex marriage on TV, movies, and social media, without the truth of God’s Word to sound an alarm.
We are the WARNERS!
In the first judgment of man, God warned Noah of the coming flood to destroy the world, and told him to build an Ark of safety for his family. During the decades he built the Ark, knowing judgment was coming soon, he continued to preach righteousness (2Pet.2:5). He didn’t throw up his hands and say, “Que sera, sera—whatever will be, will be. The flood is coming, and I’m looking forward to the new world.” Peter said, “The longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved” (1Pet.3:20). God was waiting to save even one soul right up to the last moment when HE SHUT THE DOOR to the Ark!
But today as we draw near to Christ’s return, we see the Body of Christ is rife with fornication, unmarried couples living together, un-biblical divorces, homosexuality, and same-sex marriage. Some churches have gays singing in the choir and leading the worship, because they are musically-gifted. They may sing good, but they are corrupt ministers corrupting others. Peter said: “They cannot cease from sin, beguiling unstable souls.” He described these last-day ministers: “Who have forsaken the right way and gone astray…. wells without water.” He said: “While they promise liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption” (Ref.2Peter2:12-19).
There are ministers who will not speak out against these sins in the name of love and grace, as though it is a license to sin. In the days of Noah, violence filled the earth, all flesh had corrupted its way, and men’s imaginations were only wicked continually, until it repented God that He had made man. “But Noah found grace in the sight of the Lord,” because he did not compromise with the world, though he was surrounded by corruption. God said to him, “Come into the ark, for thee I have found righteous before me in this generation.” One man!
Noah, a preacher of righteousness, “being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his house, by the which —he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith” (Hebrews 11:7).
Noah proved it’s possible to live in a corrupt world and preach righteousness; to stand for God in the face of mockers and scorners—this is true grace!
We don’t know when Jesus is coming! Stay prepared and keep preaching what’s right!
Because ALL Souls Matter!
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