The real question regarding the last days deception is not whether or not it is occuring (that much is obvious), or who are the deceivers (that takes a little more discernment), or what it involves (this demands that WE study and stick to the Word)---but the real issue that we are facing in regards to this is: How do we deal with the problem.
.
Let's examine the next few verses of our text before going on:
.
"And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places."
.
If this passage of scriputure was ever applicable to a day and age it would be right now. Do you realize that as you read this there are hundreds if not thousands of global and regional conflicts taking place. Our eyes are fixed upon the situation in Iraq, but this is just the "headline" war. There are many other conflicts claiming many more lives than this one. Look into the continent of Africa and you will see the tens of thousands that die through ethnic cleansing, corrupt governments, and at the hands of warlords and militias each week. This is what Matthew 24 spoke of...but he goes on to say, "This is just the beginning of sorrows."
.
The "beginning of sorrows" is a phrase used in the Greek to describe birth pains. It speaks of the pains and contactions that provide advance notice of the delivery. This is where the mother has to "get focused" and BREATHE to get through a difficult, but very necessary trial. The birthing process provides a very valuable experience for mother and child alike. The mother's body readies and changes to facilitate the birth and the child's passage through the birth canal allows for certain physiological changes to take place that aid in its development.
.
The Church (and as a result the World) is in the midst of that process!
.
The first pains are mostly associated with external forces. That it, the wars, political unrest, sickness, disease, and catastrophic natural disasters are things that affect society as a whole. These are called the beginning of sorrows of the start of the labor pains. THEN, He says something that brings it all closer to home and expedites the situation:
.
Verses 9-12 "Then YOU will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and YOU will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold."
.
.
Let's examine the next few verses of our text before going on:
.
"And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places."
.
If this passage of scriputure was ever applicable to a day and age it would be right now. Do you realize that as you read this there are hundreds if not thousands of global and regional conflicts taking place. Our eyes are fixed upon the situation in Iraq, but this is just the "headline" war. There are many other conflicts claiming many more lives than this one. Look into the continent of Africa and you will see the tens of thousands that die through ethnic cleansing, corrupt governments, and at the hands of warlords and militias each week. This is what Matthew 24 spoke of...but he goes on to say, "This is just the beginning of sorrows."
.
The "beginning of sorrows" is a phrase used in the Greek to describe birth pains. It speaks of the pains and contactions that provide advance notice of the delivery. This is where the mother has to "get focused" and BREATHE to get through a difficult, but very necessary trial. The birthing process provides a very valuable experience for mother and child alike. The mother's body readies and changes to facilitate the birth and the child's passage through the birth canal allows for certain physiological changes to take place that aid in its development.
.
The Church (and as a result the World) is in the midst of that process!
.
The first pains are mostly associated with external forces. That it, the wars, political unrest, sickness, disease, and catastrophic natural disasters are things that affect society as a whole. These are called the beginning of sorrows of the start of the labor pains. THEN, He says something that brings it all closer to home and expedites the situation:
.
Verses 9-12 "Then YOU will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and YOU will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold."
.
What is probably the toughest part all of this is the fact that persecution, death, and being hated are all guaranteed to be a part of the genuine Christian walk. This is especially tough in a day and age where books such as: Your Best Life Now, Write Your Own Ticket With God, Velvet Elvis and others have filled the Best Seller's list of Christian books. It seems like these authors are credible--until their words are meausred up against the Word of God and then you read the next line in the above scripture. "many will turn away from the faith (remember faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God)...and many false prophets will appear and deveive many people (Best Sellers they will be)
.
The next line is what it will all really come down to, "Because of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold." Let me ask you this, "Has your love grown cold?" Not the love that you have for your children or your spouse---but the love beyond your sweet little inner-circle that serves to define your true relationship with Christ.
.
Matt 22:37-40 "Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."
.
The love that will grow cold is the GOD KIND of love. This is a love that lays one's own life down for Jesus and for others. The Holy Spirit spoke to my heart years ago and said, "It is not enough to just be evanegelistic, you must also be altruistic." To be altruistic is to "lives one's life for the benefit of other people." Is that the kind of love that you are walking in? Or has your God-Kind-of-Love grown cold??
.
If you have seen the diminishing of your fervor, compassion and love for others--then you must ask yourself the question: Why? Consider the reason that He gave in our passage, "Because of wickedness...". Another translation uses the phrase, "Because iniquity shall abound...". While both of these words certainly describe the root casue of "love waxing cold", it is easy to pass it off as someone else's problem. The word translated as wickedness and iniquity can simply be translated as "that which violates the law" or anomia in the Greek.
.
Matt 7:21-23 says, "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity (or anomia).
.
So we can see from the words of Jesus that many will claim to be "Christians" when in reality the only ones that see them as such are themselves and possibly the local pastor who has them on his church role book! Jesus obviously didn't buy any of their bogus confession!
.
Was it because they weren't "Church-goers?" Was it because they didn't demonstrate some "spiritual gifting?" Was it because they weren't involved in great works of service? No--they were obviously quite involved (and very accomplished) in all of these things), but Jesus said, "I never knew you! Depart from me you that have violated the law!"
.
John 14:15 "If ye love me, keep my commandments."
.
In Matthew 7 He was speaking of a very specific command. That was te bear the spiritual fruit of SOULS! This is not accomplished through anything but taking the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ to a lost and dying world! Anything other than that is "lawlessness" and will result in the "love of many waxing cold."
.
I want to say this: There are many very sincere people that stand in direct violation of this truth and thus find themselves walking in direct fulfilment of the prophetic word given in Matthew 24. Their intentions were never to stray from God's prescribed order of righteousness (Romans 1:16-17), but through the deceitfulness of sin they have become hardened in their hearts in regards to the urgency (and personal responsibility) to reach the lost and dying (Heb. 3:13). This (and they as a result) is exactly what Jesus said would happen----and when you tell them this you will be "betrayed, hated, and offensive to them" because of telling the truth.
.
Prov 14:12 "There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death."
.
Sincerity means very little if it involves violating the law and commands of God to "Go into all the world and preach the Gospel" to the lost.
.
Next Time: "And this Gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come."
No comments:
Post a Comment