Imagine a world with no rules, accountability, or consequences for evil actions. This image is one where people take a life with no remorse. It is a place where life savings and identity are stolen, women and children are abandoned, and even basic respect that was afforded to parents is absent. This place of our worst imaginings is one fraught with lawless, heartless, and treacherous people who are concerned with no one but themselves. This is a world where the concept of love is foreign, while brutality, slander, and darkness become the norm. This is not a description of total societal breakdown in the distant future. It is the condition of our world at this very moment. This is the direct result of godlessness reaching epidemic proportions in our day. Genesis 6:5 and Matthew 24:37-39
I want to focus our attention on the godlessness so rampant in our day and how Christians should live in the midst of a wicked and perverse generation. These are times of great difficulty because people are lovers of self and money. It’s a sad day when having the latest electronic or entertainment consumes our attention, while people suffer from exposure and hunger. I don’t understand Christians living lives of opulence when people all around us are hurting. James 5:5 Living a blessed life has nothing to do with financial windfalls promised by smiley preachers. A blessed life has much to do with seeking out the people Jesus called the “least of these” and caring for them sacrificially. Matthew 25:35
Babies are aborted, children are discarded, and women are abused. Marriages are crumbling in record numbers and families are disintegrating because of sin and selfishness. All of these conditions have skyrocketed in just one generation. People are all about being free, self-made, and autonomous. Humility and gentleness are scarce commodities, while pride and arrogance are increasing exponentially. The Bible also describes the last days as a period when people will be proud, arrogant, disobedient to parents, and slanderous.
The internet and social media have done much to unearth some of the most wretched corners of the human heart. Can you imagine a time when you could walk up to a complete stranger on the street and call him or her every vile name in the book? Can you imagine gossiping, spreading lies, and slandering someone’s good name right in front of them? Of course not, but that is exactly what millions of people are doing everyday to one another on the most visible of all places, social media! Romans 1:28-30
This is so sad because now we have family members slandering one another, children showing blatant disregard for parents and strangers talking to others with the vilest speech imaginable. Even with all of our technology, we cannot mask the level of depravity the human heart is capable of. These are hearts swollen with conceit and a total lack of self-control. The Bible gives insight regarding our tongue and the heart behind it. James 3:5
Self-absorption and narcissism is the rule, not the exception today. This world, it’s system, and people are looking out for number one. This self-focus is the epitome of idolatry. People are lovers of pleasure and God doesn’t even factor into their existence. If he does, it’s simply to keep up an appearance of godliness. 2 Timothy 3:1-9
People don’t just kill for cars, now they kill for parking spaces. People will walk up to complete strangers and knock them out for the “fun of it.” Law enforcement officers pull over to help a stranded motorist, only to be gunned down by yet another depraved evil person. People hate and kill others because of an insatiable appetite for violence.
Sexual immorality continues unabated in our society. Just a decade or so ago, pornography was something people were ashamed to speak of even in hushed conversations. Now we have men joking about it on late night talk shows. Pornography is a poison that has permeated the fabric of our culture and it’s destroying marriages, ministries and lives. Pornography is deceptive because it comes in softer forms like so called, “love scenes” in movies. Super Bowl broadcasts are replete with commercials and Half-Time Shows featuring women wearing as little of clothing as possible. The reality is that these women are wives, sisters, daughters made in God’s image. How sad we live in a time when this is viewed as family entertainment. America has become a cesspool of debauchery. Matthew 5:27-28
There are many signs pointing to the soon return of Christ, and the rapid spike in godlessness we see in our day is an indicator of just how close we are. Anyone with biblical discernment can see our days epitomize the perilous times Paul warned about. That is why wearing rose-colored glasses to view what lies ahead is troubling to me. If we think this world is just fine, we won’t be concerned about matters of eternity, heaven, hell, and lost souls. Matthew 24:44-46
As disciples of Jesus, we have an opportunity and obligation to be salt and light to people blinded by the enemy of their soul. When the majority of the people in society trade punches on social media, be peculiar and resist the urge to fire back at gossip or slander. Ephesians 4:29 Instead of counting the days until the launch of the newest phone or gadget that will probably be antiquated in a few months, we should get excited about any opportunity that exists to spread the gospel and show compassion to those who desperately need it. We should never look at worldly people with contempt. We should seek them out and tell them the good news that Jesus saves and can give them a new life with him here and in eternity. But for God’s grace, we would all still be blind to our wretchedness before a holy God.
Some people will revile us for our commitment to Jesus. Many others will ignore our message. Still some may come to repentance because we lovingly presented the gospel to them with boldness and clarity. Dear friends, be encouraged to live out the faith daily even as godlessness is reaching epidemic proportions.
All for Him,
Howard
concerningthetimes.com
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