Matthew 24:10 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. 12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. 13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. 14 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.
This passage of scripture relates for us the natural results which accrue when iniquity abounds and humanity is given over to moral abandon; the love of many will wax cold and ultimately lead to senseless acts of violence, and moral depravity of the darkest hue. There was a time in the not too distant past when our consciences were disturbed for weeks and months when we heard of the taking of innocent life. Our hearts used to recoil in horror at the very mention of war, and mass protests were waged against any efforts to lead our country into battle.
But now, everyday we hear of be-headings, strangulations, rapes, mass shootings, and numerous terrorist activities on an ongoing basis, in so much that these crimes against innocents and humanity do not cause many to even bat an eyelid, for it seems as if we have become acclimatized and desensitized to the brutal behavior of man, and stand powerless to restrain the ever increasing tide of evil.
This dire state of affairs calls for the preaching of the everlasting gospel in all the world, so that every member of the human family may become acquainted with the remedy that has been provided in Christ Jesus. Now it is true that there are many people who will have nothing to do with Christ or Christianity, and there are many others who resort to violence against Christians merely for their belief. Even though that is true, yet the gospel must needs be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations, so that each person may have equal opportunity to be saved in God's kingdom. In lieu of this our responsibility as Christians, we are cautioned to continue preaching, whether people hear or whether they forbear. Let's read:
Ezekiel 2:1 And he said unto me, Son of man, stand upon thy feet, and I will speak unto thee. 3 And he said unto me, Son of man, I send thee to" ...... "a rebellious nation that hath rebelled against me: they and their fathers have transgressed against me, even unto this very day. 4 For they are impudent children and stiffhearted. I do send thee unto them; and thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God. 6 And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns be with thee, and thou dost dwell among scorpions: be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house. 7 And thou shalt speak my words unto them, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear".
This constitutes the commission that has been given us by The Lord Jesus in these closing days of earth's history, for we now know for certain that the hearts and minds of men are becoming more and more averse to Christ and to anything that is good, pure, and holy. For instance when the owners of Chik-fil-a dared to speak out against alternative lifestyles recently, we saw how the enemy mustered his forces to boycott their business and to cast aspersions on their beliefs. And it is becoming more and more of a liability to speak out against the many evils that are taking place in high places and in low, to the point where it may soon become a crime in this country to preach a plain "Thus saith the Lord", except at the peril of our lives and basic freedoms.
However we are not to become discouraged, neither are we to be dissuaded from taking the battle to the very gates of hell, for The Lord has promised that by His power, they shall not prevail against the truth, for greater is He that is in us, than he that is in the world. We therefore end with a passage of scripture that encourages us to preach the plain word, in season and out of season, if by any means those who are sitting in darkness may come to the light. Let's read:
2nd Timothy 4: 1 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; 2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. 5 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.
May The Lord add His blessing to the study and practice of His every word. God bless!