Are we living in the last days? Well, the Bible tells us that as the coming of Jesus draws closer, increased lawlessness will cause hearts to become callous. People will simply adjust to sin as the new normal. Sounds familiar, doesn’t it? How else can we explain New York law-makers passing a bill that allows a full-term baby to be killed? As they gave themselves a standing ovation, I couldn’t believe what I was watching. Then, the lights on the 9/11 memorial tower shone pink in celebration. If that’s not evidence of cold and callous hearts, then I don’t know what is.
In Luke 17 Jesus tells us, “as it happened in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man.” He repeats the reference, citing the days of Lot and the destruction of Sodom. So, what characterized the days of Noah and Lot that’s also evident today? First, self-absorption. People are busy doing life without any thought to the kind of life they’re living. They are wrapped up in seeking pleasure and profit without any concern for God. Secondly, ignoring the warning of God’s judgment. As a matter of fact, Noah’s neighbor’s laughed at the suggestion. Again, sounds familiar.
We see the warnings of 2 Timothy 3 already taking shape. Most religious expression in the last days will be powerless. Preachers craft culturally appealing messages that lack the authority of God’s Word and the power of the Holy Spirit. We need to carefully consider the consequences of ignoring this warning. Spiritually cold hearts are home to spiritually dull minds. Truth is discerned through the lens of Scripture, not by feeling emotionally right even if it’s biblically wrong.
Sadly, there’s plenty of measurable evidence that the Church hasn’t heeded these warnings. For years, the unaddressed issue in evangelicalism has been pornography. Pure Desire Ministry now has clinical research revealing widespread sex addiction in local churches, even among pastors. If that wasn’t bad enough, The Houston Chroniclejust reported over 700 alleged victims of sexual abuse by 380 Southern Baptist leaders and volunteers since 1998. Even the good news is bad. The reason fewer marriages are ending in divorce is that more people are living together out of wedlock. The Church has adjusted to sin as the new normal.
I don’t know how close we are to the rapture and to the second coming of Jesus. I do know, however, that we are closer today than yesterday. There is nothing left on the prophetic “to do list” to prevent the rapture from taking place today. Scripture doesn’t tell us these things to make us afraid, but to make us alert and to build our faith.
As believers watching prophesy unfold, we need to actively guard against wanting God’s judgment to consume our lost world. Noah and his family took no pleasure in the sounds of those perishing outside the safety of the ark. The Lord still desires to save. Today, you will cross paths with people who will die and spend eternity separated from Jesus Christ. The question is, are we too self-absorbed and spiritually calloused to care? If we truly believe that Jesus is coming soon, then we need to be busy telling those folks that He saves!