Conditions in the Religious World Before Christ's Coming
By George I. Butler
“But know this, that in the last days grievous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, haughty, railers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, implacable, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, no lovers of good, traitors, headstrong, puffed up, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God; holding a form of godliness, but having denied the power thereof: from these also turn away.” 2 Tim. 3:1-5. Here we have a catalogue of eighteen sins, which will characterize the professed church of Jesus Christ. The language of the apostle is decisive. These have a form of godliness, but have denied the power thereof. They profess to be children of God, but really are not. The conditions described present evidences of apostasy. True faith is not found among the masses of professed Christians. The church has become like the world around it. A low standard has been tolerated. The rich, selfish men of the world are not only received, but greedily welcomed into church communion. A great worldly church is the result. All sorts of sins are tolerated. Pride, fashion, love of display, are seen everywhere. Things which were discountenanced by the church in purer days are now tolerated. Gambling at church fairs is permitted—shall I not say encouraged? The barriers of the church, raised by godly ancestors, have been broken down. Jewelry, dancing, card-playing, theater-going, etc., are countenanced. Novel-reading and all kinds of pleasure-seeking are considered innocent. Ministers become preachers of smooth things, and little evidence of true conversion is required for church-membership. Indeed, there are multitudes of so-called ministers of Jesus Christ who do not believe large portions of the Bible. Bible critics are in evidence everywhere, and multitudes of church-members have no faith in the inspiration of the Sacred Word. So-called scientific theories of creation prevail to such a degree that scarcely any prominent minister pretends9to believe in the Bible account of creation. The record of the deluge is set aside as a fable. The account of the patriarchs of old is treated by many as unworthy of latter-day belief. The Christian ship is going forth on its perilous voyage of turbulent waters without chart or compass. Spiritualism is growing popular, and its main principles are greedily imbibed by multitudes in the popular churches. It makes the heart of the old-fashioned, firm believer in the inspiration of the Bible, and in the existence of the God of the Bible and of the Saviour of sinners, sick at heart to see the trend of the modern current of popular theology and religion. We have fallen upon strange times. The picture is sad indeed to the lover of humanity. We can but agree with the apostle, who, looking down the ages to our time, declares so plainly, “Perilous times shall come.” But it is still more sad to us who are living in these days, who are forced to say, Perilous times have come. Paul says again: “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; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.” 2 Tim. 4:3, 4. Paul gives the only remedy for this fearful apostasy: “I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and kingdom: Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine.” “Preach the word.” This is the only hope in these last days of fables and easy-going religion. It is the only hope of the world. The perils of the last days have come upon us like an overpowering flood. All the old landmarks seem slipping from view. But the blessed Word of God standeth fast. “The foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his.” What is the true Christian foundation? The Lord Jesus Christ is the chief corner-stone of the Christian temple. He is the Word of life. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. . . . All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made.” He spoke through his apostles and prophets by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Through these revelations come all we know of the plan of salvation. When these precious truths are cast aside, we are left without the knowledge of God's special dealings with mankind and his plan of salvation. Where else could it be obtained? We are just where the heathen world were, and are liable to a similar blindness of spiritual vision. How strange that people of talent can not discern this! If the Bible is not a reliable book of truth to guide us, we are in a labyrinth of darkness and mystery, like a ship without rudder or compass; and this is the condition of multitudes to-day. But, O, how thankful we are for the blessed truths of God and the hope of salvation revealed in his blessed Word! The great men of science, so-called, can not help us. They themselves are in the fog of mystery and darkness, groping, they know not whither. Their teachings are largely the cause of the present conditions. The great seats of learning are centers from which skepticism is disseminated. They often break down what little faith their pupils had before entering their doors. One primal cause of the present skepticism has been the rejection of the “sure word of prophecy,” to which Peter declares we do well to take heed as unto a light shining in a dark place. What would we think of a man's wisdom were he to go out into midnight darkness without a light, when dangers were everywhere about him? The religious teachers of the present age have refused the great light of the prophecies concerning the second coming of Christ, and have led their followers into spiritual darkness. Having chosen to reject the very light which might have saved them, they have voluntarily become blind leaders of the blind. May we gladly take the blessed light and go forth to a perishing world, doing our best to spread its precious beams abroad, and if possible save some who are groping in spiritual darkness.