Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. Matthew 24: 12, 13, NIV.
Gracious God, as we come before You today, we ask that Your Holy Spirit will be with us as we study Your Holy Word. lead us into all truth. This is our prayer in the blessed name of Jesus Christ our Lord! Amen.
As we continue our study on the signs that are announcing the soon return of our Savior, we come to one that seems to be affecting our churches: love-less-ness, toward both God and man. In many churches people do not look forward to attending church. Many feel that there is no difference between the way they are treated in the world and the way they are treated in the church. I was shocked when I came upon a literature under the title of: Wounded in Church!
The Church is the last place you would expect anyone to get hurt. Do we not say that the church is a hospital? Well, people do not go to a hospital to get sick, but to be healed! Nevertheless, just as it is in many cases, people do not die from the malady for which they went to the hospital, but from some sickness they acquired while in the hospital. In like manner, the love of many brothers and sisters is waning, because of hurts received within the church!
We may be surprised to hear this, because any wrong doing spoken of in the Bible, we Christians, tend to assume, that it is intended for the people of the world. But note to whom Jesus was speaking when He said these words; it was to His disciples! Look at the words following that statement: “but he [or she] who stands firm to the end will be saved.” It is to those who are seeking salvation, that these words are directed toward.
Speaking to the members of the church at Philadelphia – the period of the Church, known for its brotherly love, Jesus testifies the following: “Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie—indeed I will make them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you. Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown” (Revelation 3: 9-11).
It is noteworthy that even in such an atmosphere of love, there were those who only offered lip service: they only said that they were Jews, but they were not! Passing through the Great Disappointment, separated the wheat from the chaff. It soon became evident who were the true believers. During this period of the church, it was the disappointment that would try the love of many. In the end of time, it will be the iniquity that abounds, that will cause the love of many to wax cold. May we, as individuals, do all in our power, to love each other into the kingdom! May neither the disappointments that we shall face, nor the iniquity that exists, keep us from seeing Jesus for ourselves.
It is good to know that for both groups, Jesus had the same advice, only stated differently. To the church at Philadelphia He said: “Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown.” To you and me, the church that is awaiting His soon coming, He says: “”but he [or she] who stands firm to the end will be saved.”
So hold on dear friends, a crown of life awaits us, if we stand firm to the end!