It’s Going to Get Worse Before It Gets Better

Increasing Sin

There's a lot of sin in this world, and it's going to get a whole lot worse before the return of Christ and the rapture of the Church. We read in 2 Timothy 3:1-3, 13:

This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good … evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.

Matthew 24:12 warns us regarding the last days: And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. In these years before Christ's coming, non-Christians will increasingly become meaner, crueler, and hateful.

In fact, 2 Thessalonians 2:3 actually calls the Antichrist the man of sin, or the man of lawlessness. One reason for this escalating sin in the end times will be because the Antichrist, this man of sin, will not just permit evil, but will promote it.

Rampant Sin

What does this sin look like? Besides 2 Timothy 3, which we looked at above, Galatians 5:18-21 further describes it as immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, drunkenness, and carousing. In Mark 7:21, Jesus says: For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders.

In the years leading up to Christ's return, unbelievers will be blatantly sinning, unashamedly sinning, defiantly sinning, and greatly sinning. Sin will be rampant, openly seen in families, in leaders, in schools, in government, at work, on the Internet, and in media, music, and movies.

In the end times, this entire planet will be filled with people who will cast off moral restraint, who will hate God and love their sin. In 2 Peter 2:10, they are those who will walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.

People will be shaking their fists at God, rejecting those in authority, and doing what is right in their own eyes. Sinful behavior will be accepted and normalized. It will be as the days of Noah when the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually (Genesis 6:5).

Patience Needed

The latter days will be very difficult for Christians. I'm reminded of the wicked city of Sodom when Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds) (2 Peter 2:7-8).

But please remember the promise that follows: The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished (2 Peter 2:9). Christians will go through great tribulation for a short time, and then be raptured, and then be with the Lord forever.

On other hand, God's enemies will not escape His wrath, for they will be punished forever. It won't be by a flood as in the days of Noah, but by fire during the Day of the Lord, followed by 1,000 years in Hades, and finally the lake of fire for all eternity (Revelation 20:5,11-15).

One wonders, why doesn't God just step in now and cleanse the Earth? The answer is that God is so patient, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). As we live in this dark world, may we too be patient, and see this as an opportunity for our light to shine (Daniel 12:3).

May we love our enemies and give them the Gospel, knowing that some will turn from their sin and to Christ, be forgiven, and become children of God. May God give you the grace to persevere, to stay the course, and to keep making disciples right up until the end of the age and the return of Christ (Matthew 28:19-20).

Steven J. Hogan has been a pastor-teacher for the past 25 years and at Hope Bible Church of Tampa since 2003.