There are many who are lamenting the changes of our culture and the degradation of morality. We understand that grief. We weep for those who are enslaved by sinful desires, and who at the same time assert that they are free. It’s a trap (as all sin is, see Prov. 7:21-27 for a particularly sobering example).
At the same time, we understand biblically that it is not going to get better. We want to return to some “golden age.” There is no “returning.”
We don’t know if it will be Wednesday or in January, or a decade from now, but hard days are coming for us. Pleasures and ease that we have enjoyed will be stripped away and suffering will come. That’s not my opinion. That’s God’s promise (2 Timothy 3:1ff; cf. Rom. 1:32). Difficult days will still come…including persecution and evil men. The world is changing and will continue to change and rebelliously move away from Christ. The world will increasingly hate and rebel against Christ. We want it to get better but God says, “But evil men and imposters will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived” (2 Tim. 3:13). It won’t get better. It will get worse.
But not everything will change. Some things will remain. Some things will stand immovable and unwavering. Some things are righteous and good and will stay that way. What will be the same tomorrow and Wednesday and next January and…?
- God’s grace from Christ will still be adequate for every ministry need (2 Tim. 2:1)
- The Spirit of God will still keep and preserve us in the faith (Eph. 1:13-14)
- The Lord will still strengthen us to make proclamation of Him (2 Tim. 4:17)
- Jesus Christ, will still be the same yesterday, today and forever…the One who is resurrected and the descendent of David who will sit on David’s throne (2 Tim. 2:8)
- Jesus Christ will still come and will still appear and still set up His eternal Kingdom (2 Tim. 4:1)
- The Lord will still rescue His people from every evil deed (2 Tim. 4:18a)
- The Lord will still take His people into His kingdom (2 Tim. 4:18b)
- There will still be a crown of righteousness for those who loved His appearing (2 Tim. 4:8)
- The church will still be God’s appointed pillar and support of the truth (1 Tim. 3:15)
- All Scripture will still be from God and still have His authority (2 Tim. 3:16)
- All Scripture will still be profitable, and for teaching, reproof, correction, and training in righteousness and make the man of God adequate (2 Tim. 3:16-17)
- God will still be the eternal King, immortal, invisible, the only god and worthy of all honor and glory (1 Tim. 1:17)
- We will still have a calling to entrust the Word given to us to other faithful men (2 Tim. 2:2)
I made that list in just a few minutes, perusing primarily through First and Second Timothy. A much longer list could be made by going to the other Epistles, to the rest of the New Testament, and even into the Old Testament. (You might make your own list to bolster your heart about God’s permanence in decaying days.) The list of God’s plans and gifts that will remain is long. Very long. Infinitely long.
The world is still broken (and will be until Christ returns), sin is still harmful, Satan and evil men are still against us, ministry work is still hard — and we still have adequate grace and strength to persevere in that work (1 Tim. 2:5-6). Whatever happens this week, don’t despair. But, be steadfast in your spiritual calling. Be steadfast in caring for God’s people. Be steadfast in speaking and discipling others in the gospel.
Words of Grace 