Anchor My Faith

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Author: Stephen Weller
719 words, 4 minutes read time

When Will the End Come?

Scripture: Matthew 10:23, 24:11-14

In the previous lesson we didn’t quite finish the section on persecution. That lesson received a meaningful response from a reader and can be seen at the end of the previous lesson. With this lesson we will see that believers will be driven from place to place because of their faith. We will learn that false prophets will arise and mislead many, lawlessness will increase and the love of many will grow cold.

^{Mt 10:23} When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next, for truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

As it was in the early days of Christianity, persecution would drive or cause believers to move from one location to another, spreading the gospel as they go. This will continue until the people of all nations hear the gospel.

^{Mt 24:11} “And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. ¹² And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. ¹³ But the one who endures to the end will be saved. ¹⁴ And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

Being misled by false prophets is discussed by John in 1 John 2:18 – 27 and in 4:1 – 6. John speaks of a coming antichrist but warns us that there are already many antichrists among us. These will be found both in the world and within the church and are defined by John as one who denies the Father and the Son. For our protection, we are not to believe every spirit, but we are to test the spirits to see whether they are from God. A main element of that test is whether they confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh. We are also to validate what they say against Scripture.

In the last days lawlessness will increase as the love of many grows cold. It will grow cold because many believers will abandon the love they first had for the Lord in favor of friendship with the world (Revelation 2:4, James 4:4), and as they spend time with the things the world has to offer, they begin to ignore the instruction of the Lord and have less desire to walk with him.

“All who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Timothy 3:12 ESV). Jesus came and lived a godly life among us and was hated for it and was nailed to a cross. Jesus warned us that his followers would be hated as he was (John 15:18 – 19). In many places in the world, believers are being persecuted for their faith; many are losing their lives as a result. They are not forsaking their faith in Jesus Christ but are enduring to the end. That end may be either when persecution ends at the return of the Son of Man or at the end of one’s life. The one who endures to the end will not necessarily be saved from physical death, but from divine wrath and human persecution.

Persecution will continue to increase and will one day engulf the whole world as the antichrist (the first beast of Revelation) will be granted authority to make war on the saints and overcome them (Revelation 13:7). As we continue to search the domain of darkness for lost sheep and disciple those we find, we risk our lives, but we are not to fear those who can kill the body but cannot kill the soul (Matthew 10:28). God will raise up those who will proclaim the gospel throughout the world as a testimony to all nations and then in his timing the end will come.

Conclusion

God knows where his lost sheep are, and he will rescue them. The process may cost the lives of many believers as the end is approached, but the lost sheep will be found. What is your assignment in this process of search, rescue, and making disciples? How well are you doing?