©Rod Smith
Anyone now over 50 will recall how life in the 1950s/60s/70s was very different than today. Different in terms of awareness of and belief in God. When this writer was a schoolboy in the 1950s we all gathered in the school hall every morning. Hymns were sung, and there was prayer. The headmaster gave a brief message on the importance of God in our lives. (Today in United States' schools, prayer is banned.)
Also, in those days men and women didn't even think of living together in a sexual union before marriage. It was regarded as contravening God's laws and very few were game to do that. Today, as we know, living together outside of marriage is commonplace (even in same-sex relationships) and few give God even a passing thought. That is how much life has changed.
Here is what the Bible predicted about life now, in the 21st century:
"But know this, that in the last
days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters,
proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving,
slanderers, without self control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty,
lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its
power. And from such people turn away!"
2 Timothy 3:2-5 (chapter 3, verses 2 to 5).
We are surely in those last days now. The last sentence refers to "a form of godliness" whereby people are pretending to be godly, doing "religious" things, but many don't have a heart for God, and there is little power or impact on this world in their activities.
Jesus said this about the human race:"For from within, out of the hearts of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,
thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness.
All these things come from within, and defile a man." Mark 7:21-23
Isn't that an accurate picture of our world today? The end times are near because of it. Many have decided to reject Jesus and the changed life He offers. So the ungodly world we have with its wars, greed, thirst for power, inhumanity, is the result.
To get right with God, to be in His care in the grim future predicted, we need to turn to Jesus. We need to be born again, and be without fear. How to do it? Go to How To Be Safe which is next.