ESCHATHOLOGICAL STUDY SERIES (V)
TEXT: –1Timothy 4:1-6; 2Timothy 3:1-9
INTRODUCUTION: – The Holy Spirit did not leave the Church concerning the end time. He through the Apostle (especially Paul) gives vivid signs to observe to know that the end time is near. The end time prophecies concerning Israel are not the only ones being fulfilled in whole or in part before our very eyes. Daniel prophesied the revival of the old Roman Empire in the end times (Dan.2:31-45) and we can see that being fulfilled in the creation and expansion of the European Union.
1) Currently Fulfilled Biblical End Time Prophecy
The Holy Spirit through Apostle Paul prophesied that there will be great apostasy in the end time. We are up to our ears in that apostasy today. Many are departing from the faith and apostatizing. Yet, there are several warnings against this (Lk.21:34; Acts12:10; Heb.3:12; Jude 8-13). Major Christian denominations are ordaining homosexuals, approving same-sex marriages, denying the deity of Christ Jesus, and mocking the inerrancy of the Scriptures, encouraging worldliness, indecency in dressing, carnality etc.
– Giving heed to seducing spirits and deceiver. These are deceiving demons that seduce man. To seduce means to lead astray, draw into evil; specially to entice, to surrender chastity. Demonsa are charged with carrying out program of enticement to forfeit virtue or surrender chastity.
– Giving heed to doctrines of devils. To urge to departure from the faith is first work of devils. This results in departing from holy living and acceptance of doctrines that will harm the soul. Men who pretend inspiration and revelation and false teachers of all kinds are agents of demons (
Corint.-J. Today we see denominations denying reality of God, Christ and the Holy Spirit, the atonement, the death and bodily resurrection of Christ, sin, sickness, Satan, demons, hell, heaven and other fundamental doctrines of the Scriptures.
– Speaking lies in hypocrisy; False prophecies visions, revelations and acting self denial and mortification of the flesh in order to prove their false doctrines to be truth.
– Having the conscience seared with a hot iron – A conscience seared with hot iron is a callous, wicked, hardened and insensitive to right and wrong conscience. We see this highly displayed in this end time leading to terrorism, kidnapping etc.
– Forbidding to marry: – Seducing spirits is influencing people today to hinder and operate against wedlock by enticing them to meet the demands of sex drive apart from sanctity of marriage. Many are under the control of demons getting sexual satisfaction through pervasions – any of the ways that are not approved by the Scriptures.
Many believers are abandoning their faith because they are filling to love the truth enough to defend it and obey it in the face. Because of their lack of devotion to the truth, many are no longer resisting the God – edifying trends of the last days (Mt.24:5, 10-12; 2Tim.3:2-3). Many in the Church today are not tolerating the truth when it challenges or contradicts their own behaviours and life styles. As a result, there is less or no more resistance to the distorted messages presented by compromising ministers and teachers.
– The increasing popularity of unbiblical teaching is primarily as a result of Satan and his demonic forces of evil intensifying their opposition to God’s work. Christ’s second coming will be preceded by an increase in Satanism, Spiritism, occultism, demon possession and deception from evil spirits. These things are occurring all over the world these days at an alarming rate, and the Church is not spared of their activities.
Presently, there is a widespread collapse of the moral structure of the family system and of society in general as people are arrogant “lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God”. (2Tim.3:4). Even in Churches today, there is a high level of unfaithfulness to God and disloyalty to His truth. These perilous times are indeed very difficult and disheartening to true servants of God.
You see a very wider spread of moral decadence, immorality, lasciviousness, lack of natural affection all over the places nowadays. Children are becoming highly disobedient to parents, family love has depleted to worst utter extinction.
Many people today are becoming highly self-centered ( Tim.32-4). Men and women are becoming lovers of money and pleasure. And they are pursuing their own selfish desires with no through or concern for God or others.
Hypocrisy is on the increase these day. Many are having a form of godliness, appearing to be religious and seem to do the right things, without having an authentic person relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. Their lives are not characterized by the spiritual power that frees people from sin, selfishness and ungodly behavior. Such people tolerate immoral behaviours and lifestyles in their Churches and among these who claim to know God. They even teach that a person may practice sin and yet be saved (2Tim.3:5-9; 4:5-9; 4:3-4; 2Pet.2:12-19).
False teachers in the Church today can often be identified by their opposition or lack of concern and interest for the essential truths of God’s Word. They seem to have no problem with neglecting certain areas addressed in God’s Word or taking the Bible truths out of context and twisting or charging the message to suit their own purposes.