When the disciples asked Jesus about the signs of the end of the age, Jesus began His answer with these words, “See that no one leads you astray” (Matt. 24:4). Jesus’ first warning about the last days concerned those who would seek to deceive His followers and lead them away from the truth.
We cannot trust the vast majority of news sources in America, not at all. They purposely deceive people in order to promote their socialist agenda. We live in an age where deception is king and sadly some of those who deceive us also lead churches.
In Colossians 2:4, Paul cautioned the new believers in Colossae about those who would lead them into error, “I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments.” Paul, fully aware of the devil’s tactics (2 Cor. 2:10-11), warned his readers that false teachers would come along with persuasive but erroneous reasoning in order to deceive them. Does this not depict the day in which we live?
In 2 Timothy 4:2-4, apostle Paul also wrote about the departure from truth during the last days. In verse 4, he warned that many would “turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths” or false narratives that would appear valid, but contradict Scripture.
How do we deal with the myriad of opinions and doctrines that daily confront us in today’s world?
WE NEED THE BIBLE
During the past week, I have often had the song In Times Like These in my head. Ruth Caye Jones, a mother of five, wrote the words and music for it during World War II. The second stanza begins with these words, “In times like these you need the Bible.” Because of the rampant deception and misinformation of our day, we need Scripture just as much now, if not more than in 1944 when Jones penned these words.
In Proverbs 2:6 we read, “For the LORD gives wisdom; / from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.” It was the phrase “from his mouth” that catches my attention every time I read this verse. 2 Timothy 3:16 similarly begins with these words, “All Scripture is breathed out by God. . . .” Scripture is our ultimate source of “knowledge and understanding” because its words come directly from God’s mouth to us (see also 2 Peter 1:21).
I believe we can trace much of the widespread apostasy we see in today’s church to either a rejection of the words of Scripture or a lack of knowledge of what it says.
The understanding that the Holy Spirit gives us through God’s written word guards us against error in more than just doctrinal matters. People who know and understand Scripture, particularly its message regarding the end times, are less susceptible to the deception of the media or the lies they read or hear on social media.
There are many exceptions to this, of course. However, from what I have observed, those who know Scripture, understand the Gospel message, and believe what the Bible says about the end times are less likely to fall for the lies and deception so rampant in the news and on social media.
WE NEED A SAVIOR
I have never in my life been more disappointed with human leadership than I have been in the past two years. Even pastors I once looked up to for guidance have let me down in various ways. Politicians that I once regarded as trustworthy and in one case godly have sorely betrayed any confidence I ever had in them.
The words of Psalm 118:8-9 have never been truer for me than they are in this present day, “It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man. / It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes.”
This again brings me back to the song In Times Like These, which begins with these words, “In times like these you need a Savior. In times like these you need an anchor; be very sure, be very sure your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock.” That Rock, of course is Jesus.
As we face perilous times in the remaining time before the rapture, we need our Savior as never before. We need the anchor of our soul firmly secured in our Rock.
I believe the year ahead for us will be more turbulent than 2020, especially for Bible-believing followers of Jesus. We will see increased opposition and persecution here in America, which will grow steadily worse and likely turn violent if Jesus does not come first to take us to our home in heaven.
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