01/31/2024
“…Worse and worse…” (2 Timothy 3:13)
“…So much better…” (Philippians 1:23)
The other night, unable to sleep in the “wee hours”, I perused an internet news page for the very latest. Scrolling down the headlines and stories, it struck me that not only was there no good news, all the news was essentially terrible. From every new headline, the sinfulness of mankind was on full display. My parents have been gone from this earth for a bit over 20 and 22 years. When they were called home, they had essentially no knowledge of the internet. I understood that if they were sitting beside me, seeing what I was seeing, they would ask me to shut it down, while they were recoiling in horror.
Wars and rumors of wars; unspeakable crimes; pervasive evil; rampant injustice; horrific acts upon innocents, from the youngest to the elderly; unimaginable tragedies; never-before-heard-of specific acts of sickness and wickedness, exposing man’s increasing inhumanity towards fellow-man. And the saturating leaven of moral decay, that has contaminated every corner of this planet. As I read, and tried to imagine their reactions, I thought of Paul’s prediction of last-days society- “worse and worse.”
Every day, it would seem, there is something worse than the day before. I find it puzzling to consider that there are many Christians who pray daily for the healing of their land, the blessing of God on their country, and the hoped-for and longed-for improvement of society at large. When this doesn’t happen, there is often the question “WHY?!”
The answer is this: God has declared things will get “worse and worse.” No matter what we do. Yes- we, as Christians, are to “brighten the corner where we are.” We are to be lights in an ever-increasing dark world. We are to share the gospel with those who are lost, and who are facing a hopeless Eternity. As the old song says “…don’t go to Heaven alone- take somebody with you!”
But we are never asked to expend our efforts into improving this doomed and dying world. God has said- it WILL get “worse and worse.” Until for us, that is, the day we will hear the trumpet and the voice of God, and those who are saved by grace will be whisked away to a brand-new land. And before we get there, we will finally see our Savior face to face, and in that instant, we will become brand-new people, made fit to live in that brand-new land.
Paul describes this blessed hope, in these amazing words. He writes that we will “…be with Christ, which is so much better.” This most brilliant of expectations and anchoring of hopes, WILL soon come true, for all who have trusted the work of the Lord Jesus on the cross, as having been done for them. Our future is, in a word, glorious. “Eyes have not seen, ears have not heard, neither has entered into the heart of anyone, what God has in store for those who love Him” (1 Cor. 2:9).
For those who are saved by grace, the difference between these two worlds will be almost too hard to comprehend. Wickedness will be exchanged for welcome. Disasters will give way to delight. Sinfulness will be replaced by splendor. The horrors of earth, will gave way to the happiness of Heaven.
Don’t devote your life in an attempt to make this world better. God has said it will grow “worse and worse.” Instead, make absolutely sure you are ready for Heaven, and ready to meet God- with your sins forgiven, and your name written in the Lamb’s book of life. And once saved, make every effort you can, that we can, to take someone to Heaven with you. Again, as another old song says so well; “This world is not my home, I’m just a-passing through…”
