Iniquity Abounds as Love Grows Colder

Greetings, Wayne, a servant of God, by the grace of God, teaching truth under the authority of Jesus Christ to any who are willing to receive it, or as Jesus put it, to any who have ears to hear (Mat 11:15).

I will be the words in green. Purple Highlights will be key words or phrases of truth.

What is Love? Merriam-Webster definitions:

(1) : strong affection for another arising out of kinship or personal ties

(2) : attraction based on sexual desire : affection and tenderness felt by lovers

(3) : affection based on admiration, benevolence, or common interests

So we see that "common interests" or "loving them that love you" appears to be the general implication. Yet, divorce rates are high, and what about the number of relationships that have broken up outside of marriage? And what about all the quarrels within families?

What does Jesus Christ say about only loving them that love you?

Luk 6:32 For if you love them which love you, what thank have you? for sinners also love those that love them.

Here is what Jesus taught as God of the Old Testament to what was supposed to be a model nation to the rest of the world:

Lev 19:18 You shall not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbour as yourself: I am the LORD.

And it all comes down to where you let your thoughts take you concerning your neighbour:

Zec 8:17 And let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbour; and love no false oath: for all these are things that I hate, says the LORD.

A wise person understands that in order to receive an advancement or promotion, there are rules, orders, or commands that must be followed. Would you like to be considered a child of the Most High God and blessed with eternal life? Well, here are the two greatest commandments toward that goal from our Lord Jesus Christ:

Mar 12:30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength: this is the first commandment.

Mar 12:31 And the second is like, namely this, you shall love your neighbour as yourself. There is none other commandment greater than these.

The following of these commandments is obviously not the hallmark of mankind in general as we look at the deteriorating state that the world is in as a result.

But let us shift our focus on to why love for neighbour is growing colder and will continue to grow colder. First, let us give glory for the coming wisdom to God the Father - the Most High God:

1Ti 1:17 Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Now, let us see the wisdom of God the Father through our Lord Jesus Christ concerning growing iniquity which is resulting in a world growing colder:

Mat 24:12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.

Merriam-Webster defines iniquity as:

1 : gross injustice : wickedness

2 : a wicked act or thing : sin

And so with the definition of iniquity essentially being in agreement with the Holy Bible, iniquity is made up of wickedness and sin which comes about by ignoring or refusing to keep the commandments of God:

Lev 5:17 And if a soul sin, and commit any of these things which are forbidden to be done by the commandments of the LORD; though he wist [knew] it not, yet is he guilty, and shall bear his iniquity.

And we should also understand that if we acknowledge and confess our iniquity to God, He will mercifully and abundantly grant forgiveness:

Psa 32:5 I acknowledged my sin unto You, and my iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and You forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah.

"Transgressions" being sins, which are thoughts and actions against the commandments or law of God:

1Jn 3:4 Whosoever commits sin transgresses also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

The Old Testament has many warnings against letting iniquity or evil take root. Moses understood what would happen to a nation or people who listen to any who teach aside from the clear teachings of God:

Deu 13:5 And that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams, shall be put to death; because he has spoken to turn you away from the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed you out of the house of bondage, to thrust you out of the way which the LORD your God commanded you to walk in. So shall you put the evil away from the midst of you.

Moses was very zealous for the house of Israel to succeed with their walk with God. But God knew they would forsake Him:

Deu 31:16 And the LORD said unto Moses, Behold, you shall sleep with your fathers; and this people will rise up, and go a whoring after the gods of the strangers of the land, where they go to be among them, and will forsake me, and break my covenant which I have made with them.

Deu 31:17 Then my anger shall be kindled against them in that day, and I will forsake them, and I will hide my face from them, and they shall be devoured, and many evils and troubles shall befall them; so that they will say in that day, Are not these evils come upon us, because our God is not among us?

Deu 31:18 And I will surely hide my face in that day for all the evils which they shall have wrought, in that they are turned unto other gods.

And the worshipping of those "other gods" comes in many forms today, such as worshipping money, possessions, people of high stature, false religion, and even mates, inspired by the present god of this world:

2Co 4:3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:

2Co 4:4 In whom the god of this world has blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

2Co 4:5 For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake.

2Co 4:6 For God, who commanded the light [truth] to shine out of darkness, has shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

And to be sure who the god of this present evil world is:

Rev 12:9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceives the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

And here is why we will continue to see world conditions deteriorate into the worst tribulation that man has and will face:

Rev 12:12 Therefore rejoice, you heavens, and you that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has but a short time.

And Jesus confirming the resulting great tribulation:

Mat 24:21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.

Mat 24:22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.

"No flesh be saved", of course, speaking of what would otherwise be complete annihilation of all life from nuclear weapons. And "for the elect's sake" speaking of they who are in Christ at His return.

Now you know the truth concerning growing iniquity and love waxing or growing colder as a result, as well as the fate of this present evil world that will only be saved by the returning Jesus Christ.

Let us conclude with words from the apostle of love, the apostle John. Though written for the elect, they reach further out to all who would turn their heart to God:

1Jn 4:7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loves is born of God, and knows God.

1Jn 4:8 He that loves not knows not God; for God is love.

1Jn 4:9 In this was manifested [made known] the love of God toward us, because that God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.

1Jn 4:10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation [salvation] for our sins.

1Jn 4:11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.

1Jn 4:12 No man has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwells in us, and His love is perfected in us.

1Jn 4:13 Hereby know we that we dwell in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit.

1Jn 4:14 And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.

1Jn 4:15 Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwells in Him, and he in God.

1Jn 4:16 And we have known and believed the love that God has to us. God is love; and he that dwells in love dwells in God, and God in him.

1Jn 4:17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as He is, so are we in this world.

1Jn 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear: because fear has torment. He that fears is not made perfect in love.

1Jn 4:19 We love Him, because He first loved us.

1Jn 4:20 If a man say, I love God, and hates [detests or loves less] his brother, he is a liar: for he that loves not his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?

1Jn 4:21 And this commandment have we from Him, That he who loves God love his brother also.

Freely I have received, freely I have given.

Farewell,

Servanthood