Perilous Times

Perilous Times

When Paul speaks about perilous times, he does not think (as people do), about people’s economic circumstances, but rather about the salvation of the soul and how difficult it will be to discover the truth, for wherever you turn you will find nothing but hypocrisy. 1 Tim. 4:1-2; 2 Tim. 4:1-4.

It is difficult to understand the times in which we live because we have not experienced anything else, and we have been brought up in the prevailing spirit, believing that this is how it should be. When God raises up a prophet to whom He gives light, and when the prophet lets the light shine, he collides with the spirit of the times and is considered a deceiver and a rebel.

One of the last things from which a person is saved is wanting to be a “big shot,” wanting to be something great and to seek honor. This inclination leads people astray—even those who seek God. Jesus has this to say about it: “How can you believe, who receive honor from one another . . . ?” John 5:44.

We live in the end times, with grace beginning to leave the Gentiles and being given to the Jews instead. We can see this from the fact that the foot of the Gentiles is being removed from Jerusalem so that almost the entire city has been liberated and made the capital city of Israel. Luke 21:24. People feel insecure and rootless and wonder what is going to happen. Both the ungodly as well as religious people sense this. Satan has sufficient opportunity to come with his deceptions into this state of uncertainty; he comes in the likeness of an angel of light with signs and wonders. 2 Thess. 2:9-13.

Religious people sense that grace is leaving them. It is difficult to have a revival, and even if there is a revival, the need over their sin and the joy of salvation they can remember from forty or fifty years ago is lacking; it is more superficial now.

Most religious people reckon with a great revival before Jesus’ return, and all the denominations would like it to begin with them. The efforts they put into it and the sacrifices they make are unbelievable. There is a particular expectation with regard to signs and wonders, especially that the sick will be healed. One of Sweden’s best-known preachers said to an assembly of three thousand: “I want to prepare this congregation for a time when God will perform signs and wonders with large numbers being saved.”

In all this work one has the feeling that the emphasis is on it being something great. This is precisely the mistake and the deception. The emphasis has to be on sanctification, for without sanctification no one will see God. Heb. 12:14.

We have come to a time of a form of godliness, but where is the power for an overcoming life? Many preachers live in various sins, but they preach God’s Word in spite of it. People have a feeling that something is not right, and they write in religious publications that things have to change or they will not be ready when Jesus comes. Then they try to confess their sins and start a kind of “Oxford” movement. Why is that? They do it to make something great out of it; they want to see signs and wonders and many souls saved—great, great, great. Taking up their cross daily, denying themselves and keeping God’s commandments is bondage. Satan has ample opportunity to wreak havoc in this spirit and in this atmosphere. Even God will send them strong delusion so that all those who did not receive the love for the truth will believe a lie. Of course, then they can also rightly maintain that all this is from God. They have ended up in the error of Balaam who went by God’s Word, but God’s anger was aroused.

After the apostle has prepared the church and has warned them to expect a time of signs and wonders he says, “But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth.” Here we see where the emphasis should be. You will be deceived as surely as God lives if you are aiming for greatness and seeking honor. The seventy disciples whom Jesus had chosen had also gone astray on this point. Jesus corrected them and said, “Do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.” Luke 10:20. From that time they walked with Him no more. John 6:66. When Jesus Himself began His work, Satan came to sidetrack Him and tempted Him to perform signs and wonders.

You need to know that you will not be prevented from being with Jesus when He comes because you have performed neither signs nor wonders, but rather because you have not been transformed into Jesus’ image. The way that leads to life is narrow. It is the way on which I have to deny myself daily and on which there is no honor to be gained. This way is not great in people’s eyes, and you cannot walk on it unless you go through the gate that is strait—by forsaking everything in this world. But then you can also be assured that this way leads forward.

When we seek the gifts of the Spirit, we shall seek them to excel for the edification of the church. 1 Cor. 14:12. We should rejoice when someone is healed in Jesus’ name, but it must not occupy our minds to such an extent that we depart from the narrow way, because the gifts are not a guarantee that things are right—the fruits are. The gifts are a blessing during the time that we are waiting for the revelation of Jesus Christ. 1 Cor. 1:7. They will fall away when He comes again. Then it will be only a question of sanctification. 1 Cor. 13:8. Therefore we must first and foremost seek after sanctification during these perilous times so that nothing and no one will be able to deceive us. Then we will never be put to shame.