“[Love] seeketh not her own.” 1 Corinthians 13:5
Agony
We must not expect today, that the majority of men will be found leaving the broad road and agonizing to get on the narrow way of truth. The Apostle enumerates different signs, which will follow, that would predominate in the last days, while at the same time men would keep up a pretence of a form of godliness. The people of our day are cherishing great opinions of themselves; everyone believes that he is his own neighbour. “The Love,” the characteristic mark of a Christian, of which the apostle speaks; “[Love] seeketh not her own,” (1 Corinthians 13:5) has disappeared. Moreover, (1 Corinthians 13:5) “Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil.” Ah! “Is not easily provoked” is really not strong enough; for there is no “easily” in the Greek text. Interesting!
Selfishness and Greed—Are both going hand in hand. Money never played such an important part as it does today. Men are seeking and trying as much as possible to accumulate large amounts of earthly treasures. The words of Christ: “Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not,” (Luke 12:33–34) is not known any more among Christians. The words of the prophet Jeremiah are again true: “For from the least of them even unto the greatest of them every one is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely. They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.” Jeremiah 6:13–14. “The heads [leaders] thereof judge for reward, and the priests [ministers] thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money: yet will they lean upon the LORD, and say, Is not the LORD among us? None evil can come upon us.” Micah 3:11
Exaltation, Conceit, and Pride—Revealing themselves, at present, in a most gruesome way! If this could only be found among society in general, it would not be quite so bad; but Christians taking their first place like the Pharisees of old, and are saying: “God, I thank Thee, that I am not as other men are.” Luke 18:11. All are making great pretences, from the maid to the king, to exalt in pride and display of dress. Unbelievable large sums are wasted in order to gratify vanity. No age of history can compare with this. The civilized world is full of blaspheming, and men are cursing the name of God in a most horrible manner. The Apostle speaks concerning this: “Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, And saying, Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.” 2 Peter 3:3–4
The proclamation of the three-fold angel’s message is from many cast aside and ridiculed. Nevertheless, “The Lord is. . . . long suffering to usward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9. The long suffering and kindness of God will also soon come—to an end!
Training of Children—During no time has the training of children been brought down to such a low standard as it is at present. Many of our boys (and girls) in their earliest youth have become habitual slaves of tobacco, intoxicating drinks, drugs, promiscuity, music, theatre, etc. The biggest part of our youth is found upon the steep road of crime and moral corruption. They are, furthermore, hypnotically fixed on their iPhones, and Androids, etc., etc. You see them every day—people glued to their Smart-phones. Is technology taking things too far? Social interaction is—passé. The generation gap is widening. The “Baby Boomer” or “Me” generation, Generations “X” and “Y” may be called “The Greatest Degenerations.”
Many, today, are the turbulent offshoots of the “Baby Boomer” generation; Post World War II, born from 1946–1964. They are the first generation to grow up with the television medium, and associated with a rejection of traditional values. Also called the “Me” generation, a culture of self-involved (narcissism) among the younger generation and the qualities associated with it: unapologetic hedonism, abandoned traditional religious faiths and values such as: work hard, save money, cherish family and community ties, loyalty to institutions, and other common bonds. They are characterized by New Age spirituality, discos, nightclubbing, hot tub parties, Eastern religions, and rituals, away from spiritual realization, and toward yoga. Also called the counter-culture of “hippies” and political activists; or the “Now” generation in contrast to the “Me” generation. Their largely increased consumerism for the generation has been regularly criticized as excessive (Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia: Baby Boomer; “Me” Generation)
Many others are by-products of Dr. Benjamin Spock (May 2, 1903–March 15, 1998), the catastrophic advocate in permissive upbringing of children. Dr. Spock, a paediatrician, author of the second best seller next to the Bible for 52 years, “The Pocket Book of Baby and Child Care,” pub., 1946, 9th Ed.; was criticized for propagating permissiveness, and expectations of instant gratifications that led young people to join New Left activist movements (Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia: Benjamin Spock).
The present Generations “X” (born 1964–1980) and “Y” (born 1981–1994), grew up watching the American Dream on television, but have found the real world quite different. They are discouraged by the difficulty of finding jobs, the state of the national economy, and world politics, and the environment, and not hopeful about the future. The generation gap is widening! In fact, the Baby Boomers and the Generations X and Y could be collectively named—from the best-selling book, “Greatest Degeneration—How Institutions Die and Economies Die,” by Niall Ferguson, author, economic historian, who teaches at Harvard University, Penguin Press, June 13, 2013. “The World is declining—the end seems unnervingly nigh!” Jeremiah, the prophet, wasn’t popular with the elders of Judea either. He was jailed for sedition. They were sorry later. In contrast the children of the Great Depression (born 1929–1939) knew how to savour their lives and—not complain. (Deuteronomy 32:5, 20; Luke 3:7; 7:31–34; 11:29; Proverbs 30:11–14).
Moreover,”Riots have rocked colleges resulting in hundreds of arrests and dozens of injuries amid a growing sense that social media are helping to fuel misbehaviour at student mass gatherings. Crowds gathered and alcohol was almost always present and police showed up to keep order. Arrests ranged from failure to disperse from a riot to liquor-law violations to disorderly conduct, burglary, and assault. The popularity of the ‘selfie-fascination’ is bringing into play a new level of voyeurism. It’s kind of like watching a herd of sheep.” –The Wall Street Journal, U.S. News, A5, April 21, 2014
“Marijuana has been legalized in many states which poses a great threat to the still developing brains of teenagers, which can bring lasting impairments in memory, intellectual functioning, and emotion control. Marijuana has been linked to depression, anxiety, and psychosis. Smoking ‘pot’ actually changes the size and shape of certain brain regions in young people. One in six users become addicted, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. With dependence comes every sort of social trouble: isolation, failure at school and work, often profound unhappiness.” –Bloomberg Business Week, April 28–May 4, 2014, Buzzkill: “Marijuana Poses Risks to Teens,” p. 16
“The love of many shall wax cold.” Matthew 24:12—This manifests itself in many different ways and customs, of which we shall be reminded of here only for one—the large number of divorces, which are carried out at present (1 in 3). It seems nothing is extraordinary any more. During the time of the French Revolution, in fact of old, thousands of divorces were permitted. Today, especially since the abomination of so many wars, they have become innumerable in every state of the Union (U.S.A.). Many returning veterans of the Iraq War; and many of which suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), resort to divorcing their wives on their return, due to infidelity. Some have even killed their wives. Love suffers—children suffer—society suffers—all suffer—the Lord grieves.
Jesus teaches concerning divorce—Marriage and divorce. (Matthew 5:31–32; 19:1–9; Mark 10:1–12; Luke 16:18; Romans 7:1–3; 1 Corinthians 7:10–16. Law concerning divorce: (Deuteronomy 24:1–4; Genesis 1:27; 2:24).
Unreconciliation—One of the trade-offs that has crept into every division of society, is the spirit of “unreconciliation.” This shows itself among individuals and, above all, through the large strikes and protests, and through the fearful strife between capital and labour. Thousands of men have to suffer on account of this unyielding spirit of a few persons in power. The labour commotion is forming a predominating character of our time, and are signs of the times in our last days (Jeremiah 5:3–4).
The believers’ union with Christ is what matters most—“And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.” Colossians 3:23–24
Also, among Christians, especially among the different sects, is found a spirit of “unreconciliation” and false accusations. The old spirit of religious hatred and persecution is making its appearance again. But, he that is spiritual minded, will try to restore the erring one with the meek spirit of Christ (Galatians 6:1).
Licentiousness—Immorality and social impurity are found among millions and millions of people; and the large cities of the earth are not standing behind in regard to the corruption of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. “For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” Matthew 24:38–39
And such conditions are called unavoidable evils, and the public sentence is that these social impurities should be controlled by the—hmm—state, rather than be without any control whatsoever. The great Judgment Day will soon lift the curtain, and all the terrible licentiousness among men will then be brought to light. He will reveal an astonishing condition among the high and low caste of human society among Christians and unbelievers. Blessed is the man who confesses his sins and doeth His will to the end. Such a man shall reign with Christ, when His glorious Kingdom shall be revealed (Revelation 2:26–27).
Intemperance—This is one of the great causes of moral pollution, of immorality and constantly increasing crimes.
Of this is alcohol (although muted by the media, institutions, and the medical community) drunkenness, which has taken over in all the earth. Before the wars persisting today, millions were spent for alcoholic drinks, but only minuscule amounts for foreign missions. Many are complaining about the heavy taxes, yet the heavy taxes and crushing burdens of mankind are caused by the expenditures for intoxicating drinks and tobacco. Indulgence in the latter is consuming vitality, strength, and productivity more than all diseases combined.
It is an established fact, that three times the amount is spent on drinks and tobacco, as for bread and other food. Just as in the darkest parts of Africa, their more intelligent tribes break into the jungles to slay or kill the unfortunate inhabitants (which is only a part of evil and misery); so exists among us a great part of the miserableness of those whose conditions we have considered with their pernicious (wicked) habits. Drunkenness and all kinds of physical and moral uncleanliness are in full swing. Have you ever stood at the bedside of an unfortunate one, who suffered from an alcoholic delirium? Multiply the sufferings of this drunkard with the amount of a hundred thousand, and you will have an idea of the scenes that take place daily, and at this very moment, in all of our large cities.
“Let us eat and drink; for tomorrow we die.” 1 Corinthians 15:32. This is the parole (watch word) of today. The whirlpool of pleasure has engulfed nearly all circles of society. The theatres cannot produce sufficient display, and are daily—overcrowded. The cinemas today could not be more filthy—disgraceful!
Furthermore, the baseness of rough sports are training our growing youth in cursing, slandering, debauchery, obsession in winning, instead of symmetrically developing physical structure; but plagued with permanent brain, spinal injuries, and retardation (contact sports: football, soccer, etc.). These sports, in the main, are “sports of brutality,” fraught with corruption, financial exploitation, scandals, homosexuality, and lacking in any semblance of true grandeur and honour of the ancient Greek games of old.
The societies and establishments of pleasure and daily dancing is choking the life-stream of the family life. A broad stream of noisy cacophony pleasure is rolling daily through all the lands of the world. The character of humanity is weakened more and more, and is made unfit for the gruesome battles of life. A world full of nerveless, unscathed, manhood, are filling our hospitals and mental clinics; strife and domestic destruction is the lot of the family life.
“Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink; that continue until night, till wine inflame them! And the harp, and the viol, the tabret, and pipe, and wine, are in their feasts. . . . Therefore My people are gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge: and their honourable men are famished, and their multitude dried up with thirst. Therefore hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure: and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoiceth, shall descend into it.” Isaiah 5:11–15
All these appearances are a clear fulfillment of the Word of God; and everyone who is of the truth will recognize that these conditions are calling for an account to God and are demanding His speedy judgment.
Richness—“Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten. Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days. Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth. Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter. Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you.” James 5:1–8 (you only quote until verse 6, should this be changed?)
Problem of the prosperity of the wicked. The tragedy of the wicked, and the blessedness of trust in God (read Psalm 73).
The Social Question—Not the leading men of the World are ruling, but the financiers and secret societies. The fleets and armies which bring about great events, neither, are ruling, but the heaped-up gold and silver. Kings and armies are powerless when the money is withdrawn. Never before in the history of the world did anyone know of the hoarding on such enormous capital as we have at this time; nor has labour fought with such power and endurance for personal rights as at the present.
These conditions have been told distinctly before, in the Word of God. When we consider at the beginning of this present generation, there existed in North America only 3–4 millionaires, whom nearly every school child knew about: Cornelius Vanderbilt, John McCormick, Nelson and David Rockefeller, and then the first billionaire—Howard Hughes. In 1987 there were 140 billionaires, but now number 1,645! (Forbes Magazine, The World Almanac of Wealth, Special Edition, 28th Annual Guide, March 24, 2014, vol. 193, no. 4).
Thus, it is becoming clear to us, that iniquity shall abound, as told by Jesus (Matthew 24:12). Especially in the last decades “honest trade and living” have almost entirely disappeared. The injustice of the great financiers is the cause of this general hardship. The Apostle, in speaking of this, says: “Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth.” James 5:4 (that cries for vengeance). In truth, the wages of the labourers in the last years have been crying toward Heaven. As much as possible were the wages brought down by these concerns and injustices, and the working hours prolonged. The rich elite exploits laws and regulations to the detriment of business and the individual, and where worsening inequalities, especially in income, may lead to social upheaval. It need not puzzle us then that under such conditions labour uproar, strikes and protests were brought on over and over again. This helped only to make social conditions worse. (Colossians 3:23–24; Joshua 1:8).
Anarchism—Anarchism is at present developing on this earth into a world menace. Monarchy as well as Anarchism have encircled this world, whereby both are dead enemies of each other. Never can those become good friends, who are working to exterminate each other. Anarchy calls nothing its own, but the knife, murder and bloodshed, and the incessant bomb: destruction! It does not believe in a God, nor government nor a heaven, but in only that which he is able to procure for himself on this earth. Everyone else are infidels who must be destroyed. Anarchism first began decades ago when it murdered the Czar of Russia and would do the same with every king and president; and would, likewise be, if he had the power, dethrone God from Heaven and place himself upon the throne as ruler. We also discern in this unrest the work of the arch-deceiver, from the beginning.
One Anarchist remarked:
“God as an autocrat and slave trader has kept the inhabitants of paradise in darkness; but the devil as an educator and revolutionist opened the eyes of Eve and gave, through this, good thoughts to all men.
“God is a despot and tyrant; the devil was the first revolutionist who pointed to the right way.
“Ye, fellowmen, I am notifying you in the name of the devil, that ye are all of the devil, and the spirit of the devil shall move upon you, and give you the power to carry through the Revolution of the Workers.” –German Warte, no. 34
The politicians of economy laughed in past years over possibilities of starvation in our day. They said very considerately: “Our railway systems and fast steamers, which encircle the whole world, have made such events a thing of the past.” Yet our richly organized political economy was brought down to naught. How the world’s picture has been changed, however, through the fearful wars that covered the world—and still exist in greater numbers today. Restraint, want, and distress have entered! Yes, God permitted destructive pestilences.
All this is the result of iniquity which shall abound (Matthew 24:12). Is the power of man great enough to restore order upon the field of social economy? We (or many) lazily expect all of our problems to be solved by the state! Still, millions of subdued working men are standing under force of weapons, who are bowed down with a dull spirit of revenge against their proprietors. Someone once said, “Peace has erected its throne upon the clouds.”
Patience—“He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil; He shall dwell on high: his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks: bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure.” Isaiah 33:15–16
“The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble.” Psalm 9:9
How lovely (that) the apostle reminds his brethren (all believers), at such a time to be patient. . . .
“Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and later rain. Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.” James 5:7–8
Be patient therefore—for this is: THE MORALITY OF THE LAST DAYS!
Amen <>< <>< <><
John Theodorou U.S.A.