I’ve often wondered what this particular verse meant in the Bible. It’s found in the book of Matthew, and in context, is Jesus describing the last days just before he returns to rescue His followers.

As the story goes, Jesus is quoted as saying the following concerning the end:

For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows. “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved.

Matthew 24:7-13

My thought process has always been to wonder what would make the love of many grow cold, even though Jesus states the reason in the first part of the sentence – “because of lawlessness.”

What didn’t make sense five years ago, is starting to come into sharper focus daily. What’s even more scary is the NIV version states that, “the love of most will grow cold.”

Because of lawlessness, people are going to eventually just give up on one another. I believe we saw this on full display last summer when violent riots, burning and looting were offhandedly dismissed by irresponsible politicians and their media allies. I’m sure my critics will disagree, but not really here to argue that point.

Given the current environment in the United States where we are as divided as ever, we still seem to have some regard for our fellow man, even though it seems to worsen daily with the passage of each new law meant to bring us closer together.

Breaking this passage down even further, you may have noticed the phrase, “then many will be offended.”

I don’t know if you’ve noticed lately or not, but you can’t even breath lately without offending some person or group. And if you think I’m being hyperbolic, if you’re not breathing through a mask when some offended party think’s you should be, watch out. You can read my story, How to be a good little Nazi for more details on that.

Anyway, Jesus also states very clearly hear that this will end in hatred and violence toward Christians and non Christians alike. It doesn’t sound like a very fun place to live, but the reality is that there will literally be no place to hide.

As we’ve been witnesses to historically in China, Nazi Germany, and the communist Soviet Union, to name a few of the most prominent recent examples, unresolved differences in racism and ideologies eventually leads to escalations in violence.

I apologize for what has thus far been the doom and gloom part of the story, but hang with me for a few more moments.

At the pinnacle of America’s current problems, it appears that somehow racism and homophobia are the culprits. Blacks are supposed to hate whites because of slavery, whites are supposed to hate themselves because of historic white privilege, LGBTQ and Christians are supposed to hate each other over sexual preferences, and republicans and democrats are supposed to hate each other because of ideology.

When you look at all the wedges being driven between the myriad of different groups and belief systems, you can start to see where all of this is going, but don’t be deceived, this is a spiritual struggle.

And unfortunately, according to Jesus, it’s going to get really bad, so buckle up. But here is the good news, verse 13.

“But he who endures to the end will be saved.”

So, there you have it! Just a heads up, but not going to get any better. So rather than get discouraged by all of this, you might want to prayerfully consider how you personally are going to respond.

Are you going to join in the exodus from the Church and start hating right along with the rest of the world, or are you going to stay in the fight as a believer knowing that, as bad as it gets, enduring until the end will have its reward.

Or if you are presently a non believer, recognize the truth in this passage, and get on the team.

Verse 14 states, “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.”

For the answer is not in getting caught up in one of the many noble struggles out there, as in “arranging the deck chairs on the Titanic,” but engaging the world around you in something more enduring and worthwhile like seeking to save the lost.

For Jesus also said, “that the harvest was plentiful, but the workers were few, therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into the harvest field.”