Rampant Iniquity in Perilous Times*

      All of the signs that we see occurring on earth today such as earthquakes, wars, and more, lead us to believe that the return of the Lord is near. Jesus told the people that they must know and read the signs of the times the same way that they know and read the signs of coming weather. There is another sign that Jesus told us to look for: "Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake. ...And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold...And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations, and then shall the end come." (Mt. 24:9-14). We know that the Gospel of Jesus Christ has indeed covered the earth and all of the nations in it. We also can see that iniquity has abounded in our time, and indeed the love of many for the Lord and for each other, has grown cold because of it.

     Paul wrote that athletes run a race for a prize, and they prepare their bodies and strive to be temperate in all things. The athletes do all this to receive a corruptible crown as a prize, but the spiritual race that we run with certainty, and the temperate behavior that we exercise in doing so, is for an incorruptible crown. Paul said: "I keep my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway." (1 Cor. 9:24-27). Athletes strive for a game and a winner's crown, but this is not a game, and the prize at stake is an eternal crown. However, the Church often treats the faith as a game to be played on Sundays, and the Church, like the world, is abounding in iniquity. Paul wrote: "Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? But I trust that ye shall know that we are not reprobates. Now I pray to God that ye do no evil...but that ye should do that which is honest...For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth...this also we wish, even your perfection...Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you." (2 Cor. 13:5-11). Paul said that he wrote these things for their edification and not destruction. The Corinthian church was worldly and sinful. They tolerated sinful acts. However, Paul stood for the truth and Jesus Christ is the way, the truth and the life. The truth of Christ when taught by the gifts given to the Church: apostles, prophets, pastors, evangelists and teachers, is for the perfecting of the saints, as Paul wrote of being perfected above, and to guide the believers into the unity of the faith and the full measure of the stature of that Perfect One, Jesus Christ.

     With iniquity running rampant, how can we overcome sin in our lives? Paul wrote: "Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid...For what fruit had ye then in those things of which ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Rom. 6:11-23, excerpt). Sin and iniquity hide in all hearts (see Jer. 17:9-10), and all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. However, when we become servants of God rather than sin, we receive the free gift from God that cleanses us from all unrighteousness. Receive the cleansing gift of God through His Son, Jesus, and bear the fruit of holiness and eternal life rather than the fruit of iniquity and death. (see also Psalm 19:12-14 and Psalm 51:10-13). For God desires that we should prosper and be in health, even as our souls prosper in Him and to walk in His truth. (see 3 John 1:1-4).

     In Romans, Paul wrote of those in whom dwells the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead. We are, Paul said, not to live for the flesh: "For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God...The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ." (Rom. 8:11-17). All creation is waiting for the manifestation of those sons of God, which we are, if we are of the Spirit of God rather than the flesh. (v. 19).

     As those who have counted themselves already dead and risen with Christ, we are seeking those things which are above where Christ sits, and not the things that are on earth. The wrath of God is coming upon the children of disobedience, which we once were, but are no longer. We have put off the sinful things: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of the mouth, and lying. We have put off that old man of sin and we have put on the new man "which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all...And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful." (see Col. 3:1-17, excerpt). The "new man" in Christ is available for everyone from every nation, tribe, and tongue, as we read above. While iniquity abounds, the Gospel has indeed gone out to all people, and many are receiving Christ from nations that have previously been resistant to the Gospel and persecutors of the Gospel.

     Peter also urged the believers in Christ to "abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that ...they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation." (1 Pet. 2:11-12). This is not the time to play church instead of living the truth. Other people's lives and faith are being influenced by our sincerity.

     Paul also warned: "...The Lord knoweth them that are his. And let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity...Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart...This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves...having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away." (2 Tim. 2:19-26, 3:1-7, excerpts). Paul said, as Peter said above, that our own godly behavior could affect whether someone may repent and acknowledge the truth..."And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will." (2 Tim. 2:25-26). There is no greater fruit than this.

*Based upon Dr. Kenneth E. Stevenson, Jr.'s 11/1/26 message to the church. If you would like to hear the complete message, you can find it on the Facebook page of Kenneth E. Stevenson Jr. Dr. Stevenson's video messages are also found on You Tube at the Kenneth Stevenson channel. To contact or support this ministry, or to request prayer, you can write to PO Box 154221, Waco, TX, 76705. To find out more about the Shroud of Turin, which is evidence of Christ's suffering, death, and resurrection, and to receive a free e-book now available in several languages, go to http://www.theshroudofturin.org/freebook. Also the book NAZAH: White Linen and the Blood of Sprinkling, written by Dr. Stevenson, is available on Amazon.