1Timothy 4:1-3
Tomorrow’s Headlines
What would you do if you could see tomorrow’s headlines today? The
entertainment industry has created movies and television series that
deal with that theme. They present different scenarios where people
learn that something bad is going to happen and then their hero
works to change that future. That’s not what I am talking about.
I am talking about knowing the unalterable, unchangeable future—a
future that is written in stone and cannot be changed, altered,
delayed, or hurried. What would you do with such knowledge? Nothing?
I hope not. I hope you would first want to help yourself and then
help others.
The Bible gives us such knowledge—not in fine details, not with
specific dates and times and places, but it does tell the future,
and much of what it says is happening today.
I. Faith Will Recede
1Tim 4:1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that
in the latter times some shall depart from the
faith….
A. When the Bible speaks of faith, it is speaking of believing
in Jesus Christ, who He was and what He did for us.
Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to
please him….
Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through
faith….
Joh 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath
everlasting life: and he that believeth not the
Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God
abideth on him.
B. So the Bible is telling us that some will cease to believe
we are saved by faith in Jesus Christ alone.
C. If you reject faith in Jesus, what is left?
1. an alternate-savior salvation
2. a work-oriented salvation
D. The alternate-savior salvation has been around for a long
time.
Mt 24:24 For there shall arise false Christs,
and false prophets, and shall shew great signs
and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible,
they shall deceive the very elect.
Gal 1:6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed
from him that called you into the grace of
Christ unto another gospel:
7 Which is not another; but there be some that
trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of
Christ.
8 But though we, or an angel from heaven,
preach any other gospel unto you than that which
we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any
man preach any other gospel unto you than that
ye have received, let him be accursed.
E. So has the work-oriented salvation.
1. That is what Paul wrestled with most often in presenting
the gospel of Jesus Christ to the lost.
2. Everybody believed you had to keep commandments to be
saved.
3. In this text, Paul was preaching that there would come a
resurgence of the work-oriented salvation.
a. \\#3\\ "Forbidding to marry" - Someone will create
rules to tell you who you CAN NOT marry. As far as I
know, that has not happened yet, but it will.
b. "commanding to abstain from meats" - This is an
old one.
(1) People will put themselves under the Old
Testament dietary laws again.
(2) Those who do not eat accordingly, will be told
they are lost.
(3) So we can look forward to some giving new laws
that must be kept for salvation while others
revive old laws.
(a) Of course both of them are an attack on
faith in Jesus Christ.
(b) This is happening all ready.
(c) People who say the only day to worship is
the Sabbath, that we must use Old Testament
names for God and Jesus, that non-Biblical
holidays are demonic… all of which is
based purely on people’s "reasoning" and
all of which is in fulfillment of what Paul
said was going to happen.
F. Listen:
1. No one today is going to come up with something NEW and
ESSENTIAL about God, salvation, or worship—not after
2,000.
2. The new translations, new churches, new forms of worship,
new doctrines—all of them are part of Satan’s end-time
deception.
3. Ask yourself, why would God have allowed the truth to be
lost for thousands of years and now be revealing it to
this generation.
(a) If the gospel that has been preached for 2,000 years
is corrupt, then there is no salvation.
(b) If the manuscripts that have been preached for 2,000
years are corrupt, then there is no Word of God.
(c) If the worship that has been practiced for 2,000
years has not pleased God, then there is no pleasing
God.
4. The command given to the church today is not to seek a
new ANY THING but to keep and guard the old.
Jude 3 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to
write unto you of the common salvation, it was
needful for me to write unto you, and exhort
you that ye should earnestly contend for the
faith which was once delivered unto the saints.
Re 22:18 For I testify unto every man that
heareth the words of the prophecy of this book,
If any man shall add unto these things, God shall
add unto him the plagues that are written in this
book:
De 4:2 Ye shall not add unto the word which I
command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from
it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD
your God which I command you.
II. Satanic Influence Will Increase
1Tim 4:1 …giving heed to seducing spirits, and
doctrines of devils;
A. Admittedly, that is a difficult headline to recognize.
1. One has to ask, "How is a person who is separated from
God and depraved supposed to behave?"
2. The answer is badly.
3. So how could anyone know they were being influenced by
demons?
4. Mostly, they would not.
5. I think that is where we are today.
B. The lost world is being influenced by demons but few
recognize it.
1. Demons of hatred, rage, and violence
a. I speak specifically of the United States now although
I believe it is true of other nations as well.
b. America has become a nation of uncontrollable,
aggressive, rude, argumentative, loud, arrogant,
proud, cocky, and mean people.
c. It is amazing that FBI statistics show violent crimes
have decreased since 2009.
(1) First, I suspect that they have reclassified some
crimes and that statistic is merely a paper
trick.
(2) Second, if violent crime has decreased it could
only mean violent crime against individuals
because mass shootings, knife attacks, and group
vehicular homicides are UP.
d. It is the devil and his demons.
2. Demons of foolishness and illogic
a. There are so many examples of foolishness being
accepted and promoted that it is astonishing.
b. If I were to elaborate on them, someone would say that
I am being too political.
c. So let’s just stick with strictly Biblical issues.
(1) abortion
Psalm 139:13 …thou hast covered me in my
mother’s womb.
14 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and
wonderfully made…
15 My substance was not hid from thee, when I
was made in secret, and curiously wrought…
16 Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being
unperfect; and in thy book all my members were
written, which in continuance were fashioned,
when as yet there was none of them.
(2) creation
Gen 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven
and the earth.
(3) socialism
2Thess 3:10 For even when we were with you, this
we commanded you, that if any would not work,
neither should he eat.
(4) child rearing - The Bible addresses everything
from discipline to teaching and training a
child.
(5) sexual gender
Ge 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in
the image of God created he him; male and female
created he them.
(6) marriage
Mr 10:7 For this cause shall a man leave his
father and mother, and cleave to his wife;
d. The Bible and LOGIC tells us the truth about each one
of these, but the world has gone mad.
e. All I will say is, "People are being possessed and
influenced by the devil.
3. Demons of mental and physical disease
a. The demons in Jesus’ day case their hosts into the
fire. The demons in our day are casting everyone
into the fire.
b. Much of what the world causes sick is the devil.
C. But it is not just the lost who are being controlled and
influenced by the devil. Those who call themselves
Christians are too.
1. I do not know who is saved and who is not, but there are
an awful lot of people who call themselves a Christian
who are advocating some every devilish viewpoints.
a. Christians advocating homosexual preachers and
churches?
b. Christians saying there is more than one way to
heaven?
c. Christians doubting the reliability of the Word of
God?
d. Christians perverting worship into man-honoring,
fleshly entertainment?
2. All of that is the devil and it is NOT how Christians are
supposed to behave!
III. Man’s Conscience Will Become Seared
A. While it may be difficult to determine where man’s evil ends
and demonic influence begins, it has not been difficult to
see how seared man’s conscience has become.
B. Mankind will have no shame, no regret, and no guilt.
1. The problem is that our conscience is our personal,
internal shock collar.
2. If it is not working correctly, we are liable to do
anything!
C. Examples:
1. July 3, 2018 - Capital Gazette shooter said he would kill
as many as possible. He killed five.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/jul/03/maryland-capital-
gazette-shooting-jarrod-ramos-threatening-letters
2. July 2, 2018 - Three-year old dies after being stabbed at
her birthday party. Eight others were wounded, five of
them were ages 4 through 12.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/jul/02/idaho-three-year-
old-birthday-party-stabbing
D. People lay the blame on drugs and unemployment, but the Bible
tells us what the problem really is.
a. People have a dead conscience.
b. It will continue.
These are not all of the headlines, just the first three; but the
unique things about these headlines is that they could be written in
any US newspaper today and few would dispute them. Yet, Paul clearly
lists these as events of the "last days."
Friend, you and I are further along that some are willing to admit.
I’m not finished but I return to the question with which I started.
What would you do?
I hope you would:
1. Be certain that you are saved.
2. Do what you can to turn as many people as possible to the Lord
Jesus Christ!
<OutlineIndex>
<Close Window>
