SELFISHNESS :    A PROPHESIED SIGN OF THE ENDTIME!

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Copyright 1994 - 2013 Endtime Prophecy Net

Authored By  : Bill Kochman (aka The WordWeaver)

Published On : October 5, 1997

Last Updated : February 17, 2012

An Exposé On Modern Society, And A Sober Warning To Lazy Christians!



Almost two thousand years ago when writing to the young Christian congregation in Philippi, the Apostle Paul wrote in part:

"Let your moderation be known unto all men . . ."
Philippians 4:5, KJV

While Paul was applying this verse and those which follow it to his own situation and ministry within the early Christian movement, we would all do well to take heed to his admonition. If there is one thing which does NOT characterize many people living in our current time, it is moderation. Quite to the contrary; modern civilization is an unbridled society which lives in excess in many ways; particularly in the developed affluent world of the West were the mass media controls a person's every mood, and constantly bombards him with the pleasures of the flesh. As the Apostle John wrote in one of his epistles:

"Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world."
1 John 2:15-16, KJV

Western society is like a wild unrestrained teenager who is tasting personal freedom for the first time. But this can be dangerous, and may even lead to self-destructive tendencies and harm to both the individual and to society as a whole; as reading any daily newspaper will confirm. While modern development in our so-called "civilized world" has provided us with many benefits and conveniences, it has also robbed us of some of the essential virtues bestowed upon us by our Creator. Primary among these is love for our fellow man. This effect is easily observable by studying any remote society which has suddenly been exposed to twentieth century living. Many "backward" societies can attest to the moral, social and spiritual deterioration they have experienced once they have been introduced to the "blessings" of the outside world, the delicacies of the worldwide commercial system of Babylon the Great!

Since the very beginning of time in the Garden of Eden, this social problem has reared its ugly head. Before their exposure to corruption via the subtlety of the serpent, Adam and Eve lived a perfectly happy carefree existence. They had nothing to worry about. The Lord provided them with everything they needed; which was very little. There was no need for clothes, no need for a house, no bills to pay, no food shopping to do, and no broken-down car to fix. As a token of their love and appreciation for the wonderful world the Lord had provided for them, all God asked them to do was to take care of the Garden:

"And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it."
Genesis 2:15, KJV

The Earth was clean and pure, and so were they; or so it seemed. When Adam and Eve disobeyed the Lord at the serpent's behest, they were basically rejecting God's love and instruction. In essence, they were saying that the Father's gift wasn't good enough; that they weren't satisfied; and that they wanted more. In short, they were acting selfishly thinking that God was holding back on them. They were like young children who thought they knew better than their Parent. They replaced their love for their Father with love for themselves. Believing the lies of Satan, they thought they could improve their own condition and become as gods by partaking of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Instead, they opened up a Pandora's Box; the effect of which we are still feeling to this very day. This idea of being equal to or greater than God is the very thing which brought about Satan's fall in the first place:

"How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit."
Isaiah 14:12-15, KJV

This theme is discussed more in full in the series "Satan: King of Tyrus, King of Empires". Not only was Satan brought down by his pride, but it is this very same temptation to be as a god which Satan has used to tempt humanity down through history since the days of the Tower of Babel. Satan knows the heart of man, for as Jeremiah the Prophet wrote :

"The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?"
Jeremiah 17:9, KJV

Satan knows that if he tries hard enough, he will find those who will yield to their selfish pride. In fact, some day soon, he will find the perfect man to use, so that he can finally set up his physical kingdom on Earth, the Kingdom of Darkness of the Antichrist, or Beast!

When some time after The Fall, Cain rose up and slew his brother Abel in a jealous fit of rage, he was likewise acting out of love for himself and his concern for his own image before God. Even today Cain's selfish words ring in our ears:

"And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper?"
Genesis 4:9, KJV

When King David lusted after the beautiful Bathsheba, committed adultery with her, and then sent her husband Uriah the Hittite into the frontline of battle so that he would purposely die, David was also acting out of selfish love:

"And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king's house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon. And David sent and enquired after the woman. And one said, Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite? And David sent messengers, and took her; and she came in unto him, and he lay with her; for she was purified from her uncleanness: and she returned unto her house . . . And it came to pass in the morning, that David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah. And he wrote in the letter, saying, Set ye Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retire ye from him, that he may be smitten, and die."
2 Samuel 11:2-4, 14-15, KJV

When King Solomon displayed his wisdom by testing the two harlots who claimed the baby to be their own, he was also exposing the selfishness of the false mother who told Solomon to slay the young child:

"Then spake the woman whose the living child was unto the king, for her bowels yearned upon her son, and she said, O my lord, give her the living child, and in no wise slay it. But the other said, Let it be neither mine nor thine, but divide it. Then the king answered and said, Give her the living child, and in no wise slay it: she is the mother thereof."
1 Kings 3:26-27, KJV

When King Nebuchadnezzar was driven from his kingdom for a time in fulfillment of Daniel's prophecy, it was because God was dealing with him about his selfish pride as well. In the end, the king finally came to his senses when he said:

"Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase."
Daniel 4:37, KJV

When King Herod, in his futile attempt to murder the young Christ child, ordered the slaughter of all children two years old and under, he was likewise looking after himself, hoping to eliminate any future challenge to his authority:

"Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men."
Matthew 2:16, KJV

Things had gotten really bad by the time Jesus arrived on Earth. As prophesied by Daniel, the ruthless Roman Empire was in power. While there was peace on Earth, it was due to the iron-clad fist with which the Caesar's ruled their lands. Their level of tolerance for troublemakers was extremely low, and thousands found themselves crucified upon Roman crosses for daring to challenge the authority of Rome's pagan overlords. In addition to being a ravenous beast, a fitting picture provided by Daniel, the Romans were also an over-indulgent society given to wild parties and orgies. They probably gave new meaning to the term "hedonism". In light of this, it is easy to imagine what a stark contrast Jesus' life and message must have presented to those oppressed by the rulers from Rome. While they preached and practiced force and subjugation as a means to attain their goals, Jesus greatly emphasized unselfish love as the central thesis of His doctrine:

"Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."
Matthew 22:37-40, KJV

Is it any wonder then that in both the Old and New Testaments, Jesus' Birth, Life and Message were described as a Great Light shining upon those who sat in darkness?:

"The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined."
Isaiah 9:2, KJV

"The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up."
Matthew 4:16, KJV

John the Beloved likewise described Jesus' coming as a Light shining in the world:

"In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world."
John 1:4-9, KJV

In spite of Jesus' words two thousand years ago, today many again find themselves sitting in utter spiritual darkness, existing in a hedonistic society which is every bit as corrupt and spiritually polluted as Rome ever was. Western society is the epitome of egotistical living. It is an extension of the "Me First" generation. From the highest echelons of government to grassroots levels, modern society is plagued with corruption, greed and a total lack of respect for the rights and well-being of others. Many worldwide have succumbed to the symptoms of this dreadful disease. They will do whatever it takes to climb over others to make it to the top; to realize their ultimate dream of total, self-indulgent materialistic living. Sadly, this very situation was prophesied thousands of years ago, and given as a sign of the Endtime. While many people are familiar with the general signs Jesus gave in Matthew chapter twenty-four regarding the Last Days, such as wars, earthquakes, famines, etc., one sign which many overlook is the following:

"And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold."
Matthew 24:12, KJV

The "love of many shall wax cold." What a perfect description of our modern rat-race society. In this verse, the word "wax" is an Old English term meaning to grow or to become. No one can deny that we live in a world of indifference and apathy. The love of many for God and for their fellow man has indeed grown cold. Many choose to turn their heads the other way when confronted with crime and violence. This reaction is partially due to fear of retribution, as well as simply not caring about others. Not only have many lost their love for God and for each other, but they have also allowed that love to be replaced by fear; and fear is the opposite of faith. This theme is covered more in full in the article entitled "Dracula: Fighting Fear With The Word, Faith And Love". In writing to Timothy, the Apostle Paul likewise foresaw the evil conditions which would characterize the Last Generation before Jesus Christ's triumphant Return:

"This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For MEN SHALL BE LOVERS OF THEIR OWN SELVES, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away."
2 Timothy 3:1-5, KJV

What power-packed verses! For Paul to make such an explicit description, the Lord must have shown him some rather graphic visions of our time! The Apostle Peter likewise echoed this very same sentiment when he said:

"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, KJV

What a startling description of our present times, and what a tragedy! This is indeed the age of the Apostasy, the time of the falling away from The Truth in which many will begin to doubt the Second Coming of Christ. Having lost the fear of God, many have indulged themselves in existences of total self-gratification; doing whatever it does that pleases them. Further along in Matthew chapter twenty-four, Jesus gives another apt description of what society would be like just prior to His return:

"But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 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 24:37-39, KJV

In other words, many people will be living their lives business as usual. Some will have lost all hope of Jesus ever returning; if they ever believed in it to begin with! With a loss of hope comes a loss of faith; and with a loss of faith comes a loss of a fear in God. Thus, as in our present day, many live selfish unbridled lifestyles without giving a single thought to the consequences their actions might bring upon them. They engage in crime and violence, drugs, perverted sex, abortion, rape, killing and many other things we read about in our daily newspapers. Unlike the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, our daily newspaper is a bearer of sad tidings and bad news. Publishing companies have become rich from printing such negative material, and the people love it so! Many seem to enjoy reading about the misfortunes of others! They think it will never come near to them! Many Americans have become so proud, rebellious, self-righteous, and so defiant against God that they think they are invincible! Allow me to share some choice words with you from the Holy Scriptures to sober up some of you:

"For they have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace."
Jeremiah 8:11, KJV

"For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape."
1 Thessalonians 5:3, KJV

"Woe unto them that join house to house, that lay field to field, till there be no place, that they may be placed alone in the midst of the earth!"
Isaiah 5:8, KJV

"Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap."
Galatians 6:7, KJV

Someday soon, America will surely pay for her selfish living, which she has enjoyed at the expense of the sweat and blood of the poor of the world! Another way in which many in "Christian" America openly rebel and defy the Lord is by engaging in such practices as New Age thought, witchcraft, metaphysics, Wicca, and other demon-inspired activities. If these people would realize how they are preparing the way for the god of this world, the Prince of the Power of the Air, perhaps they would desist from their works of Darkness. These things are discussed more fully in other of my Endtime articles. The main point to consider is this: if time is indeed as short as many of us believe it is, what are you personally going to do about it? Are you just going to continue living your same old selfish existence just like everyone else who is trying to get ahead in the rat race? Or are you going to make a positive change in your life and dedicate yourself to doing the Lord's work? Jesus is constantly in need of more laborers, for as He said in His Word:

". . . The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest."
Matthew 9:37b-38, KJV

"Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest."
John 4:35, KJV

There are still many people who need to hear the Good News of the Kingdom, but it requires flesh and blood people to take the message to them. Even if you just pass out Salvation tracts each time you go out shopping, or whenever you visit your local park, it is better than what most Christians are doing right now. Many so-called Christians just huddle behind the closed doors of their little club called their "church" where they are fed pulpit platitudes by priests or ministers who are paid to lull them to sleep. They are happy with their "abundant life" and singing "God Bless America". Many of them don't have a clue as to what it means to serve the living God. It's time to wake up folks! There are many different methods one can use to share the Good News; they are only limited by your own imagination and personal motivation to get out there and do it. As I have stated in other articles, our Salvation is a free gift of God received through the Sacrifice of Jesus Christ; but Heavenly Rewards are only given to those who are faithful to do the Lord's work after they have accepted the Lord into their lives. So the choice is really yours. Are you going to selfishly continue to lay up your treasures on Earth in contradiction to the Lord's teachings?

"Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."
Matthew 6:19-21, KJV

Or are you going to be one of the smart ones who begins to store up rewards in Heaven by leading others to Christ?:

"For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works."
Matthew 16:27, KJV

"Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour."
1 Corinthians 3:8, KJV

"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, KJV

"And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be."
Revelation 22:12, KJV

It is time for all of us to stop being so selfish with our time and with our lives. We all need to begin to die to ourselves by doing some witnessing for the Lord. The Apostle Paul said, "I die daily":

"I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily."
1 Corinthians 15:31, KJV

It takes real humility to die to ourselves that others might live, but this is what the Lord requires of His servants. If we are truly filled with God's love instead of just love for ourselves, how can we not try to reach His Sheep in some way?:

"And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it."
Luke 9:23-24, KJV

"For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it."
Mark 8:35, KJV

The Apostle Paul tells us that we need to present our bodies as a living sacrifice. He wasn't referring to an actual sacrifice, such as when one sacrifices an animal on an altar; but rather, he was referring to giving ourselves in daily service to the Lord in some way. He was referring to submitting our wills and our lives to the will of God as these verses demonstrate:

"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."
Romans 12:1-2, KJV

If you are not willing to serve the Lord in some capacity, then you are just as guilty as the fat lazy shepherds the Lord prophesied against in Ezekiel chapter thirty-four. Those shepherds of the flocks of God were like many modern-day Christians who are quite content with their go-to-church-once-on Sunday service to God. They have been deluded by all this talk of the "abundant life" which isn't even what Jesus was talking about:

"The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly."
John 10:10, KJV

Jesus was speaking primarily of spiritual abundance, as previous verses have demonstrated. He was talking about laying up treasures in Heaven and NOT on Earth. Furthermore, He was talking about the coming Gift of Eternal Life, which all would have the capacity to receive once He fulfilled His Mission on the Cross. But sadly, many Christians today have totally twisted the meaning of the "abundant life". In fact, even back then in the First Century, the early churches were alright beginning to get sidetracked by materialistic living. Consider the warning the Lord gave to the church at Laodicea through John the Revelator. It sounds just like modern Roman Catholicism and many other religions which pride themselves in their wealth, power, influence and their ornate buildings:

"And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent."
Revelation 3:14-19, KJV

Jesus didn't say to hoard wealth selfishly; He taught us to share our riches, whether they be physical or spiritual in nature; and it is The Truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ which is the most valuable treasure that we possess! It is in giving of ourselves, in sharing our time and our lives through witnessing to others, and even by sharing our physical possessions when possible, that the Lord will bless and multiply for us; just as He did with the loaves and the fishes, or for the widow of Zarephath through the prophet Elijah:

"Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again."
Luke 6:38, KJV

In the Gospels, Jesus also spoke of a poor widow who was blessed more than the others because she gave of the little she had, whereas the others only gave a small portion of their great wealth:

"And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much. And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living."
Mark 12:41-44, KJV

Likewise, you will have no one to blame but yourself if you live your life selfishly, never sharing the Word of God, the true Spiritual Riches, with others, or never extending a helping hand to others when it is in your power to do so. Perhaps you are aware of the unfaithful steward who foolishly buried his one talent in the ground and didn't invest it in the Lord's Work as he should have:

"For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey . . . But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money . . . After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them . . . Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine. His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed: Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth."
Matthew 25:14-15, 18-19, 24-30, KJV

Are you like the unfaithful servant who was ashamed to preach the Gospel, who hid his talent in the ground? Are you more concerned with what others might think of you, instead of what God thinks of you? In other words, are you a man-pleaser, or are you a God-pleaser? If you are the former, then please take note of what the Lord says about such lazy Christians:

"Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels."
Mark 8:38, KJV

The prophet Daniel likewise shared similar thoughts when he said:

"And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever."
Daniel 12:2-3, KJV

With that sobering message, I am going to bring this article to a close. I hope it has been a blessing and an inspiration in your life; and that it will motivate you to do more for the Lord while there is still time. If you would like to read more about finding out the will of God for your life, please refer to the article "What is God's Will for My Life".

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