When love grows cold

In talking about the last days, Jesus says something pretty chilling.

Because lawlessness will multiply, the love of many will grow cold. (Matthew 24:12)

The scary thing is, he says this of those who profess to be God’s people.

When it says lawlessness will multiply, I wonder exactly what that means.

Does it mean that lawlessness will multiply in the world to such an extent that some among God’s people will start to despair. They lose faith that God is good and their cynicism towards him and others turns their love cold?

Or does it mean that they themselves will be swept into lawlessness, rejecting God’s word  and living for themselves, thus turning their love for God and others cold?

I don’t know. But either way, we need to guard our hearts.

Guard your hearts against sin. Don’t let yourself slip into sin by making excuses for it.

When you harden your heart by making excuses for your sin, your love for God and others will inevitably grow cold.

And when you see the evil around you and everything looks beyond hope, don’t lose your faith in God.

Keep believing he is good. Know in your heart that the day is coming when Jesus will return and make all things right.

Jesus promises us,

…the one who endures to the end will be saved. (13)

So remember your hope.

This good news of the kingdom will be proclaimed in all the world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. (14)

The evil we see in this world will not last forever.

So by God’s grace, let us endure with hearts overflowing with his love, and proclaiming his gospel to this dying world.