DRIFTING INTO DARKNESS

                                                                                                                                                               by W. G. Guy
          In my close to eight decades of living in these United States I have noticed that for the past five or more decades this nation has been drifting farther and farther away from God, Christianity and Godly morals and values and heading into the darkness.  In fact, for the past decade this nation has been running full speed away from our past moral values, the Christian-Judeo values established by our forefathers, and toward the pit of darkness. This appears to be done by a set agenda of those in leadership positions in government, education, and entertainment.

          Consider that darkness is the absence of light, and a light shines into the darkness that darkness flees.  Jesus is the light of the world and called his followers shall not walk in darkness but reflect that same light.

John 8:12 – Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

          Of even greater concern to me is that the institutionalized church and some denominations are also in this horrible drift into the darkness.  It is as though they have anchored their souls into the world instead of being anchored into Christ and His Word.  It’s a terrible thing to see churches and denominations embracing and supporting sinful behavior such as homosexuality, same sex marriage, transgenderism, and abortion along with a host of other classical forbidden behaviors.

          During a recent prayer time and meditation on the Word of God I was seeking why this is happening.  I found the answer is clearly written in the Bible about how things will be in the time just before the return of Christ:

Matthew 24:11-12 –And many lying prophets (preachers and teachers) will arise, deceiving multitudes and leading them away from the path of truth.  There will be such an increase of sin and lawlessness that those whose hearts once burned with passion for God and others will grow cold.  (The Passion Translation)

          Here we see that the cause of this drift into darkness in the church is due to leadership that preaches something other than the truth of the Word of God, and Jesus Christ as savior, causing people to believe false doctrines. 

2 Thessalonians 2:10-12 – because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.  And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:  that they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

          In these churches and denominations there is no more love of truth; no more love for the Word; no more love for Jesus and God the Father; no more separation from the world; and no more holiness in these churches.  They can no longer even be considered as churches but more like social clubs or fraternal organizations.  They certainly can have no positive impact on the world as the world now has the impact on them.

1 John 2:15 – 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.

          They fail to teach on separation from the profane but have instead embraced the sinful behavior and justify themselves with vain carnal rationalization of human and worldly understanding.

2 Corinthian 6:17 – Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,

          Another condition that I observed in many churches today is what I call “casual Christianity”. This condition seems to be prevalent where the Bible and the  worship of Jesus Christ and our Heavenly Father is not taken seriously.  They treat everything in their services as a casual endeavor; they even dress casually and use what is called “casual prayer”.  Why can’t they act and behave with full dedication to our Lord and worship Him with full respect?

          Full well have true prophets and preachers of God, like David Wilkerson and others, declared that in the last days that only remnant will be the ones who show themselves as Gods true servants.  They will be the ones who stand against the darkness and be the light of the world to carry the gospel of Christ into the world; even against the opposition that is sure to come, (and in many cases is already here).

Matthew 24:13-14 – But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.  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.

          Church – it is time to repent of your worldliness, lukewarm-ness and sin.

 Romans 13:11-14 –  And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.  The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.  Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.  But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.

          Failure to do so will find casual Christians casually enveloped in darkness with the rest of the world and will be as the five foolish virgins who missed out on entering into the celebration when the bridegroom (who represents Jesus) comes; because their light went out.

Matthew 25:6-12 – And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.  Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.  And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.  But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.  And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.  Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.  But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.

          And to the lukewarm church the warning to repent needs to be taken seriously:

Revelation 3:16-19 – 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.

          Failure for such churches and denominations to repent and return to God and truth means they will suffer the consequences because God will not take lightly to their defilement:

1 Peter 4:17 – For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?  And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?

​          The next thing to deal with is for the righteous remnant of the church to get out from behind the four walls of their church building and carry the light with them out into their work places, into their schools and into their neighborhoods.  This gospel of Jesus Christ and His light must go out into all the world – then the end will come!