Article 46
By Steven J. Hogan
Do you notice all the sin, evil, and wickedness, and that it’s getting worse and worse? Do you see how many people not only accept this sin, but promote it, and are now even legislating it, making it legal in our country? One news person had it right when he said they are “mainstreaming crazy.” But God is not surprised when He sees the sin and that it’s increasing. He knows this present age is an “evil age” (Gal. 1:4), and that “the whole world lies in the power of the evil one” (1 John 5:19). And He knows how sin and evil grow in a country, and specifically what’s been going on in the United States for the past 50-60 years. It truly is the downward spiritual spiral described in Rom. 1:18-32, a progression marked by the open rejection of God leading to sexual sin, perversion, depravity, wholesale idolatry, and sinners “being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil…” Romans 1:29
Those last few sins are from Rom. 1:28-31, and its but one of many lists that God gives us in His Word. You see, He wants us to know that sin is our primary problem, and what must be dealt with or else. Of course, sin is talked about in the entire Bible, from Gen. 2 to Rev. 22, but there are numerous lists detailing specific sins. And you need to know them so you can know what God hates, so you can stay away from sin, so you can help other Christians, and so you can point them out as you share the gospel to unbelievers. I encourage you to look at these different lists: there’s Rom. 1:28-31, along with Mark 7:21-22, 1 Cor. 6:9-10, Gal. 5:19-21, Eph. 5:3, Col. 3:5, 2 Tim. 4:2-4, Tit. 3:3, and Rev. 22:15.
It’s one thing to see these sins on the pages of Scripture, but it’s another thing to see them lived out in the world around us. I assume you are saddened and sickened by all the evil that’s in the world. As a child of God, you know what it means to be holy, and you shouldn’t like or accept the sin that’s in our cities, schools, businesses, and government. But now it’s quite apparent that sinners are becoming increasingly sinful. In fact, Matt. 24:12 informs us that in the end-times, “lawlessness is increased”, which means sinners will be sinning more and more the closer we get to the coming of Christ. Compounding all this is the fact that the Antichrist will soon appear, one who is actually called the “man of lawlessness” (2 Thess. 2:3). But what do we need to know as we see sinners and their sin becoming a greater plague to this world? Let me share with you some key lessons from God’s word on this subject of sin and sinners.
* Why sinners are sinners. They do not know God, they are not children of God and, in fact, are children of the devil (John 8:44-47). They have rejected God and rebelled against Him, which is the root of their sin (Rom. 1:18-32). They say there is no God – “The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God.’ They are corrupt, they have committed abominable deeds.’” (Ps. 14:1). They do not love God but instead love their sin – “Men loved the darkness rather than the light” (John 3:18-20). They sin because they have a sin nature – “nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh” (Rom. 7:18). They are controlled by their flesh and led astray by the world and the devil – “We too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and mind, and were by nature children of wrath.” Eph. 2:1-4
Sinners are not thinking right. That’s because they do not know and love God, but rather love themselves and their sin. “Men will be lovers of self… rather than lovers of God.” (2 Tim. 3:2-4). Many sinners do not believe there is a God, or else do not believe in the one true God. “The wicked, in the haughtiness of his countenance, does not seek God. All his thoughts are, ‘There is no God.’” (Ps. 10:4). Because they don’t believe in God and worship Him, then they don’t believe the truth, but instead believe the lies about God, Jesus Christ, creation, mankind, sexuality, heaven, hell, etc. In fact, many do not even believe there is sin and that they have sinned against God (1 Jn. 1:8, 10), and therefore do not believe they need a Savior. “They did not honor Him as God, or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations and their foolish heart was darkened… They exchanged the truth of God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator.” Rom. 1:22, 25
Because a sinner doesn’t believe in the one true God then his understanding of God is wrong. He says, “How does God know? Is there knowledge with the Most High?” (Ps. 73:11). “He says to himself, ‘God has forgotten; He has hidden His face; He will never see it.’” (Ps. 10:11). The sinner thinks he is wise, that he has the truth, but he is a fool, and is believing the lies which are so terribly wrong and, therefore, his thinking is wrong. “Professing to be wise, they became fools.” (Rom. 1:22). Those who continually reject God are given over to a depraved mind, a debased mind, and are “those who call evil good, and good evil, who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness.” (Is. 5:20). And we are noticing this more and more, for we are regularly witnessing this worldly and wicked way of thinking. It’s sad, but more than that, it’s Satanic, it’s pure evil to see sinners with such a sin-darkened mind and life. “Just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper, being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil… haters of God… inventors of evil… untrustworthy, unloving…” Romans 1:28-32
* Some sinners are worse than other sinners. As we live in this wayward world, we know of sinners who are outwardly, obviously, and unbelievably evil. Their speech and actions are ungodly, vile, perverse, hateful, immoral, abusive, sinister, murderous, and despicable. We all know about Hitler, Stalin, Mao, Castro, etc. And now we hear about all these wicked people in our own country, not as bad as Hitler, etc., but nonetheless, still very sinful. There are those who blaspheme God, who rail against Him, who hate and persecute Christians, who kill the unborn, and whose lives are filled with sin. “His mouth is full of curses and deceit and oppression; under his tongue is mischief and wickedness… In the hiding places he kills the innocent… He lurks to catch the afflicted” (Ps. 10:7-9). “He plans wickedness upon his bed; He sets himself on a path that is not good; he does not despise evil” (Ps. 36:4). Many passages in the Bible, especially in the book of Psalms, describe the lives of those who are extremely evil and wicked. Here are some of them: Psalms 5:9, 36:1-4, 55:9-11, 64:1-4, 73:4-9, 140:1-5
* Stay away from those who are evil and wicked. “How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers” (Ps. 1:1). Yes, you are to be “the salt of the earth” and “the light of the world” (Matt. 5:13-14), but that does not mean you should closely associate and be friends with sinful people. God wisely and lovingly instructs you to “leave the presence of a fool” (Prov. 14:7). He tells you, “Do not enter the path of the wicked and do not proceed in the way of evil men” (Prov. 4:14). And remember, “bad company corrupts good morals.” 1 Cor. 15:33
* Some sinners may not appear to be sinners. We read about the Pharisees who “outwardly appeared righteous to men…” (Matt. 23:27-28), about “false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ… as servants of righteousness” (2 Cor. 11:13-15), about those who are charming – “By their smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting” (Rom. 16:18). Be careful, for these deceptive sinners may creep into your church, “men who are hidden reefs in your love feasts.” Jude 8-13, Acts 20:28-31
* God will protect you from those who are wicked. Remember, God is your Father, and He wants to keep you from evildoers. Even Jesus prayed, “keep them from the evil one” (John 17:15). Also, you need to be humble and ask God to protect you and others you are close to. “Rescue me, O Lord, from evil men; preserve me from violent men who devise evil things in their heart… keep me O Lord from the hands of the wicked; preserve me from violent men” (Ps. 140:1-6, Matt. 6:13). “He who was born of God (Jesus) keeps him, and the evil one does not touch him.” 1 John 5:18. This doesn’t mean you won’t be affected by sinners, but that God will watch over you, and deliver you from evil, that which you know about and don’t know about, ensuring that you will make it to heaven. “The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and will bring me safely to His heavenly kingdom; to Him be the glory forever.” 2 Tim. 4:18
* The devil and his army of demons work through sinners. The devil uses evildoers to help him carry out his wicked work. It may be a so-called preacher, politician, teacher, or even family member. “In later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, by means of the hypocrisy of liars” (1 Tim. 4:1-2). We know that “Satan entered into Judas” (Luke 22:3). And in the end-times there will be this evil Antichrist, one who will be influenced by the devil like no one else – we will see sinners of the world who “worshipped the dragon because he gave his authority to the beast (Antichrist); and they worshipped the beast” (Rev. 13:4). So don’t be naïve, don’t believe everything you hear, be wise and discerning, for you don’t want to give the devil a foothold (Eph. 4:27). “Examine everything carefully, hold on to that which is good; abstain from every form of evil” (1 Thess. 5:21-22). And remember this promise – “the God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.” Romans 16:20
* Part of God’s plan is to work through evildoers. Throughout history, God has raised up people who do evil, and are used by Him for His divine and eternal purposes. The classic example involves Jesus Christ – “there were gathered together against Your holy servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose predestined to occur” (Acts 4:27-28). There’s the example of Pharaoh – “The Scripture says to Pharaoh, ‘For this very purpose I raised you up, to demonstrate My power in you, and that My name might be proclaimed throughout the whole earth’” (Rom. 9:17). That God uses evil people to carry out His purposes is an amazing display of His awesome power, wisdom, and sovereignty. Exodus 15:1-21
* God is sovereign over all evildoers and uses them for His purposes. Do you ever get upset when you look out at the world and there’s all these ungodly people doing all these ungodly deeds? It may seem like they can do whatever they want, and that no one will stop them. But remember, God is sovereign, always in charge, and there’s nothing a wicked person can do apart from what He allows and ordains him to do. Read about that super-proud, seemingly all-powerful Nebuchadnezzar, and you will learn how God humbled Him for seven years (Dan. 4). Note what he finally says, “All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, but He does according to His will in the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of earth; and no one can ward of His hand or say to Him, ‘What have you done?’” (Dan. 4:34-37). Another example of how God shows His sovereignty over sinners is with that most wicked man, the Antichrist, and his evil empire, for “God has put it into their hearts to execute His purpose…” Rev. 17:17
How are we to live in this world of wrongdoers? The chapter that best instructs us how to live in this sinful world is Psalm 37. “Do not fret because of evildoers, be not envious toward wrongdoers… Cease from anger and forsake wrath” (vss. 1, 8). These verses list out four things you are not to do – you are not to fret, be envious, get angry, or retaliate. You also learn eight things you are to do – “Trust in the Lord… do good… dwell in the land… cultivate faithfulness… delight yourself in the Lord… commit your way to the Lord… rest in the Lord… wait patiently for Him” (Vss. 3-7). This chapter that contrasts the way of the righteous with the way of the wicked also gives us hope, for the righteous will “inherit the land” (vss. 9, 11, 22, 29, 34), “abide forever” (vss. 27), and “delight themselves in abundant prosperity” (vs. 11). But the wicked will “wither quickly… be cut off… be no more… perish… vanish… be altogether destroyed…” (vss. 2, 9, 10, 20, 38). One of the most important keys to living for the Lord is given in vs. 31 – “The law of his God is in his heart.” As you live in this evil world, apply these truths to your life, and you will be a Spirit-filled, successful, God-glorifying Christian.
“Evil men and imposters will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived”(2 Tim. 3:13). When I observe the ways of sinful people, I often notice that they become more and more evil. There are criminals on the street who start by stealing and then end up killing. There are politicians becoming more extreme and evil in their positions, ones who are imposters, hypocrites, acting so nice when in fact they are sinners. There are corrupt business people who lie, cheat, and love their money but not God. And so, don’t be surprised when you see individuals becoming increasingly wicked. Now it’s happening all over, so much so that you have to confess that we live in a very sinful country. Sadly, sinners and sin will get worse, especially now that we live in the end-times, for we know what Matt. 24:12 says, “lawlessness is increased.”
But these truth-deprived sinners are not just growing more sinful – they are deceived. I often wonder if evil people really believe the evil things they say, and this verse says they do. They actually think they are saying and doing what is right when in fact, they’re saying and doing what is wrong. Let me again quote from Rom. 1:18-32 which describes a sinner’s downward progression to depravity – “Just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper.” Hardened, idol-worshiping sinners are convinced that what they believe is true, but their thinking is not right – they are dead wrong, they are out of their minds, they are insane. And it’s not just that they are deceived, but they are becoming more deceived. But the worst thing of all is that they are deceiving and fooling others, naïve people who believe their truth-denying lies.
* God will judge the wicked in His time. Always remember that the unrepentant sinner, the defiant wrongdoer, will be punished by God in the right way and at the right time. On this earth, God may use the governing authority, for it is a “minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil” (Rom. 13:1-4); and this is in addition to being severely and eternally punished in hell. Then there are those who suddenly and tragically die, and then go to hell, like that evil King Herod. “The Lord struck him because he did not give glory to God, and he was eaten by worms and died” (Acts 12:23). Or it may be that God lets them live wickedly their entire life, but they will not escape, for right after they die, they will perish, for God will then punish them for their sins (John 3:16). Ps. 37:35, 38 describes this person as “a wicked, violent man spreading himself like a luxuriant tree in it native soil. Then he passed away and he was no more… transgressors will be altogether destroyed.”
There’s also Ps. 73:3-5, 12, 19 – “I saw the prosperity of the wicked… there are no pains in their death… they are not in trouble as other men… these are the wicked; and always at ease, they have increased in wealth… How they are destroyed in a moment! They are utterly swept away by sudden terrors.” Be assured that God will punish sinners justly, in His way and in His time. “The way of the wicked will perish” (Ps. 1:6, John 3:16). “These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord” (2 Thess. 1:7-9). “Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil… These go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life” (Matt. 25:41, 46). One more thing you must know is that there are degrees of punishment in hell. “Woe to you Chorazin… it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for you.” Matt. 11:20-24
What do we say to sinners? There must be a solution, some answer to this problem, to this dreaded and deadly sin. Thankfully, there is. God is holy but also loving, One who delights to show mercy to sinners. But how can He do this? By sending His Son, Jesus, to this world to save the lost. About 2000 years ago, Jesus came to earth and became a Man, and as God and Man, He took our sins upon Himself, and by dying, He paid the penalty we should have paid (John 1:29). His Father, totally satisfied by the death of His Son as full payment for our sin, raised Him from the grave as proof of Jesus’ victory over sin and death (Acts 2:22-24). Being saved from your sins is not what you do but what God through Jesus Christ does for you. 2 Cor. 5:21 tells us, “God made Him (Christ) who knew no sin to be sin that we might become the righteousness of God.” Eph. 2:8-9 encouragingly says, “By grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourself, it is the gift of God.”
What does a sinner need to do to be saved from His sins? He needs to repent, to tell God he is truly sorry that he sinned against Him, and he needs to believe in Jesus Christ, that He died and paid the penalty for all his sins. “Christ died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring you to God” (1 Pet. 3:18). “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Rom. 10:13). If you are a sinner, if you have rejected God and rebelled against Him, if your life is a mess, if you have no hope, if you are depressed, if you have been proud, angry, selfish, covetous, immoral, idolatrous, or worried, then turn from your sin and turn to Christ. Do not trust in yourself or in your own “good works”, trust in Christ and in Him alone, for He only is the answer, a true Savior of sinners. Many examples of helpless and hopeless sinners humbling themselves and coming to Christ are found in the gospels. (Luke 5:27-32, 7:40-49, 15:11-32, 18:9-17, 19:1-10, 23:39-43). As you read these stories, you realize that Jesus didn’t turn any of these sinners away, but He loved them all and forgave them. And He won’t turn you away. Come to Jesus for forgiveness, for a relationship with God, for a life of purpose. Come to Jesus and follow Him, love Him, and serve Him. “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28-30). “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Mark 1:17
* Saintly living in a sinful world. God has adopted you into His family, you are His child, you are a saint, a holy one, and you are to live a godly life. The primary purpose of the epistles is to instruct you how you are to live for Him in this sinful world. Learn from God’s word, be filled with the Holy Spirit, and then you will be Christlike, and able to live a God-pleasing life. You will be loving, patient, forgiving, encouraging, and a good example to other Christians. Not only that, but you will be a light shining in a dark world, and ready and able to witness to the lost, to share the soul-saving gospel. “Be holy yourselves also in all your behavior” (1 Pet. 1:15). “You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light” (1 Pet. 2:9). “Sanctify Christ as Lord in your heart, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you” (1 Pet. 3:15). “Live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for the lusts of men, but for the will of God… The gospel has for this purpose been preached even to those who are dead, that though they are judged in the flesh as men, they may live in the spirit according to the will of God. The end of all things is near…” 1 Pet. 4:2, 6-7
* The devilish end-times’ deception of sinners. There will come a time when “they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name” (Matt. 24:9). There will come a time when “brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and have them put to death” (Mark 13:12). There will come a time when “they worshiped the dragon (the devil)”, when “all who dwell on earth will worship him (the beast)” (Rev. 13:4, 8). All these terribly evil things, and more, will happen, but how? How will a vast majority of those in the world become so utterly wicked?
You can’t miss the fact that this world is now very sinful, very evil. But from these verses, we learn that sinners will become even more wicked, that sinners will oppose the saints like never before. Christians and non-Christians will be polarized, on opposite sides, and with no middle ground. At that time, most people will be either for Christ or against Christ. Can you imagine what it will be like to be hated by all nations, be betrayed by a parent, brother, or child, and know that massive numbers of unbelievers are worshipping the devil and the Antichrist? Now we are not there yet, but by God’s word I can promise you, we will be.
Let me share with how this will happen:
1. There will be many false prophets, fake Christians, and other religious leaders who will deceive people and “mislead many” (Matt. 24:11). This false teaching will turn people from the true Christ and result in increased evil in their lives. “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees… you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.” Matthew 23:15
2. Matt. 24:12 tells us that this world is now becoming increasingly lawless and sinful. This sinful, downward, and irreversible progression we are witnessing will lead to that time when the world is filled with billions of terrible sinners.
3. The very presence and power of the Antichrist, that “man of lawlessness”, will lead to increased lawlessness in the world. 2 Thess. 2:3-8
4. There will be a time when sinners on earth are suddenly and greatly deceived, quickly becoming more evil than ever before. 2 Thess. 2:9-10 tells us about the “one (Antichrist) whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish.” Rev. 13:13-14 also explains this, saying, “He (2nd beast) performs great signs so that he even makes fire come down out of heaven to the earth in the presence of men. And he deceives those who dwell on earth because of the signs which it was given him to perform.” These false signs and wonders will cause sinners to be more sinful, bringing about this great hate for Christians, betrayal of family members, and people willingly worshiping the beast. Matt. 24:11 warns us, “at that time many will fall away and will betray one another.” 2 Thess. 2:3 calls this the apostasy, which must occur before the coming of Christ to rapture the church. Some suggest this falling away, this apostasy, happens over time and, while that may be true, I believe these false signs and wonders will accelerate that process.
5. God is sovereign over all this increased sinfulness, this global hate for Christians, and this great apostasy. From 2 Thess. 2:11 we learn, “God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false, in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness.” It is true that man and the devil are instigators of evil, and that they are totally responsible for all their wrongdoing, but it is also true that God, in ways man cannot understand, is sovereign over their sin. Man is sinful, and God is sinless, and sovereign over the sinners and their sin.
* What needs to be understood is that we now live in a very sinful world, but it is going to get worse, and then when we are close to the end of this age, to the coming of Christ, it will get far worse than we could ever imagine. All the sins from those lists of sins will be clearly visible, happening all over the world, in every city, and in most families. Sin will be totally accepted, and glorified. Sin will be out of control, uninhibited. Sin will be abhorrent, abominable, shocking, saddening, shameful, a sickening stench to Christians, and an unholy mockery of the living and holy God.
* This subject of sinners and God’s dealings with them needs to be understood. You must know that sin and sinners are the real problem in this world. And if you don’t know what they are like, what they do, and how God works in and through them, then you will be confused, discouraged, and won’t really know why the world is the way it is, and especially now that we are living in the end-times, the last years before the return of Christ. Don’t be surprised by the fact that that sin and sinners will increasingly get worse. And know that this is all leading to the arrival and presence of that most devilish sinner, the Antichrist, followed by the coming of our Savior and King, who upon His return, will rapture the church, and then immediately pour out His holy wrath on this most wicked world. Revelation 19:11-21
* What needs to be understood is the hope we have, a future that God has planned out for us. We live in an evil age, a very sinful age, and it’s not easy, it’s hard, we get tired, we get sick, we go through tribulation, and the enemy is against us, hates us, and may even kill us. We must have hope, we must know that it’s worth it to suffer for the Lord, that we will be rewarded, that life will be so much better, far better than we could ever imagine. “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him” (1 Cor. 2:9).
What is this hope, this future God has for us? 1. We will literally be with Jesus Christ (1 Thess. 5:10). 2. We will receive a brand-new glorified body (1 Cor. 15:40-42). 3. We will be with Christian friends and loved ones we knew on earth (1 Thess. 4:13-14). 4. We will receive an eternal inheritance (Col. 3:23-24). 5. We will have a beautiful, perfectly-suited home in heaven (John 14:2-3). 6. We will be specially gifted to serve God on earth and in heaven (Matt. 5:20-21). 7. Jesus Christ will be perfectly ruling over the world (Ps. 2:6-9). 8. We will be reigning with Christ during the millennial kingdom (Rev. 5:10). Indeed, “the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord” (Hab. 2:14). Having this God-guaranteed hope will encourage and strengthen your heart, and is a key ingredient that will enable you to persevere through the tough times ahead. As Christians, we should be super-excited and super-thankful, knowing we have this glorious hope, this absolutely amazing and unbelievable future.
* What are you to do now?
– First, remember that Christ is with you, loves you, protects you, and wants to use you for His purposes in these last years leading up to the coming of Christ. Matt. 28:19-20
– Second, make sure you are in a good church, that you have true friends, and that you are united with them for the Lord. Col. 4:7-17
– Third, know what God’s word says about these end-time’s days. Mark 13:23
– Fourth, love your enemies, love the sinners. Be a servant and a soldier. Be a bright light in this dark, sinful world, and be Christlike, be patient, kind, gentle, compassionate, humble. Col. 3:12-13
– Fifth, share the gospel, tell sinners the truth about the Savior, how they can be forgiven, and how they can escape the coming judgment on earth and a fiery judgment in hell. Col. 4:2-6
– Sixth, and most importantly, love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. Mark 12:30
– Seventh, have hope, knowing that its eternally worth it to serve the Lord, and that it won’t be long before you see Jesus, your loving Lord, Savior, and King. “Fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter 1:13