Troubling Poll Numbers Warn Of A Perilous Future

The following and troubling poll numbers showed in the following commentary item issues a stark and grave reminder that the root and foundational cause of our current political conflict is not merely political or economic but it is a spiritual conflict; a battle for the hearts, minds, and souls of men that affects the course of each life and ultimately the course of society; how we bring up our children, how education is taught, how news is reported, what our entertainment affirms, and finally, the nature of our politics and the kind of governance under which we live.
 
According to the latest poll numbers conducted by Pew Research, slightly less than half of millennials identify as being Christian, and nearly half of Gen Z views socialism in a favorable light [1] which bodes troubling and perilous times for America as we know it and for those determined to follow and faithfully serve Jesus Christ our Lord.
 
Scripture foretells of a time in the latter days of this present age when many would depart from the faith (2 Thess. 2:3) immorality and wickedness would increase, (Mt. 24:11-12, 2 Tim. 3:1-6) and when men would refuse to endure the teaching of truth that needs to be preached and heard, but instead would follow after those teaching and telling them only what they want to hear and find favorable instead of what they really need to hear.  (2 Tim. 4:3-4)
 
We are living in a time when that which the Lord God who made all things has declared good is being called evil and that which He has declared evil is being called good and what He has declared to be right is being called wrong and what He has declared wrong is being called right and that which He has declared to be of the light is being called darkness and that which He has declared to be of the darkness is now being called a product of the light.
 
That is because men no longer measure right and wrong on, light and darkness, good and evil, sacred and profane, purity and corruption, holiness and unholiness in accordance to either what they feel to be so or on the basis of what an authoritative and influential figure may declare and even without question, blinded to the fact that there is a law and standard higher than that of any man regardless of what position in life they may hold, ever so oblivious that as hands change and as opinions change, so do ideologies and doctrines, and so does the basis for determining what is right and wrong; good and evil and therefore from generation to generation, they are tossed to and fro by every idea and wind of doctrine because they have rejected the authority of their Creator who does not change with the times (Mal. 3:6) but remains forever the same (Heb. 13:8) and just as He remains the same, so does His truth of which He is the source and so do His moral laws and standards.
 
When men turn away from God, they consequently turn away from His law and moral standards and then give themselves over to anything and everything else and because the fear and reverence of God has been diminished, the people have become subject to the influence of another spirit; a spirit of lies, deceit, division, disorder, confusion, corruption, oppression, and darkness which has blinded multitudes to the truth of God which sets free those souls held captive and causing it to be suppressed in unrighteousness while poisoning minds and hearts with his lies.
 
That wicked and evil spirit has even infiltrated respectable and honorable institutions and has turned them into instruments to further his evil agenda but even worse, the Church which is supposed to be the moral and spiritual conscience of the world, which is supposed to be that light of Christ which illuminates the darkness and exposes all that is hidden thereby, and which is supposed to be actively preaching the full and pure Gospel of Jesus Christ to the entire world and call as many as possible to repentance, and which is supposed to keep itself set apart from the wickedness and darkness of this world, and is supposed be fear, reverence, and obey God above man, and which is supposed to stand firm against all evil, and which is supposed to keep to the affairs of Heaven and seek those honors and riches that come from Almighty God above that which is worldly, instead has kept silent, has been merging with the world, pursuing after worldly wealth and honors, has feared man more than God, has been caught up in worldly pursuits rather than those of Heaven, has neglected to preserve doctrinal purity and integrity within their ranks, (I doubt that many professing followers of Christ even know what that is anymore) and instead of holding their members accountable for behavior and conduct declared sinful and evil by God Almighty, they tolerate and even affirm such behavior.
 
And despite the scriptures being widely available, throughout western civilization, few followers of Christ ever take the time to read and study it regularly but instead receive their doctrine from a Pastor or seminarian not considering that what they are being taught runs contrary to the teachings of the divinely inspired scriptures (2 Tim. 3:16) by which the Gospel of Jesus Christ is delivered and by which we receive instruction for godly and morally upright living, learn who we are in Christ, what our duties to God are, the beginning of the history of our world and universe, how it came to be in its present state, and what the end fate of all of mankind will be for both the righteous and the wicked.
 
In fact, biblical illiteracy in some cases is so bad, that some Christians don’t even know what the Gospel is.  Those within the body of Christ who have not taken the time to read and study the scriptures for themselves and to measure everything they are reading, hearing, and being taught against the scriptures themselves, just as the Bereans did (Acts 17:11) when the Apostle Paul preached to them the Gospel of Christ, and therefore build their faith and doctrine upon that of men rather than that which comes from God.
 
And when confronted with challenges to their faith of an intellectual and philosophical challenge, they are ill-prepared to meet those challenges resulting in the faith of some being overthrown by elaborate falsehoods and in many being brought up in the faith to turn away therefrom.
 
And being either ignorant of or irresponsibly dismissive of the source of all the evil, suffering, discord, strife, unrest, conflict, violence, and wars that plague our world, they are then easily discouraged when faced with adversity and threatened with persecution on account of the name of Christ and so disgrace themselves and our King by their lack of faith and cowardice.
 
And then there be those who, because of the times in which we live, claim that it is pointless to resist the growing evil and therefore will do nothing against it but instead just allow the increasing darkness to prevail all the more and thus give away victory that they otherwise could have had.  Many professors of the faith claim to serve a God of victory and yet in their pessimism and apathy, act as though He is defeated when they should be conducting themselves as followers of a God who wins and will continue to win, and will always win.
 
Our role and work as a Church will not be done until the day the we hear the Trumpet sound and our Lord calling us up to Him (1 Thess. 4:13-18) when our bodies are changed from that which is subject to death to that which is no longer subject to death. (1 Cor. 15:51-55) For just as our own souls are cleansed from the stain of sin by the blood of Christ, so our bodies will also be changed into that in which sin has no dwelling.
 
But we should not be dismayed at the increasing evil or the darkening times.  That just means we need to work even harder on behalf of the Kingdom of Heaven.  It just means we need to be ever more the diligent in the business of our Father in Heaven, ever more focused on heavenly affairs and the world to come rather than on the cares and worries of this present life, all the more vigilant in guarding ourselves and our members from being led astray by lies and false doctrine, from being led into sin and corruption which will only bring disgrace upon the name of our Lord, all the more firm in our faith in the God who is able to provide for our needs, sustain us during difficult times, and deliver us from evil, all the more steadfast in our courage in the face of evil and any persecution that we may suffer or be threatened with on account of the name of Christ Jesus our Lord, and all the more zealous for our God and King.
 
I don’t know if the dismal poll numbers reported by the Pew research center can be reversed, but that doesn’t mean that we should not do everything we can in the name, power, and authority of the God who made us to reverse this dangerous and disheartening trend.
 
It cannot be denied that sin, when it reaches a certain measure, will end in judgment upon it and those who remain therein.  The evil of man and His rebellion against God is the reason why the world is about to enter into a time our Lord has described as being a time unlike another before it or will come after it and a time so terrible that it will take His return to earth to prevent all life from perishing. (Mt. 24:21-22)
 
But the hastening of the day of judgment and that hour of testing to come upon the inhabitants of the earth (Rev. 3:10) should not be because the Church was being complacent, lazy, apathetic, and cowardly.  It should not be because we did not fear and reverence God enough, or because we were not actively calling as many as can be persuaded to repentance in Christ like we should be.  It should not be because we were not careful to maintain our members through the teaching of the Word of God in its full counsel and the preservation of godliness, righteousness, and holiness amongst them, nor should it be because we were cowering before men and seeking after worldly approval when we should have been fearing God above all else and valuing His praise and honor above that of this present world, or because we were conforming to the ways of an unbelieving generation when we should be keeping ourselves set apart therefrom, and it should not be because we failed in to include and honor God in all things.
 
It should only be because men simply have no love of the truth and because they have set themselves at enmity with their Maker and have rejected His offer of redemption.
 
But if there is ever to be any Great Awakening, there must first be a Great Reformation within the body of Christ:
 
A Reformation that returns us to confidence in the authority of the divinely inspired scriptures by which we have received the Gospel of Jesus Christ
A Reformation that returns to biblically consistent and sound teaching within the body of Christ.
A Reformation in which the full counsel of scripture is taught and not just selectively and taught in a way so as to help congregants understand how what is being taught is relevant to them and to this day in age.
A Reformation in which biblically sound teaching is vigilantly preserved within the ranks of the saints and vigorously defended from anything that may undermine and challenge confidence therein.
A Reformation in which confidence in the authority of scripture is restored and in which scripture alone is counted sufficient for our doctrine and instruction in all things that it addresses.
A Reformation in which sin within the ranks of the saints is never tolerated or affirmed, but confronted and purged.
A Reformation in which success of a congregation is not measure in the strength of their numbers, but in the measure of their faithfulness and obedience to Christ.
A Reformation in which the fear of God is greater than that of man and His honor and favor are more highly valued than that of this present world.
A Reformation in which the Church learns what it is again to be set apart from the world and not conformed to it.
A Reformation in which the saints know who they are in Christ and what their duties are to Him and to the Kingdom of Heaven.
A Reformation in which hope is placed in the better world to come rather than in the things of this present life.
A Reformation in which the saints are made to set their sites on the wealth that comes from God and not the wealth that is worldly.
A Reformation in which there is unity in all things essential and tolerance is exhibited over non-essential matters.
A Reformation in which the saints include and honor God in all that they do and in every choice they make and do not treat their faith as being just a weekend hobby.
A Reformation in which the saints rely on God as their sole provider in every circumstance, their sustainer during trying times, and the one who is able to deliver them from evil.
A Reformation in which the saints find their purpose in the things of the Lord and not in the things of this present life.
A Reformation that inspires the saints to boldly preach the Gospel to all people everywhere in as often as the opportunity is given.
A Reformation in which the saints are inspired to remain courageous in the face of various forms of persecution.
A Reformation in which the saints are confident that any suffering endured or sacrifice made for the sake of the Gospel and of righteousness will not go unrewarded and their commitment to Christ will be vindicated.
A Reformation in which those who follow Christ will be well prepared to give a sound defense of the faith that they embrace.
A Reformation in which the saints live and act like followers of a victorious Savior.
And a Reformation in which it is clearly understood that we are engaged in a war for the souls of men knowing full well what enemy with whom we are at war, how formidable he is, what resources are at his disposal, and what his devices and strategies are so that we may be better prepared for his attacks against us which are rising in frequency and intensity as the time of the end draws near.
 
Once that Great Reformation takes place within the Church, then there will be hope for a Great Awakening that turns America back to God and perhaps other nations as well, but that reformation and that Great Awakening does not begin within the four walls of a place of worship or with a figure of authority, power, and influence.  It begins in the hearts, minds, and souls, of each individual person which then extends to entire households, and then onto each respective congregation, and from there, to the places of education, business, media, entertainment, and finally, the halls of government.
 
But if that Great Reformation does not begin within the Church, then there can be no hope of that Great Awakening that the saints in America have so prayed for, but if we do reform ourselves so as to return to that pure faith and doctrine the Apostolic generation adhered to, set ourselves to going about the business of preaching the good news of salvation to as many as are willing to listen, do all we can to persuade as many as possible to repentance in Christ Jesus without apology or compromise, strive to be that light of Christ shinning in the darkness that we are called to be, and act as that spiritual and moral conscience to the world on behalf of Christ that we should be, and the world continues to harden itself against the offer of salvation, persists in its rebellion against God, insists on taking pleasure in sin rather than in righteousness, and in aligning itself with dark spiritual forces against our Creator who is also the redeemer of our souls, then we can at least rest assured that we have done and are doing all that we can, and that we are being as faithful and obedient to our Lord and Savior as we can possibly be.
 
One thing for certain, is that the Church needs to be actively at work learning about not just what the appeal that dangerous and destructive ideologies such as socialism possess, but the consequences for any society that embraces such and expose it for the lie that it is but we also must find out the reasoning behind the mass departure from the Christian faith, make as sound and reasoned of a case for Christianity, and make it understood as to why it was necessary for Jesus to die on the cross for our sins.
 
But there are more damnable heresies and falsehoods that must be confronted and dealt with beside socialism.  Socialism is a grave threat, but it is only of many devices and cleverly crafted lies devised by Satan who is that great adversary of our Creator and it is by his various lies, deceits, and falsehoods, that he has blinded many, who might otherwise come to Christ in repentance, to that the truth of that Gospel that sets free the souls who embrace it.
 
And not only does Satan blind the multitudes to the truth, he will suppress in his wickedness, anything that might discredit his various lies and falsehoods and break his hold on the souls of them whom he has captured through his subtleties and most of the lost and unbelieving are unaware that Lucifer, that fallen angel, claims rulership over them until they give themselves over to Christ Jesus, call upon Him for the forgiveness of sins, and subject themselves to Him in all things.
 
Every soul won over to Christ is a blow to Satan’s power. Is it any wonder then that many of the saints all over the world have faced and still face ridicule, shaming, social ostracization, loss of livelihood, civic retribution, violence, torture, and even death for the sake of the Gospel and for their faith in Christ Jesus?
 
Is it any wonder that the likes of the Main Stream Manure Pile loves to magnify the faults and misdeeds of a few professors of the faith out of millions of Christ’s devoted followers to discredit the Christian faith in the minds and hearts of those who might otherwise repent and give themselves over to Christ?  Should we at all be shocked that the likes of Fartface, Boob Tube, Twitter, Vimeo, Instagram, and other big tech social media platforms have banned anything that challenges the favored narratives, political, philosophical, and spiritual leanings of their owners and operators?
 
And should it ever come as an unprecedented thing that the followers of Christ are mocked and vilified in our entertainment industry?  All of these things are done to hinder the spread of the Gospel and to turn the otherwise repentant souls away from Christ are Satan at work against the Church and what he is not able to destroy from without, he will infiltrate and try to destroy from within by tempting the people of God into sin to disgrace them, bringing against them adversities to discourage them, diverting them away from the service of Christ by causing them to get caught up in the worries and cares of this present life, by causing needless discord amongst otherwise united brethren, leading as many as he can astray from doctrinal purity with various false doctrines and heresies beyond count for the purpose of causing the faithful to lose confidence in the authority of the scriptures by which the Gospel is delivered and overthrow their faith, causing many within the Church to cower before their persecutors, to become apathetic, and even complacent which is why that as we go out into the world to call as many as can be persuaded to repentance in Christ Jesus, we must also be ever as hard at work in maintaining our members because the spiritual war that we are caught up in is not confined without, but it has also entered within the walls of the Church as well though most be unaware of it.
 
The most dangerous enemies that we will ever face are not those from without, but it is the enemies from within because the infiltrator blends in with the crowd and will act and conduct himself so as to appear to be one of us but all the while subtlety undermining our divinely appointed mission.
 
There is a reason we are admonished to study and know the scriptures diligently, (2 Tim. 2:16) why we are called to give an answer for the faith and the hope that lies within us, (1 Pet. 3:15) to earnestly contend for the faith, (Jude 3) to search the scriptures to determine whether or not what is being preached to us is true, (Acts 17:11) to test all things, (1 Thess. 5:21) and why the scriptures command us to hold accountable they among us whose conduct is displeasing in the sight of the Lord (Mt. 18:15-17, 1 Cor. 5) and they who would teach things contrary to what the scriptures teach. (Titus 3:10-11)
 
But because the Church has neglected to be vigilant in maintaining its members, sinful behavior and other acts of wickedness that should not be named among the saints have been committed by those claiming to be of us and a multitude of false doctrine and heresies now abound within the body of Christ to the point that not only have entire congregations have given themselves over to apostasy but entire ministries and denominations as well.
 
Not only are we charged with the task of defeating and discrediting every argument used against the Christian faith and giving a reasoned answer to every objection brought against the Gospel that we have been sent out to preach, but we are also charged with the task of purging our ranks of every false doctrine and false gospel that has been brought into the body of Christ by which many have been deceived and which have been used of the adversary to even go so far as to overthrow the faith of some and to turn from the faith those who have been brought up therein.
 
There are so many resources that effectively expose and discredit the myriad of false doctrines and heresies within the body of Christ, that present a strong defense for the authority and sufficiency of the divinely inspired scriptures, and which present an immensely powerful case for our faith yet few ever take the time to seek out and make use of those resources and if the Church is ever to have any hope of demonstrating to all that it bears just as much relevance today as it did when it was first established, then that is one of many crucial changes that must take place within the ranks of the saints and even if we do succeed at returning the body of Christ to adherence to the purity of the Gospel, to reliance upon the sufficiency and authority of the scriptures for our doctrine, and even if we do succeed in slowing and turning the tide of evil to a certain extent, and even if that should lead to the Great Awakening that turns America back to God and back into embracing the Gospel of Jesus Christ, we must be bear in mind that the enemy will regroup, re-strategize, and attack again.
 
We dare not take the victories we achieve for granted for such must be maintained lest we should lose what ground we succeed in gaining because that age-long war between God and Satan is destined to continue until the day that he and his followers face their final defeat when they are sentenced to everlasting torment when they are cast away into that lake of fire into which sin, death, and even hell itself will be cast at the end of time as we know it. (Rev. 20:10-15)
 
But until then, he will always be devising new ways, remaking old strategies, concocting new lies, and repackaging old ones to make them appear new and he will ever intensify his fight against God and His followers until he meets his final end for his days are ever so numbered which is why we must remain ever so vigilant for our adversary the devil roams like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. (1 Pet. 5:8)
 
And if there be any among you reading this who has yet to give yourself over to Christ Jesus that you may be forgiven of all of your sins, know that there is at this moment a battle for your soul and what side you choose in this age-long warfare will determine the course of your life and most importantly, where you will spend eternity.
 
This war began when Lucifer, a powerful angel who held a position as a cherub at the throne of God, thought in his pride to make himself equal to God but was consequently cast from his position in Heaven. (Is. 14:11-21, Ezek. 28:12-19)
 
He then, as the serpent, in all his subtlety, entered into the beautiful and peaceful world that God had created and over which he had set mankind. (Gen. 1:26-28) Before then, there was perfect harmony, unity, and fellowship between God, man, and even nature itself until the day that old serpent whom we call the devil or Satan deceived Eve, the first woman, into eating the fruit from a certain tree called the tree of the knowledge of good and evil which man was warned not to eat from lest he should die (Gen. 2:16-17, 3:3).
 
The first recorded lie in scripture was told by the devil when he told Eve that she would not die, but that in the day that she and her husband Adam, the first man, ate of that forbidden fruit, they would become as gods, knowing good from evil. (Gen. 3:4-5)
 
But when Eve, along with Adam, ate of that fruit, the world that God created was immediately changed because sin had entered into them and eventually died as a consequence and not only that, their relationship with God was not the same as it had once been because of their sin.
 
The sin that entered into them was then passed down to all of mankind because all of mankind is descended from Adam and Eve and because of that inherited sinful condition, all die (Rom. 5:12, Rom. 6:23) because that is the penalty for sin, but not only do we suffer a bodily death because of sin, we are also born estranged from our Maker because sin prevents us from having that perfect fellowship with God that we would otherwise have, but the consequences of sin has not remained confined to man, but has extended to all of creation itself was afflicted with a curse due to that one act of disobedience (Rom. 8:19-22) which is why the entire universe is in a perpetual state of decay and why death reigns over all of creation, especially over mankind.  It is also the cause of so much misery, suffering, pain, evil, unrest, conflict, and struggle.  And finally, the transgression of Adam gave Satan who led them into the transgression to claim lordship over all of the kingdoms and nations of the earth (Mt. 4:8-9, Lk. 6-7) which is why he is called the prince of this world. (Jn. 12:31, 16:11)
 
Sin affects more than we can comprehend and because it taints, perverts, and corrupts everything it touches, God, in His purity and holiness, has no choice but to judge and punish sin and all who remain in their sins, no matter how seemingly slight, and the penalty required for all sin is eternal punishment but God, in His love and mercy for us, is not willing that any should perish, but that all would come to repentance; (2 Pet. 3:9) redemption being provided in Christ Jesus who came to earth to offer Himself up as that required perfect sacrifice on our behalf who took upon Himself as He hung on the cross, that penalty of death and separation from the Father in Heaven and then was raised again from the dead for our justification in Him; (Rom. 4:25) both the demanded penalty for sin and mercy being satisfied in Christ so that anyone placing their trust in Him alone for their salvation may be forgiven of all of their sins.
 
And just as our souls are cleansed from in sin in Christ and reconciliation with God is made through Him, so we look forward to the day when these bodies of ours will be liberated from death when they are changed from a corruptible form to an incorruptible form (1 Cor. 15:51-55, 1 Thess. 4:13-18) in which dwells no sin, and finally creation itself will be liberated when it is made anew; a world in which there is no sin, death, or any curse, nor any kind of grief, sorrow, pain, misery, hardship, or struggle or evil of any sort because such will all be done away with.  (Rev. 21-22)
 
Only life, light, peace, joy, and happiness before the Lord God Almighty will be present in that new world to come and where you spend your eternity will be determined by whom you give yourself over to now and with whom you align yourself with.
 
Who and what will you give yourself over to today?
 
 
Morality or immorality?
Order or chaos?
Lawfulness or lawlessness?
Righteousness or unrighteousness?
Godliness or ungodliness?
Holiness or unholiness?
Purity or corruption?
Truth or falsehood?
Light or darkness?
Salvation or damnation?
Heaven or Hell?
God or Satan?
 
 
If you feel the call to repentance, even in the slightest, do not hesitate to call upon the name of Jesus today, for as it is written, now is the day of salvation.  (2 Cor. 6:2)  Do not allow anything to hold you back from repentance because there is nothing in this present life, regardless of what it might be, that is worth losing your eternal soul over because this life can end at any moment and the agonies thereof are but for a temporary time, but eternity is forever.
 
I urge you reader today, if you have not yet accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord, do not subject yourself to an eternity of torment nor follow Satan to eternal damnation but turn away from your sins, place your trust in Jesus for your salvation, and give yourself over to Him:
 
 
 
"Lord Jesus I need you.
 
 
I realize that I am a sinner
who has fallen short of the glory of God
and that my goodness falls short
of your standard of Moral perfection.
 
Please forgive me of all of my sins.
Come into my heart and into my life
to be the Savior and Lord of my life.
Make me into the servant and follower
that you want me to be.
In your name Lord Jesus, I pray.
 
 
Amen."
 
 
 
Know that God is not concerned with the words that you use to call upon Him forgiveness, but with the attitude of your heart and if you have, with all sincerity, have asked Christ to forgive you of your sins, placing your trust in Him only for your salvation and in nothing else, then your sins are forgiven and your place in Heaven is certain.
 
 
 
End notes
 
 
 
1.  Lt. Col. James Zumwalt, “There but for the lack of God, goes America,” WND, November 17, 2021
https://www.wnd.com/2021/11/lack-god-goes-america/?utm_medium=wnd&utm_source=jeeng
 
 
 
Scripture references:
 
 
 
1.  2 Thessalonians 2:3
 
2.  Matthew 24:11-12
 
3.  2 Timothy 3:1-6
 
4.  2 Timothy 4:3-4
 
5.  Malachi 3:6
 
6.  Hebrews 13:8
 
7.  2 Timothy 3:16
 
8.  Acts. 17:11
 
9.  1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
 
10.  1 Corinthians 15:51-55
 
11.  Matthew 24:21-22
 
12.  Revelation 3:10
 
13.  2 Timothy 3:16
 
14.  Jude 3
 
15.  1 Peter 3:15
 
16.  1 Thessalonians 5:12
 
17.  Matthew 18:15-17
 
18.  1 Corinthians 5
 
19.  Titus 3:10-11
 
20.  Revelation 20:10-15
 
21.  1 Peter 5:8
 
22.  Isaiah 14:11-21
 
23.  Ezekiel 28:19-22
 
24.  Genesis 1:26-28
 
25.  Genesis 2:16-17
 
26.  Genesis 3:3
 
27.  Genesis 3:4-5
 
28.  Romans 5:12
 
29.  Romans 6:23
 
30.  Romans 8:19-22
 
31.  Matthew 4:8-9
 
32.  Luke 4:6-7
 
33.  John 12:31
 
34.  John 16:11
 
35.  2 Peter 3:9
 
36.  Romans 4:25
 
37.  Revelation 21-22
 
38.  2 Corinthians 6:2