In Matthew 24:12, Jesus makes a very sobering statement about the devastating effect increasing lawlessness can have on someone’s loyalty to Jesus: “Because of the increase of wickedness the love of most will grow cold” (NIV). However, he then adds in verse 13: “But he who endures to the end will be saved” (ESV). What can we as followers of Jesus do to help one another keep our love for the Lord strong and fervent in the midst of increasing lawlessness?
New Testament 
Luke 18:6-8; 2 Peter 2:1-2; Revelation 3:17-20

Tim Miller

Crisis

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<li class="li1">We must be careful in these days to discern false messages and ideologies that undermine the gospel</li>
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1 But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. 2 Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. (2 Pt. 2:1-2, NIV)
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<li class="li1">At present there are a number of ideologies making inroads into the church at various levels and with various degrees of destructiveness. As with many philosophies historically, a number of these make some valid points. However, when we dig deeper, we find that there are some very sinister forces and unbiblical ideas at work. A lot of people within the church are turning toward the back of the elevator. We must be on our guard. Here are just a few examples:
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<li class="li3">Critical Theory (which provides the ideological underpinnings of “Wokism”): Despite some valid points, it ultimately works to undermine the gospel by the way it classifies, defines, and valuates reality, group and individual identity, language, human nature, norms and standards, evil, oppression and liberation, justice and injustice, knowledge and truth, the terms and basis of moral authority, etc. Because of the way it virtually puts the members of certain groups of human beings beyond the pale of mercy, forgiveness, and sanctification, it is ultimately a direct assault on the power, value, glory, and worth of Jesus’ death on the cross. It is sometimes easy for believers to get confused; similar words sometimes used (e.g. “justice”), but under the surface, very different meanings at work. Can’t go into all the details here, but I would encourage you to check out Neil Shenvi on this topic: <a href="https://shenviapologetics.com/topic-culture/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://shenviapologetics.com/topic-culture/</a>. Rod Dreher’s Live Not by Lies is also very insightful. Also, here is a link to a short and helpful video called “What Would You Say, Is Critical Theory Biblical?”: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&amp;v=DAABuCC96tI&amp;feature=youtu.be" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&amp;v=DAABuCC96tI&amp;feature=youtu.be</a></li>
<li class="li3">“Deconstruction”: Becoming a bit of a fad; not sure how many people who use it really understand the intellectual history and cluster of ideas behind it. Rooted in post-modern philosophies and ideas; among the conceptual tributaries feeding Critical Theory. Again, despite has some valid points, but ultimately degenerates into factual and moral relativism. “The imperative of postmodern approaches is to study the discourses of society, to find the Foucaultian power-knowledge, invert the Derridian binaries, and empower the Lyotardian mini-narratives.” Let me translate: On the assumption that there is no one big-picture story that defines reality, everything is fair game and up for redefinition. Whoever controls language shapes reality and what society considers to be knowledge; assuming that there is no actual, objective truth, all knowledge is reduced to power. There is a demon hiding under every word, and we have to cast it out, lest someone oppress us by imposing their norms on us. If we don’t like something, we tear it apart and redefine it. Essentially, some non-Biblical vision of reality is set up as a standard (relativistic philosophies always involve glaring contradictions!), and then people sort through the various contents and teachings of the Bible, throwing out, redefining, particularizing, or relativizing what they find offensive. For example:</li>
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Union Theological Seminary Tweet (5 Sept. 2018). “While divinely inspired, we deny the Bible is inerrant or infallible. It was written by men over centuries and thus reflects both God’s truth and human sin &amp; prejudice. We affirm that biblical scholarship and critical theory help us discern which messages are God’s.”
Some refer to this phenomenon as “progressive Christianity.”  This sounds great, right? Who doesn’t want “progress” and improvement? The question, of course, is: Progress by whose definition and in whose eyes? If we call something progress but God does not, then we are actually regressing. What the world calls “progress” (think Tower of Babel), God calls foolishness and compromise. Don’t turn around on the elevator and ride the deconstruction bandwagon just because some famous Christian celebrities do. Get ready to be called a “fundamentalist.” Don’t let it bother you. On this topic I would recommend the book Another Gospel? by Alisa Childers. She also has a podcast.
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<li class="li3">Therapeutic models: Our culture is obsessed with comfort, avoidance of difficulty, and naval-gazing. In the media sin is constantly being presented in therapeutic terms as a “phobia.” Though the social sciences and things like personality tests can provide helpful insights, it is the gospel that determines our standard of conduct. Repentance, obeying Jesus’ commands, enduring hardship, and letting the Holy Spirit wash us and mortify sin, etc., is the true path to freedom. Relying too much on therapeutic models and using them in wrong ways can undermine, undervalue, and misinterpret God’s work in peoples’ lives. E.g., Meyers-Briggs (started driving me crazy when I was in my twenties); or the Enneagram. Like many things, the Enneagram can have some helpful things to say. But it can also go to bad places. Very popular among “progressive” Christians. For a critique, see 
<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-alisa-childers-podcast/id1260262855?i=1000493564951" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-alisa-childers-podcast/id1260262855?i=1000493564951</a> (Alisa Childers interviewing Marcia Montenegro, a believer who was once an astrologer). Just be cautious and discerning.</li>
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<li class="li3">“In therapeutic culture, which has everywhere triumphed, the great sin is to stand in the way of the freedom others to find happiness as they wish….Christian resistance on a large scale to the anti-culture has been fruitless, and is likely to be for the foreseeable future. Why? Because the spirit of the therapeutic has conquered the churches as well—even those populated by Christians who identify as conservative. Relatively few contemporary Christians are prepared to suffer for the faith, because the therapeutic society that forms them denies the purpose of suffering in the first place, and the idea of bearing pain for the sake of truth seems ridiculous.”</li>
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HOLDING FAST TO THE GOSPEL AMDIST INCREASING LAWLESSNESS

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<li class="li1"> These things are particularly important at the end of the age</li>
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6 And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7 And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8 I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith (Gk. tēn pistin; “that faith” [HCSB]; “that kind of faith” [BHT]) on the earth (or “in the land”)?” (Lk. 18:6-8, NIV) 
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<li class="li1">He is knocking</li>
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17 Because you say, “I am rich and prosperous and in need of nothing,” failing to realize that you are in fact wretched and pitiable and destitute and blind and naked, 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold made hot and purified by fire, so that you may be truly rich, and white garments to wear, lest this shameful nakedness of yours be exposed in front of everyone, and salve to put on your eyes, so that you may be able to see. 19 ‘As for me, it is to as many as I love that I bring correction and discipline. So be earnest and repent! 20 Listen! I am standing at the door and knocking. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come into his home and share a meal with him, and he with me. (Rev. 3:17-20)

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