Matthew 24:12-13, New Living Translation

“Sin will be rampant everywhere, and the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.”

There is a war going on for our souls. Good vs evil, light vs dark, Christ vs. Satan. The wage of sin is death. The Bible tells us that, “Sin will be rampant everywhere, and the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.”

(Matthew 24:12-13, NLT)

The love of many will grow cold. “Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” (1 John 4:7-8, NLT) “This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all. So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth.” (1 John 1:5-6, NLT)

Without Christ and the love of Christ dwelling in us, it will be impossible to see heaven. It is the love of Christ that compels us to repent and turn to God, to do good, to love. Without love, there is no light, no hope, no truth. Think about it, when you have gone several days not reading your Bible without talking to the One who created you, how do you feel? Or perhaps you don’t know God and have never read His word. How do you feel at this very moment? 

Without good, there is no love, for He is love. The world will try to give us love. That love is a false love that gives us a false sense of security. When we let God in, when we let Jesus in, He brings love. His love is a light that reveals truth and gives hope. He gives eternal life. 

What is the truth? If you have accepted Jesus as your Savior, then you are a child of God. You are loved, redeemed, and a son or daughter of the King. You are blessed, chosen, His people and His inheritance (read Ephesians 1 and 2.) There are many promises in the Bible, waiting for you to discover! Don’t let Satan steal your victory! Don’t let Satan steal your relationship with Jesus! Don’t continue to walk in spiritual darkness! Choose to live! As we discovered last week, life lasts forever! 

Choose love because:

“Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.” (Colossians 3:14, NLT)

“But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!)” (Ephesians 2:4-5, NLT)

“Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins.” (1 Peter 4:8, NLT)

Choose love because Jesus loves you, He wants you. Choose love! Because when the world fails you, when it leaves you feeling unloved, empty, and lonely, Jesus is there to love you and to be in a relationship with you and to give you divine purpose that will never leave you empty or lonely.