The last days of history -Part 5

Although sin and rebellion were not the rule in their lives, nor had they entered into the serious immorality and unrighteousness that would separate them from God’s kingdom (1Cor 6:9-11; cf. Gal5: 21; Eph5: 5), these worldly Christians were behaving in such a way that they were no longer growing in grace, acting as if they were new converts, who did not yet understand the full implication of salvation in Christ (1Cor3: 1-2). Their worldliness was expressed in “envying, and strife” (1Cor 3:3). They were indifferent to and tolerant of immorality within the church (1Cor5: 1-13; 6:13-20). They did not take God’s Word or His apostle with utmost seriousness (1Cor4: 18-19). They were going to law courts over trivial matters (1Cor 6:6). Note that Paul considers the Corinthians who had entered into sexual immorality or other gross sins to be excluded altogether from salvation in Christ (1Cor5: 1,9-11; 6:9-10). (2) THE PERILS OF WORLDLY CHRISTIANS.

These worldly Corinthian Christians were in danger of being led astray from sincere devotion to Christ (2Cor11: 3) and being more and more conformed to the world (2Cor6: 14-18). Because of this, they would be chastened and judged by the Lord, and if they continued to conform to the world, they would ultimately be excluded from God’s kingdom (1Cor 6:9-10; 11:31-32). In fact, spiritual death had already occurred for some of them, who had committed flagrant sin, leading to spiritual death (1 John 3:15, 5:17 cf. Rom8: 13; 1Cor5: 5; 2Cor12: 21; 13:5). (3) THE WARNINGS TO WORLDLY CHRISTIANS. (a) Worldly Christians must know they are in danger of departing from the faith, if they are unwilling to put to death the sinful nature with its passions and desires (Gal5: 24; cf. Rom6: 16; 1Cor6: 9-10; Gal5: 19-21; 6:7-9). (b) They must learn from the tragic example of the Israelites whom God destroyed because of sin (1Cor 10:5-12). (c) They must understand that it is impossible to participate in the things of the Lord and the things of Satan at the same time (Mat6: 24; 1Cor10: 21). (d) They must separate themselves completely from the world (2 Cor6: 14-18) and purify themselves “from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God” (2Cor 7:1).
(3) Warnings About “The Day Of The Lord”
Key verse

“Let the rivers clap their hands; Let the hills be joyful together 9before the Lord, For He is coming to judge the earth. With righteousness He shall judge the world, and the peoples with equity.” (Ps98: 8,9)

“He is coming to judge the earth.” This verse will find its ultimate fulfilment in our Lord’s return to judge the world (see Rev19-22), eliminating sin and sorrow, and renew the heavens and earth. Nature itself will rejoice (v8), as it participates in the final redemption, when Christ rules the earth in righteousness and justice (Isaiah55: 12-13; Rom8: 19-22).

“Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle…by way of reminder), 2that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior, 3knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, 4and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.” 5For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old… 6by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. 7But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.” (2Pet 3:1-7).
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