February 1, 2022
Regarding the last days of earth, Jesus said, “And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.” Matthew 24:12-14
There is an undeniable, inextricable connection between God’s law and His love, hence the equal and opposite connection between lawlessness and lovelessness. His church is to send the message to the world of God’s desire for the best good for people: the objects of His love! Oh, to love Him back! There is nothing greater. Our obedience to Him shows our love for Him – and the world sees Him honored, revered, and worshiped. But our enemy has made it his full-time job to interfere with that love relationship…
The first three-and-a-half years of the fledgling church, combined with the preceding three-and-one-half year ministry of Jesus fulfilled these prophetic words of Daniel: Then He shall confirm covenant with many for one week. (Daniel 9:27a) This was the climactic week of the seventy (Daniel 9:24). In the first half of that “week,” the covenant was confirmed personally by Jesus. He continued to confirm it to the Jews through His people. The tremendous feat of reaching the entire scattered Jewish world with the Gospel was accomplished. They were on fire with love for Jesus! God’s gracious provision of the promised opportunity to accept the risen Savior had been fueled by love. Many accepted the Messiah (see Acts 4:4). But, tragically, much of the leadership united in opposition. Once their official pronouncement, as a nation, of their collective rejection of Jesus was complete (Acts 7:57), the seventy weeks came to a close and the Gospel message began to go—on a large scale—to the Gentile world.
The first serious danger facing the infant church was not a threat from outside. Jesus addressed the problem thus: “I have this against you, that you have left your first love.” (Revelation 2:4) Oh, beloved, it is possible for our involvement in good things to move us away from the best and most essential thing! Without a constant and deepening love relationship with Jesus, even the good things we are involved in are marked with powerlessness to effect essential transformation.
This indictment to the infant church is striking, considering the accomplishments of the first three-and-one-half years. God’s will is restated thus in Deuteronomy (following the second giving of the law): “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children . . .” (Deuteronomy 6:5-7a)