We believers have the tendency to be good at pointing out all the ills and sins of society. (Luke 18:11) 

 We point to the world and shake our heads in dismay over all the darkness that seems to prevail today. A preacher can get a lot of head-nodding and audible ‘Amens’ when he begins to list how far our world or country has “fallen away from God”. It is not uncommon to roll out all the statistics and examples as evidence that demonstrates how this ‘deep darkness’ that Isaiah spoke of has come upon the earth. (60:2). And we shake our heads in agreement and bemoan how horrible this sinful world has become. 

 There’s just one little problem here we seem to overlook. 

 Do you recall back during the early days of creation when we are told that the earth was without form, and void...and darkness covered the earth? (Gen. 1:1-2). I would not be surprised if this was around the time of the rebellion in heaven where Lucifer/Satan and the angels who joined with him were thrown out of heaven and ended up here on earth. (Luke 10:18; Rev. 12:7-12) 

 But Genesis reveals to us that God spoke light in to existence...and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness.” (1:3-4). You’ll notice He did not call the darkness ‘good’, just the light. 

 I’ve always heard that a simple definition of darkness is it is the absence of light. That makes sense. Sit in a dark room and simply flip the switch so the light comes on and ‘poof’...there goes the darkness. It exits that easily. Darkness never prevails over light; it just simply makes its way in when the lights go out. It can be as quick as when there is a sudden loss of power and people start fumbling around looking for flashlights or candles. 

 And then it can also be gradual where you might be working outdoors and caught up in some project as the sun is going down and you seem to be unaware of how dark it is becoming. It almost sneaks up on you. But again, all darkness really is, is the absence of light. 

 So once more, when the ‘church world’ continues to point out how spiritually dark the world has become, you do realize we are simply pointing out the evidence of how we have ‘dropped the ball’ and failed to do our part. And how do I come to this conclusion, you might be asking? Well, look at Matt. 5:14-16. What did Jesus say we were supposed to be in this world? 

 “Light”. And we were not to hide it or place it under a basket but on a lampstand and let it shine before all men. Light always prevails over darkness. Darkness only can come when the lights diminish and lose their luminance. 

 So much for “not letting Satan blow it out”, as we always taught our children to sing in that cute song.

 I have a hunch that might be why God is going to deal harshly with His church before...He deals with the rest of the fallen, sinful world. (1 Pet. 4:17). Meanwhile the ‘church’ world is anxiously awaiting this ‘rapture bus’ to come whisk them away before things get really bad. I know many, if not most, will disagree with me here, but I think there are going to be a lot of shocked and disappointed folks who are anticipating a quick departure out of here any day, via the ‘rapture’. 

 But let’s go back to this darkness that has made its way in, almost like a ‘flood’. That is how the ‘enemy’ comes in, according to Isaiah 59:19. Isaiah also pronounced this ‘woe’ that many in the church world like to point out today, where he wrote: “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness.”...woe to those who are wise in their own eye and prudent in their own sight.” (5:20-21). I think most would agree we are there today and we have no reason to suspect this will turn around any time soon. 

 So how did we get here? When I say ‘we’, I mean the church world? And we need only to look to scripture for that answer. 

 Jesus indicated that the condition of the church would be a ‘sleeping church’ as told in the parable of the Ten Virgins in Matt. 25. Both the wise and the foolish ones grew drowsy and slumbered. (5). You will also read there that at ‘midnight’, the warning cry came. Midnight is probably the darkest time of night and since Jesus is using a parable or word picture here, it could very well be speaking to a time of great spiritual darkness prior to His return. 

 Paul wrote that in the final days, there would be a great ‘falling away’ from the faith. (2 Thess. 2:3). He was not necessarily speaking about ‘church attendance’ but more so regarding those who ‘no longer walk with Jesus’, as He is in the light. (John 6:66; 1 John 1:7; & be sure to read 1 Thess. 5:1-11). This will come about through various ways as well. Deceiving spirits will lead some away (1 Tim. 4:1). Jesus warned of great deception as well in Matt. 24. We know many will be deceived as Eve was by the serpent and end up following another Jesus while receiving another gospel and even another spirit. (2 Cor. 11:2-4) 

 Others, we are told, because they did not have a love for the truth, will perish as they believe these lies and come under greater deception that God Himself will allow to be sent. (2 Thess. 2:9-12). And then...there are those who just ‘drift away’ when the no longer give heed to what God says. (Heb. 2:1). This is where probably most fall prey to the ‘schemes of the enemy’. (2 Cor. 2:11) 

 Look how the writer of Hebrews points back to previous generations and how they ‘always went astray in their hearts’. (3:7-10). We then, are admonished to not follow their example and to ‘beware lest there be any of us who depart from the living God...having our hearts hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.” (12-13). That is exactly what sin does...it hardens our hearts. It is like ‘leaven that leavens the whole loaf’. (1 Cor. 5:6). 

 If you really want to read some interesting passages that speaks to not only the times back in Israel’s history in the OT, but it speaks to the condition of the church today, flip back to Jeremiah 3. Remember, Israel was a type or picture of God’s people today...His vineyard = Israel = church. (Isa 5:7). But God accuses His backslidden people of having a ‘harlots’s forehead’. You might jot down Rev. 17:5 and take a quick peek at that. But this was a dark time where Jeremiah was speaking to as the divided kingdom of both Israel and Judah were falling further away and going into captivity. We are talking about God’s people now, not the ‘sinful world of heathens’. 

 Jeremiah uses an interesting term that caught my eye where he refers to their ‘casual harlotry that defiled the land’. (3:9) 

 Do you think it is possible the church world has taken a ‘casual approach’ to sin...as in...believing the lie you will ‘always be a sinner who sins’? Or a ‘saint who sins’? I believe Jesus said we were to ‘go and sin no more’. (John 5:14; 8:11). And if we were really abiding in Him, that we would ‘no longer sin’ nor be able to sin since we were ‘born of God’. (1 John 3:6,9). And I can assure you, there is no way any of us can accomplish this on our own by trying harder to do better. There has to be an ‘abiding in Him’. But for some odd reason, we just have ignored these truths. 

 We just think we can keep going to God and telling Him we are sorry for always sinning and all will be well. No doubt, God is merciful and will forgive us ‘IF’...we sin (1 John 2:1) (as opposed to ‘when’ we sin as most read that verse in error). But scripture does not teach we are to continue telling God we are sorry for sinning...we are commanded to ‘Repent’ of our sins, as in ‘turn from them and sin no more’. And Jesus made it clear...”unless we repent, we too will all likewise perish”. (Luke 13:1-5). Do not try this at home on your own! You MUST abide in Him. 

 So again...how did we end up in this fallen, dark place of backsliding with a ‘casual attitude’ towards sin? Well, when you go back and read there in the OT where Jeremiah was pointing out all this that had befallen the people in God’s kingdom then, it was...their departing from the Lord. (Hosea 1:2; Jere. 1:16). And guess which time periods Jeremiah was addressing? It came on the heels of the rule of Manasseh, Amon and then Josiah. (2 Kings). Times back then had grown grossly dark and sinful. And of this you can be sure...when God’s people depart from His ways, there is a price to pay. Ever read where God will visit the iniquities of the fathers to the ‘3rd and 4th generation’? (Deut. 5:9). Yeah...that is found there in the Ten Commandments, which were never ‘done away with’. (Matt. 5:17) 

 But the story of King Josiah is an encouraging one and quite insightful. We will look at this more tomorrow and I would encourage you to take notes. God wants to awaken a sleeping church and just like He did for King Josiah, He want to ‘send His word to heal us’. (Ps. 107:20) 

 Have a blessed day.