"Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!" – Isaiah 5:20-21
The world we live in today is one that's full of lawlessness and deceit. This period in time was already declared in the Bible, when many deceivers and deceived people will be coming out, as well as those who only love themselves and their money. With a world so bleak, how do we live right?
Upside Down
The world has turned upside down right now with regards to many things. Here are but some of them:
• Abortion, which is simply murdering an unborn child, is considered a right and a good thing;
• Lying, the falsification of information and truth, is used to achieve all sorts of ends;
• Promiscuity and premarital sex are now encouraged with all the available birth-control options;
• Christian values are banned from schools, but wrong teachings aren't;
• Justice can now be bought with a nice bribe given to authorities;
• Using the name of God for personal gain is now a common practice among deceived or fake Christians hungry for riches and fame;
• Homosexuality is now considered to be normal and accepted, transgender identities encouraged, same-sex marriages protected by law, living together without marriage common, and divorce a favourite option for many. Adultery is encouraged by the movies, too.
These, among many others, are now considered right and acceptable, even though the Bible calls all of them as "sin." None of them are worse compared to another, for they are all wrong and unacceptable before the eyes of God.
This is the kind of world we live in today. Christ said it so clearly during His earthly ministry.
"Then you will be arrested, persecuted, and killed. You will be hated all over the world because you are my followers. And many will turn away from me and betray and hate each other. And many false prophets will appear and will deceive many people. Sin will be rampant everywhere, and the love of many will grow cold." (Matthew 24:9-12)
Knowing this, how do we respond?
Stand on the Truth of God's Word
There's nothing better to do than to stand on God's Word. Many deceivers even use God's Word, twisting it to deceive others. The best thing to do is to study it well, and obey it.
Don't Compromise
Be firm in your walk with God. No matter what people tell you, even if they turn everything upside down to tempt you, don't give in. Stand on God's Word always.
Fight Back
When you know that something is wrong, don't go with the flow: See it and declare it as wrong. Don't allow yourself to be pressured into submission to sin and deceit. Rather, fight back and declare the truth.
Keep Holding on to God
Don't let go of your faith in God, thinking that you're the only one left standing for truth, righteousness, and justice. "But the one who endures to the end will be saved." (Matthew 24:13)
