The Bible is explicit about the state of the world.  It says things are going to get worse and worse until the glorious appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ.  He is going to return to set things right once and for all.  The Judge is coming to execute Justice; to reward his faithful and to punish his rivals.

But isn't the world getting better?  With the break-up of the Soviet Union and countries turning to democracy, isn't the doom and gloom preaching a bit outdated?  Don't you think mankind is finally waking up to understand the importance of his fellow man?

There are a few issues here I'd like to address.  First of all, there is an undercurrent of not wanting our Lord Jesus to return at all in such statements and attitudes.  Secondly, the thought that things are getting better is just delusion.  Allow me to give my opinion on these two issues.

Many people think that if we get things right down here, Jesus won't have to return to straighten things out.  But if our Lord Jesus is perfect (he is) and he loves people enough to give his life to save them (he did and does), and he wants the best for everyone (he does), then why on earth wouldn't anyone want him to return?

Jesus answered the question himself.  He said people avoided him because of their own sin.  He said people hate the light because of the evil in them.  We all want to feel good about ourselves, and if someone comes along and says there's something wrong with us we are offended.  We put on masks to appear better than we are to others because deep down inside we know we have issues we refuse to address, issues we address and fail to overcome, and issues we don’t even know about.

The second issue deals with the state of the world.  If anyone thinks they know what is really going on behind the scenes in this world, they better take a much deeper look.  They better look into the Bible to see what God says about the world.  I won't get into details in this Amusing, but the times we live in, and the time that is upon us is so evil that a person God calls "the man of sin" will rise up to rule the nations with his own rod of iron and oppose God with every evil power he has.

Fantasy?  Outdated folklore?  Misinterpretation of Daniel, Revelation, Zachariah and many other prophetic writings?  I don't think so.  There are more verses about the return of Jesus and the end of the ages than there are about his first coming.   Just and Jesus was born, lived and was crucified, so shall he return, raise the dead and judge both the dead and living.  His judgement will be according to God's standard, not men.

The world is getting worse and worse.  Evil does its best to take on a face that people like, accept and desire.  Don't let the camouflage of this world fool you into thinking its getting better and God is pleased with the way things are going and where man is headed.  Rather open your eyes to the wonderful Word of God and believe what God has to say.  Then you can become part of the solution rather than part of the problem.