My oldest grandson is now a teenager. In a way, it is a bit shocking. I was so used to viewing him in the familiar ways I had become accustomed to. Suddenly, though, he is taller than his mother, his voice has changed and he simply seems dramatically more mature. Things happen that way when we aren’t really paying close attention. It is something we all experience in the passage of time. That, however, is a critical danger we must avoid when it comes to the fulfillment of prophecy!

Without providing exact dates, Jesus Christ gave us a timetable based on events we should be watching—specifically revealed in chapter 24 of Matthew. A key to understanding these sweeping occurrences is what Jesus clearly specified:

“‘Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near–at the doors! Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place’” (Matthew 24:32-34).

Many times I have heard it said or read that someone always claims that their generation will see the end of the age. Discounting the truth of what Jesus prophesied doesn’t change the fact that His words will be fulfilled—of that, Jesus was very explicit, saying, “‘Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away’” (Matthew 24:35). He continues to warn us to “‘watch’” and to be “‘ready’” (Matthew 24:42, 44).

The question, then, is this—are we living in the final generation which will witness the return of Jesus Christ? The evidence from God’s Word and the events taking place right now proclaim an unmistakable, YES! But here is a vital point for us to deeply grasp—we are already far along and the end draws closer!

Beyond just knowing about the end of the age, we must be engaged in the events of this time, and for us, that means we stay zealously involved in God’s Work. Are you doing this? Then take this as a bit of a reminder—come on, keep up!

The ability to forecast the future is beyond all human capacity. Nobody knows with exact certainty what will happen tomorrow, and even less in the days that follow. We can make predictions based on assumptions, but the variability of life ultimately changes the exact outcome. Certainly, all of us are able to share our own experiences to offer evidence to confirm this fact.

I am personally reminded of the unpredictability of life during my morning routine throughout the week. Every day I wake up to an alarm that’s set for the same time, and that’s when things begin to vary. Between the time that the alarm goes off and my arrival at work, the same general preparations take place, but the way in which the morning events develop are widely different. My children wake up at different times, with different moods, each one of the six members of our family affecting one another. The ingredients on hand for breakfasts and packed lunches are a bit different every day, requiring a variable amount of creativity in the morning. And with babies under the age of two, my wife and I need to be ready to respond to the capricious whimsy of busy toddlers as well. Each morning has two simple goals; prepare the family for work and school, and leave the house on time. Yet, I am amazed at how every single day takes on a level of unpredictability that cannot be controlled. Any attempt at predicting the detail of the morning is futile.

Even though the details of our lives cannot be predicted, there are some events that we can faithfully and confidently expect. The prophecies of the Bible provide us with God’s plan, outlining the changes that must take place in our world. Knowing that God cannot lie, and that He reveals His plans through His prophets, the words of the Bible therefore provide us with a map of the future that cannot be altered. As we read in Amos 3:7, “Surely the LORD God does nothing, Unless He reveals His secrets to His servants the prophets.” With knowledge of a certain future that we can trust and rely on even more than our daily routines, it begs a question. What are we doing in our lives to be part of God’s plan? If we have the courage, we may also ask the more poignant question; what do we need to be doing differently?

One individual in the Bible asked Jesus what he needed to do to inherit eternal life, believing that he had done well in working to be obedient to the law. In Matthew 19:20-22, the deeper question is asked of Jesus, “The young man said to Him, ‘All these things I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack?’ Jesus said to him, ‘If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.’ But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.” In this example, the rich young ruler knew enough about the certainty of God’s plan to understand the need for obedience. However, he learned in this instance that his dedication must be undivided as well. This is exactly what we need to do today.

There is no doubt that God’s plan will come to fruition. Those who have dedicated their lives to God, living in obedience through the Sacrifice of Jesus Christ, will become members of God’s Family. It’s a wonderful promise to understand! If we know that the time when Jesus Christ will return to this earth to establish God’s Kingdom is rapidly approaching, are we changing our lives accordingly? What are the reasons for our change? Do we merely change the way that we live because time is short? Or do we change the way that we live because we love God? There is a subtle difference in the way these questions are asked and answered. The way that we approach our role in being worthy of God’s promise makes a difference. Whether time is short or not, our approach should be identical.

Our desire to obtain the promise of eternal life must be exclusively driven by the love for God’s Truth, and not by any deadline or selfish gain. The rich young ruler was instructed to dedicate his entire life to following Christ, which troubled him deeply. With any part of life left undedicated to righteous conversion, we will be deficient in our efforts to please God. Nothing must matter more to us than living according to God’s instructions. If we are able to do this, we will find ourselves so busy with God’s Work that the change in our plans in life will be minimal as the time of Christ’s return approaches. The proximity of Christ’s return makes no difference in the righteousness required of us, even though the realization that the time is short can and should motivate us to live more righteously (cp. 1 Corinthians 7:29-31).

While we cannot predict the future in the details of our lives, we can absolutely trust in the plan of God to be fulfilled. With the knowledge of these certain events which will take place, our dedication to godly righteousness must be unwavering. However, our motives make a difference in our ability to succeed. When we are driven to change our lives because we love God’s Way of Life more than anything else, our hearts are right where they need to be. As Jesus admonishes, “‘Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also’” (Matthew 6:19-21).

Last week’s events in Germany serve as a striking example as to HOW DIRTY politics is. Much of the world breathed a sigh of relief when Germany’s two leading parties, the CDU and the SPD, finally reached a grand coalition agreement under Angela Merkel (CDU) and Martin Schulz (SPD), thereby ending an historic time of political limbo after Germany’s election in September. But soon afterwards, due to political maneuvering within his own party, Schulz was forced to declare that he would not accept the contemplated role of foreign minister within the new government.

The German press recognized the true motives at play. Much blame was placed on Sigmar Gabriel (SPD) who presently holds the office of foreign minister in a “caretaker position”. Bild Online wrote on February 9 that Gabriel was using dirty tricks against Schulz; that the same party delegates who had voted for Schulz were now blackmailing him and used him as cannon-fodder; and that the entire situation confirmed almost every possible perception of the meanness and lack of principles in politics.

Bild added that a power struggle had engulfed the SPD; that Schulz was given an ultimatum; and that Gabriel hinted at an alleged agreement between him and Schulz that he would remain the foreign minister in consideration of giving the position of party chief to Schulz. But the German press claims that Gabriel only resigned as the leader of his party in order to escape responsibility if the grand coalition talks would fail (and most observers predicted at the time that they would fail).

In all fairness, even though Schulz had originally declared that he and his party would not be a part of a German government under Merkel, due to the intervention of German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier (SPD), he changed his mind [or broke his word, depending on one’s viewpoint]… but so did all the major players in his party, including Sigmar Gabriel. And there can be no doubt that he worked out a masterful deal for the SPD. The Local wrote on February 7: “The SPD managed to wangle the Foreign Ministry, the Finance Ministry and the Labor Ministry out of the talks. They appear to have done pretty well for themselves there… The only question is – with so many key ministries going to the other parties – what have the CDU kept for themselves?” The answer: Merkel managed to get the chancellorship… for herself.

With these many key positions for the SPD, that party should have been thankful to Schulz. Instead, they dropped him like a hot potato. The Telegraph commented on February 9 that “Mr. Schulz, a former European parliament president, was briefly talked of as Germany’s next chancellor when he returned from Brussels to enter national politics. He was elected SPD leader with 100 per cent support in 2016 and the country was gripped by ‘Schulzmania’ in the early part of last year. But he led the party to its worst ever result in September’s election. His political career is now almost certainly over…”

The German press echoed those sentiments. Bild Online wrote that Schulz is facing the end of his political career which began with 100 percent and ended with nothing, slipping “from 100 to Zero.”

We don’t share this conclusion. We had predicted that Donald Trump, when he announced his candidacy, would become the President of the USA, even though very few agreed with us at the time. We had predicted that Merkel and Schulz would hammer out a grand coalition agreement when most felt the opposite and thought that Merkel would enter a coalition with smaller parties, without the SPD (the so-called “Jamaica coalition”), and failing this, new elections would be held. We had said that Schulz would play an important role within the new German government. We still feel the same, even though the almost unanimous political viewpoint disagrees. Whether Schulz’s political career is indeed over will have to be seen. In the past, many politicians were viewed at one time as “yesterday’s news,” but they made spectacular comebacks. Just think of Napoleon, Mussolini, and last, but not least, Adolf Hitler. And so, historically, strange and unexpected things have happened in the dirty business of politics, and just maybe, the deadly wound which Schulz received might be healed in the future, which would indeed surprise the whole world.

We all know that politics is mean—rotten to the core. The recent example in Germany only supports this universal truth. Politicians are motivated and driven by lies, betrayal, backstabbing and broken words and promises, while totally lacking in principle and godly character. As the Bible says, “There is none righteous, no, not one.” Politics is like a prostitute who embraces her lovers, but only as long as she can use them. Why is that so? Simply, because the originator of politics is none other than Satan the Devil—a dirty, mean, lying being without any principles or godly character. Satan rules this world. He designs the evil politics of this world, and he influences and inspires those who are engaged in this field. Nothing good will ever come out of it. That is why true Christians must have NOTHING to do with it. Rather, they ought to pray for God’s Kingdom to come very soon which will end, once and for all, the dirty business of politics.

It is interesting to read that the disciples who had daily contact with Jesus Christ for three and a half years still didn’t, at times, have the right focus. That is hard to understand but would we have done any better? It is easy to see our mistakes in hindsight, and we all have made our fair share of them.

In Luke 9:46-48, we read: “Then a dispute arose among them as to which of them would be greatest. And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart, took a little child and set him by Him, and said to them, ‘Whoever receives this little child in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me. For he who is least among you all will be great.’”

Here Jesus showed them in the clearest possible way that humility and service were necessary, not being the top man at the table. Having been given this lesson, you might be forgiven for thinking that the lesson would have been learnt. However, we read about a later incident in Luke 22:24-27: “Now there was also a dispute among them, as to which of them should be considered the greatest. And He said to them, ‘The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those who exercise authority over them are called “benefactors.” But not so among you; on the contrary, he who is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he who governs as he who serves. For who is greater, he who sits at the table, or he who serves? Is it not he who sits at the table? Yet I am among you as the One who serves.’”

Their focus had slipped again, and Jesus had to put them right. He did so with clarity and, hopefully, they got the point.

Their focus, and ours, should and must be on the soon coming Kingdom of God; not on personal position, power or authority. The way of this Satan-inspired world is one of self- aggrandizement, putting self before others in a multitude of ways. Satan, the master of deception, can also encourage us to lose focus in so many other respects by encouraging us to focus on minutiae. He is a master of distraction; he can lead us to becoming overly interested in our job, our hobbies and anything else that we may be interested in, so that they become a higher priority than the Way of Life that we have been called to. As Satan won’t be in the Kingdom of God, he wants us to fail, too!

Do you think that it can’t happen to you? Remember: “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall” (1 Corinthians 10:12). Let us avoid the obvious trap of letting down on prayer and Bible study, but also in less obvious areas where we can lose focus on our priorities in this life. It can be so easy to let down that we can do it without fully realising it, and, in so doing, let our adversary get the upper hand.

With the Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread coming up, now is the time to review our situation. Using this time as a period of introspection and self-examination, we ought to make sure that we do indeed have the right focus!

In An Essay on Criticism written in 1709 by the English poet Alexander Pope, he coined the phrase, “For fools rush in where angels fear to tread.” He was speaking to literary critics of his time but this ageless quote still has significance today.  We need only to turn on the TV or search the internet for news to see the same foolish actions prominently displayed.

After the discovery of the 13 Turpin children held captive in tortuous conditions, California lawmakers called for stricter regulations for homeschoolers. “One California lawmaker has floated the idea of requiring annual walk-throughs of home schools by state or county officials because of the case and ‘a number of legislators have expressed interest in doing something,’ the HomeSchool Association of California said in a statement” (time.com).

And concerning the recent school shooting, “Hours after the shooting in Kentucky, Republican State Senator Steve West rushed to file a bill that would allow Kentucky schools to have armed school marshals patrol the site. His bill joins another in the state which seeks to loosen gun restrictions around college campuses” (bbc.com).

Efforts to fix these problems, whether from good intentions or the desire to exploit for political gain, won’t fix the evil.  All are misguided attempts to repair what cannot be fixed by man.  Mankind rarely seeks to address the true cause of its misery.

Satan stirs the waters like a fisherman throwing out bait, and mankind jumps to it with ravenous hunger.  What Satan spreads is foolishness.  Solomon wrote, “The heart of him who has understanding seeks knowledge, But the mouth of fools feeds on foolishness” (Proverbs 15:14).  No problem can ever be truly solved by using Satanic guidance and motivation.  Murder won’t stop—it only grows worse.  The breakdown of God’s key foundation, the family, is continuously being eroded.

It can be astounding watching these events unfold, wondering how mankind continues to choose wrong instead of right.  Again, Solomon addressed this mindset stating, “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, But he who heeds counsel is wise” (Proverbs 12:15).  We see through “godly” eyes.  In these tumultuous end-times, the blessing of His Holy Spirit within each of us cannot be taken for granted. Solomon also stated, “Those who trust in themselves are fools, but those who walk in wisdom are kept safe” (Proverbs 28:26).  Keep your spiritual eyes opened!  God’s understanding will light a path through which each of us can safely pass.

The nation has been hit with sickness, resulting in thousands of flu cases, including several of our own members who were affected by it.  But this isn’t only limited to the United States, as this particular flu has spread around the world.  Now considered an “epidemic,” ABC News reported on January 19: “A deadly flu epidemic spreading across the nation has now claimed the lives of at least 30 children, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday.  The report also shows that 8,990 laboratory-confirmed influenza-associated hospitalizations were reported across the nation between Oct. 1, 2017 and Jan. 13, 2018.”

The Independent added that this deadly “flu virus has been killing around 100 people per week in the US since mid-December, the Center for Disease Control has warned. A report published by the CDC with the latest figures showed there were 759 flu deaths between 7 October and 23 December.”

ABC News went on to report that “The CDC has identified a particular strain of influenza A, H3N2, as the culprit affecting thousands from coast to coast. Agency officials said 49 of 50 states have reported widespread flu activity at the same time.”

“‘This seems to be the worst flu season we’ve had here in the last 10 to 15 years,’ Dr. Adrian Cotton, chief of medical operations at the Southern California hospital, told ABC’s “Good Morning America.” ‘We’re seeing a lot more patients with the flu and the patients we’re seeing are a lot sicker than usual… lots of cases [are] happening, in lots of states, all at the same time.’”

The big question is, how does one protect him- or herself and prevent from getting the flu, or any other sickness for that matter?  A lot of controversies has been circulating around the effectiveness of the flu shot, whether or not this would really “prevent” or “protect” one from the flu.  The article of ABC News continues to say, “We know that the influenza vaccine is the best way to prevent the flu, but in this season it is not as effective as it is for the other viruses that circulate… It’s never too late to get the vaccine because the flu season can go on for months. It takes the vaccine about a week to really kick in. But if you’re at risk, which pretty much anyone out there is right now, [if] you haven’t gotten the flu shot, you should get vaccinated.”  That is what the CDC recommends, even though many who have gotten sick have also received the flu shot.

USA Today reported on December 29, 2017,  “‘It’s just one of those years where the CDC is seeing that this strain of flu is only somewhat covered by the vaccine that was given this year,’ said Jennifer Radtke, manager for infection prevention at the University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville. ‘They’re seeing that it’s anywhere from 10% to 33% effective, so any time there’s a mismatch between the vaccine and the circulating strain of the flu, you’re going to see more cases.’” Not only that, but “‘It can take up to two weeks to build full immunity to the flu after you are vaccinated,’ said Dr. Cara Christ, director of the Arizona Department of Health Services.”

Even though health officials still recommend that “getting a flu shot now is still one way to combat the virus even though it can’t promise total immunity,” they also advocate common sense by frequently washing and sanitizing your hands, covering your mouth when coughing, staying home when sick, staying away from sick people, avoiding touching your face and getting lots of rest and hydration—so if you do come in contact with a flu virus, your body is prepared to fight it off.   The article continues that “antiviral prescription drugs such as Tamiflu can lessen the severity of influenza for people who have had flu symptoms for two days or fewer and prevent complications such as pneumonia. But they also can have side effects, so a flu shot while you’re well should be your first choice.”  (Please read our article in the Current Events section of this Update regarding the dangerous side effects of this drug.)

The most significant course of conduct the majority of health officials leave out is the importance of prayer.  Where is God in all of this?  He is our ultimate Healer and we should pray to Him FIRST when we are sick (compare James 5:13-18).  Of course, we also must understand that we should seek medical attention when necessary, along with God’s guidance.

The fact is, times will get increasingly worse and the Bible prophesies that there will be sicknesses and diseases much more horrible than we have ever seen before, when together with war, famine and other disasters a fourth of the earth will be affected (Revelation 6:7-8) in various places around the world (Matthew 24:7; Luke 21:11).  Described in the Bible as the Day of God’s wrath, no flu shot or vaccine and no amount of money can prevent what is to come as described in Ezekiel 7:2-19.  New disease epidemics will appear (Deuteronomy 28:27-28, 35, 58-61).  But is there a way that we can be spared from this inevitable suffering?  Our free booklets: “The Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord”,  “Human Suffering, Why…and How Much Longer?” and “Is That In the Bible? The Mysteries of the Book of Revelation” go into much detail and also explain HOW we can protect ourselves from these terrible times that are coming upon us in the near future.

Yes, there is a way that we can be protected.  As we explain in our free booklet, “The Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord,” Christ promises His people—who are counted worthy—a way to “escape all these things that will come to pass” (Luke 21:34–36; compare Revelation 3:10; Zephaniah 2:3; Psalm 31:19–20).   It is high time that we prepare ourselves NOW and take heed of the warnings the Bible proclaims, before it’s too late.

When you reach your mid-seventies, there are fewer and fewer events in your life that really surprise you. I had one such incident near the end of December of 2017. I went to Walmart in Penticton to pick up a few things and to my dismay, when I got back to my car, the battery was dead. I have made it a habit to carry jumper cables in my car, so I lifted the hood, put the jumpers on the battery and walked to a man in his mid-fifties with his wife in the parking lot who were just getting out of their car. I asked them if they could help me by giving me a jump start with his car. To my amazement, the man said no. Somewhat shocked, I approached another man with his wife who were returning to their car, and they were happy to help me out and I got my car going.

I was troubled for several days over this incident, having a hard time believing that a person would not help another when he needs help. Unless there are extenuating circumstances, a person should help another in need.

The story of the Good Samaritan comes to mind (Luke 10:30-36)—a story demonstrating true love for our neighbor.

This parable told by Christ describes a man who fell amongst thieves and robbers. He was beaten and left for dead on the side of the road, only to be passed by a priest and a Levite who did nothing to help him. Yet a Samaritan stopped, bandaged him up, brought him to an innkeeper and paid the innkeeper to look after him, while he continued on his journey. Interestingly, Jews wanted to have nothing to do with Samaritans. They avoided and looked down on them, which is demonstrated by the Samaritan woman at the well. In total violation of Jewish custom and “tradition,” Christ asked her to give him a drink of water, which surprised the woman as He, an unmarried Jewish man, would be willing to talk publicly to a Samaritan woman and ask her for a drink.

John 4:9 states: “Then the woman of Samaria said to Him, ‘How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?’ For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.”

In His parable, Christ chose a good Samaritan expressing genuine love towards his neighbor, while Jewish leaders refused to do so.

Thinking about the incident I experienced, if this was the man’s attitude in good times we enjoy today, what will it be like in bad times? Matthew 24:12 [in the Authorized Version] tells us that because of lawlessness, iniquity or sin will abound, the love of many will wax cold. The frightening fact is that Christ is addressing here members in the Church. It’s somewhat perplexing to think that the love of many (not a few) would grow cold in the Church; yet, that is what Christ warned us about. This is one of the effects of sin—loss of love, a non-caring cold manner, abounding and ever increasing.

When such an attitude can develop in the Church, how much more will it be prevalent in the world. The world is in a complete mess and you have to wonder how long God is going to allow things to go on. We are all suffering, as it were, from the effects of sin, either nationally or on a personal level. If not dealt with, sin, like leaven, will grow and “deal” with us.

As Church members, we have to remain focused on the job given to us and not allow sin to take a hold of our lives. We must not be like the cold-hearted priest and Levite who plainly saw the man fallen under the robbers, being injured and in physical distress, but they did nothing to help him. Rather, they looked the other way, showing us how not to love our neighbor. WE must be DIFFERENT.

For our 11^th anniversary, my wife gave me a Bonsai tree. I have often admired Bonsais and the ability to craft and grow a tiny miniature tree. What I was not prepared for was the instruction sheet that came with this little tree. In order to keep this tree healthy, alive and growing, one has to do multiple things for it. It is not a get it and forget it type of plant. Nurturing, watering, plucking, replanting, growth wire, misting, and hibernating are just a few things that it needs.

This really reminded me of our Christian Way of Life. There are so many things that we have to be aware of as Christians, so that we stay alive spiritually. We come into our Christian life through a gift. That gift is God’s calling. He has known us for all eternity, and He also knew since then when He was going to call us and how He would call us. It was not a spur of the moment decision. God has called us because He knows that we can make it. Philippians 1:6 should be well known to us. God’s Will is to continue this good work in each of us to the very end.

Once we are called and we respond, we start to grow in this Way of Life. We keep our eyes on the prize of the Kingdom of God. Why else would we want to suffer so much through life’s trials?  If we didn’t have an end goal in mind, there would be no reason to endure.  I think that is why so many people walk away from the Truth in one way or another. They never truly understood or grasped the importance of our calling.

In Matthew 13:31-32; Mark 4:30-32; and Luke 13:18-19, Christ likens the Kingdom to a mustard seed that continues to grow into a massive tree. This is both in the sense of what the Kingdom will become, but also how we ought to view it in our lives as humans. If it is all important to us, we will continue to work towards it. Matthew 17:20 and Luke 17:5-6 show us that our faith, even if it is as the size of a mustard seed, will be able to accomplish great things, because we have also the faith of God and Christ living in us.

Leviticus 26:3-4 shows us that through obedience to the Truth, we will receive the things that we need to continue living. We will receive blessings from God. Blessings come in many ways, even ones that we don’t expect. Psalm, chapter 1, shows us that when we are obedient and meditate on God’s Ways until they become our Way of Life, then we shall prosper like a tree planted by a river.

With water and blessings also comes the need to be pruned. Romans 11:11-31 and Luke 13:6-9 show the amazing possibilities that come from our calling and that God is the one who directs and places people where He wants them. But we should not ignore the fact that God will and does prune where He needs to, so as to help His people. John 15:1-9 shows that we cannot wander off on our own, on some pointless tirade because we want to be right or think we know something that the ministry does not know. Christ’s very strong warning here is that we must stay in the Church; otherwise, we will wither and be thrown out.

Our goal is not that far out in front of us now. Let us make sure we stay on track in regard to this Way of Life. We need to make sure we have the proper goal(s) in front of us so that we stay focused. Like a tree that continues to grow with the right care, we too can continue to grow stronger in our faith and confidence that we are doing God’s Will and accomplishing what He has set out for us to accomplish.

While the term “suicide bomber” describes acts of terrorism in our daily news, there is an inescapable parallel to those who teach and practice false doctrines.

Jesus warned His disciples to beware of the doctrine, that is, the teachings of the Pharisees and Sadducees (compare Matthew 16:5-12). In Matthew 23, Jesus severely criticized the scribes and Pharisees for their hypocrisy, saying, “‘…For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in’”(Matthew 23:13).

Their doctrines were “‘the commandments of men’” (Matthew 15:9). Those who followed them could not and did not enter the path of eternal life! In fact, they all paid the ultimate penalty for their sinful conduct—they died (Romans 6:23).

The apostle Paul addressed Christians in his writings, warning very specifically of the dire problems which would arise—things which we now face:

“Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times SOME WILL DEPART FROM THE FAITH, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons” (1 Timothy 4:1; also, compare Jude 17-18).

These evil spirits seek to drag mankind, but especially the begotten children of God, into their own hopeless fate! They seek to destroy humanity! They have embraced the rebellion of Satan the Devil, the powerful spirit ruler and god of this age (2 Corinthians 4:4) who is able to deceive the whole world (1 John 5:19). His goal is to destroy anyone he can (1 Peter 5:8).

These are adversaries of Christians—indeed, a kind of spiritual suicide bomber! Their “bombs” are false doctrines and rebellion against God! Our zone of safety is the Truth of God—it is the FAITH, “which was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3).

If we depart from the faith to follow seemingly appealing compromised understandings of the Word of God, then we will destroy ourselves unless we repent—that is, unless we have not already gone too far in rejecting God’s Truth! And not only could we be jeopardizing our own salvation, but we may very well pull our family and friends into the same miserable fate!

Among Paul’s admonitions is this encouraging and critical challenge—something we must do:

“Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ…that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel (Philippians 1:27).

In the context of maintaining physical strength and conditioning or mental acuity, the phrase “use it or lose it” is commonly applied. If muscles aren’t used, the body is designed in such a way that those muscles lose strength. If our minds aren’t engaged in active thought, memory is lost, and rebuilding our understanding becomes more difficult. The basic principle is simple — if we do not actively put effort into keeping what we have worked to obtain, we will lose it.

This principle applies to our spiritual growth and understanding as well. The job of a Christian is to learn about the Truth, to become converted in the way in which life is lived, and to overcome sin. There will always be more work for a Christian in this regard, until he or she becomes perfected at the time of Christ’s return. Along the way in the journey, milestones will be reached, successes will be experienced, understanding will be obtained, and battles against sin will be won. However, these achievements are fleeting unless effort is continually applied to the maintenance of those successes. If we do not use the understanding that we have obtained, and exercise our proven ability to overcome sin, we will fall backwards and begin losing the spiritual ground we have gained.

The topic of endurance is mentioned in several biblical writings to the early Church for this very reason (compare 1 Corinthians 4:12; 2 Thessalonians 1:4; 2 Timothy 2:3; 2 Timothy 2:12; Hebrews 10:36; Hebrews 12:2). The race of a Christian takes a lifetime to run, and if one begins to lose focus, and ceases to apply effort, he or she will not win the race and will fail to win the prize. Likewise, even when effort is applied in pursuing a direction that is unsupported by the Truth, the result is loss of understanding. With such loss also inevitably comes the loss of the promised full reward (2 John 8), and in extreme cases, salvation (Hebrews 2:1-3). To become converted, only to halt pursuing Christian growth results in failure. We must remember that conversion and baptism are just the beginning of a lifelong transformation that never ends.

The key to avoiding the dire outcome of a neglected conversion is simple. It takes work. By continually working to improve our understanding, and by application improve our way of life, we are destined to succeed. Jesus Christ provides us with this promise, “‘So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened’” (Luke 11:9-10). The point that we need to understand is that growth is provided to those who ask for it and actively seek it out. With diligence, our efforts to learn and apply the Truth will be rewarded (compare Hebrews 11:6).

If we are fortunate enough to be blessed with godly understanding in this day and age, then we are obligated to do something with this gift. We must remember that the Truth is powerful and provided for our use! We are urged to take advantage of it, using it to direct our spiritual growth. But the Truth will only work for us if we do our part and work to accept and apply it. The parable of the sower informs us that there are many ways in which the Truth can be received, but only one way that leads to success (compare Matthew 13:18-23). We have an active role to play in receiving and using the Truth. If we want to bear fruit that is pleasing to God, then we must never end our efforts to grow in our spiritual development.