One Sign of the End Times

ONE SIGN OF THE END TIMES

"This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is FAR from me" (Matthew 15:8). Extravagant luxurious living, worldly pleasure-loving, gross materialism, and excessive love of fashion and amusements, are sorrowful marks of the end times in which we live. My dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, with all the outward show of the world in the church today, has there been any proportionate increase in respect to our heart condition? Is there more faith, repentance, and holiness among the church members today or the people of God are also following the ways of the world? Is there more of that saving faith without which it is impossible to please God? Is there more of that repentance unto salvation without which a man must perish? Is there more of that holiness without which no man shall see the Lord? Is our Lord JESUS CHRIST more known and trusted and loved and obeyed? Is the inward work of the Holy Spirit more realized and experienced among our people? Is there more private Bible reading, private prayer, private self-denial, private self-control of the flesh, private exhibition of meekness, gentleness, and unselfishness? In a word, is there more private Christianity at home in every area of our lives? My beloved Brother or Sister, these are very serious questions, and I wish they could receive very satisfactory answers. I sometimes fear that there is an enormous amount of hollowness and hypocrisy in much of Christendom today, that if weighed in God's balances, would be found terribly wanting.

We must all remember that it is written, 'Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.' Christ, the great Head of the Church has said, 'This people draws near to me with their mouth, and honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.' He has also said, 'The true worshipers shall worship in spirit and in truth, for the Father seeks such to worship Him.' My dear Brothers or Sisters, if there is one thing more clearly taught than any other thing in the Word of God, it is the complete uselessness of mere outward worship, however beautifully conducted, when the hearts of the worshipers are not right in the sight of God. I suspect that the Temple worship in the days when our Lord Jesus Christ was upon earth was as perfectly and beautifully performed as possible. I do not have any doubt that the music, the singing, the prayers, the dress of the priests, the gestures, the postures, the regularity and punctuality of the ceremonial observances, the keeping of the feasts and fasts, were all done perfectly, and that there was nothing faulty or defective. But what was the inward godliness of men like Annas and Caiaphas and their companions? What was the general standard of living among the fierce zealots of the law of Moses who crucified the Lord of Glory? You all know as well as I do. There is only one answer. The whole Jewish Church, with all its magnificent ritual, was nothing but a great whited grave, beautifully decorated without, but totally rotten and corrupt within. The outward ceremonies could not save them. In short, the Jewish Church was intended by God to be a warning to all Christendom, and I am certain that these are days in which its lessons ought not to be forgotten.

We must not be satisfied with what men call 'bright and lovely' church services, and frequent administrations of the Communion. We must remember that these things do not constitute the whole of Christianity, and that no Christianity is valuable in the sight of God which does not influence the hearts, the consciences, and the lives of those who profess it. It is NOT always within the church and the congregation where there is the best music and singing, and from which young people return saying, 'How beautiful it was,' in which God takes most pleasure. But it is the church in which there is most of the presence of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, and the congregation in which there are many 'broken hearts and contrite spirits.' If our eyes were only opened to see invisible things, like the eyes of Elisha's servant, we might discover to our amazement that there is more presence of the King of kings, and consequently more blessing, in some humble undecorated church buildings where the Gospel is faithfully preached, than in some of the grandest and most beautifully decorated churches we have at this time of the end.

The preaching of the pure Word of God is the first mark of a healthy Church. It is sound doctrine taught and preached, and not ritual, which in every age the Holy Spirit has used for awakening sleeping human consciences, building up the cause of Christ, and saving souls. The dens and caves and upper rooms in which the apostolic Christians used to meet were doubtless very rough and undecorated. They had no carved wood or stone, no stained glass, no costly vestments, no organs, and no beautifully dressed choirs. But these primitive worshipers were the men who 'turned the world upside down,' and I doubt not that their places of worship were far more honorable in God's sight. It was well and truly said that in those ancient days 'the Church had wooden communion vessels - but golden ministers,' and it was this which gave the primitive Church its power. And when Christianity began to decay, it was said that the conditions were reversed; the ministers became wooden - and the communion plate golden. But I wish everything in the Church at this end of the world to be golden. I long to have everywhere golden ministers, golden worship, golden preaching, golden praying, and golden praise. I wish everything in the service of God were done as perfectly as possible, and no part of it were to be overlooked or done carelessly. I charge you affectionately, my dear Brothers and Sisters, to make this your aim. Let the best, brightest, and heartiest services be always accompanied by the best and ablest sermons that your minds can produce and your tongues deliver. Let your sermons be addresses in which Christ's blood, mediation, and intercession; Christ's love, power, and willingness to save; the real work of the Holy Spirit, repentance, faith, and holiness; are never lacking—sermons full of life, and fire, and power; sermons which set hearers thinking, and make them go home to pray. Then, and then only will the Church have its just influence, and God will open the windows of heaven and give us a blessing.

The very best and most decorated church services are only means to an end, and that end should be the salvation of souls. All is not done when people have heard beautiful music and singing, and seen the most well organized church service. Are their hearts and consciences better after the service? Does sin become more sinful after the service? Does Christ become more precious after the service? Does holiness become more desired after the service? Are they becoming more ready for death, judgment, and eternity every week that they live? These are the grand ends which every pastor should set before him in every service which he conducts. Every pastor should strive to conduct it with an abiding recollection of the eye of God, the sound of the last trumpet, the resurrection of the dead, and the final judgment - and NOT with less important thoughts such as how will the service be bright, hearty, and applauded by the hearers. It is my earnest prayer that this will be the aim of every pastor in this time of the end.

Paul Fonsi