This is a continuation of a synopsis of Matthew 24, which was started last week.  In Matthew 24, Jesus told His disciples about the signs that would be prevalent in the world preceding His return.  Today, we will discuss the ninth sign stated by Jesus in Matthew 24:12, "Because iniquity will abound, the love of many will wax cold."  Jesus wasn't referring to the love of just anyone.  In the following verse 13, Jesus said, "But he who endures to the end will be saved."  This clarifies who Jesus is talking about.  He is referring to believers, people who once had the love of God, but were drawn away from God's love by iniquity.  He  clarified in verse 13 that, "he who endures to the end will be saved."  In other words, it is not so much how we start out our walk with the Lord, but it is most critical how we finish up.  Jesus told His disciples a parable about the sower and the seed.  He said, "Some (seed) fell among thorns and the thorns sprung up and choked them" Matthew 13:7.  In verse 22, Jesus went on to explain what His parable meant, "He who received seed among thorns is he who hears the Word of God, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choked the Word, and he became unfruitful" Matthew 13:22.  Jesus said in Matthew 6:24, "No man can serve two masters; he will either hate one and love the other, or he will hold to one and despise the other.  You cannot serve God and mammon (money)."  In another passage, the Bible says, "The love of money is the root of all evil, which while some coveted after it, they have erred from the faith and pierced themselves through with many sorrows" 1 Timothy 6:10.  

I have been around for a long time.  I was raised in the house of God since I was about one year old.  Over the years, I have seen ministers who started out faithful and sincere, but once they began receiving a lot of support and their monetary wealth accumulated, they grew cold spiritually.  This happens time and time again, but it doesn't have to happen.  The love and zeal they first had for God wanes and "waxes cold."  Jesus did say, "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God" Matthew19:24.  He went on to say in verse 26, "Jesus looked a them and said to them, 'With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible"  Matthew 19:26.  The Apostle Paul wrote, "Charge those who are rich in this world, that they be not highminded or trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who gives to us richly all things to enjoy, that they do good, be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate, laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life" 1 Timothy 6:17-19.  It seems very difficult for those who are blessed with riches and abundance in this world to also live a Godly life and be willing to distribute, as God directs them, to others who are in need; nevertheless, Jesus said it is not impossible.  


 When ministers focus on wealth, collections of tithes and offerings into their ministries, so much so that you rarely hear the gospel anymore, because it is all about money, "withdraw yourselves from those."  1 Timothy 6:3-6 says, "If any man teaches otherwise, and consents not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; he is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof comes envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness, 'from such withdraw yourself.'  Godliness with contentment is great gain."

If you are attending a church, or listening to a minister who has departed from the faith, because he preaches more about money than he does the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Lord may be talking to you right now.  He may be leading you away from those whose god has become "their belly" (Philippians 3:18-19).  Please remember the words the apostle Paul spoke, "withdraw yourselves from them."  If you need spiritual guidance, there is a list of online ministries (including links to their websites) on the Links page of this website, which can provide you with the spiritual guidance you need, by those whose hearts are for truth and pleasing the Lord - not financial gain.  God bless you.