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Telegraph UK reports: "All 50 of America’s states recorded temperatures below freezing at some point on Tuesday and even the polar bear at Chicago zoo spent most of the day indoors, as bitterly cold air gripped the country."
Yes, even Hawaii had below freezing temp. It was 18 degrees atop Mauna Kea.
In my opinion, the United States has turned a cold shoulder to Jesus. Why should it NOT be cold here? Why shouldn't we think of the temperatures as an exterior manifestation of our own behavior?
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| Ken Stevens/AP |
Yes, even Hawaii had below freezing temp. It was 18 degrees atop Mauna Kea.
In my opinion, the United States has turned a cold shoulder to Jesus. Why should it NOT be cold here? Why shouldn't we think of the temperatures as an exterior manifestation of our own behavior?
"And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold."
Matthew 24:12
You can post this or just keep this for your notes but I had a compulsion to send this to you.
ReplyDelete"And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold."
(Matthew 24:12)
A little word study.
First off, we need to realize that this is Jesus Christ speaking to the disciples (Christians). (Matthew 24:1-4).
"love" Gk-agape, marks God's love for mankind and in return, mankind showing this same love back toward God and others.
Only born again individuals have this type of love (Romans 5:5).
"grow cold" Gk-psucho, to make cold, reduction of temperature by evaporation, metaphorically of waning love.
Reminds me of an illustration I ran across many years ago. A certain faithful believer was noted by the pastor to have been absent from many services. The pastor went to visit the individual and found him in a back room sitting before a roaring fireplace. The pastor sat opposite the individual for a while when suddenly, he reached over and pulled out of the fire a red hot coal and layed it on the hearth of the fireplace. Over time, the red hot coal became a smoldering ember and eventually a cold white ember, emitting no heat. The individual looked at the pastor and said that he would be back in church.
There is a saying in bible study and interpretation in how to apply the "then and there to the here and now"
I like the interpretation of the KJV which states, "wax cold." The disciples understood this saying ("then and there") to illustrate a candle that is lit with the wax running down the side. The wax near the top was soft and pliable which could be formed and fashioned (potter's clay) but the wax running down the candle would become cold, hard, and brittle (reduction of temperature by evaporation), not able to be formed or fashioned thus, eventually, a cold heart, lacking of that agape love for God.
Sadly, the next word study.
"many" Gk-polus/polos, most, the larger number, majority.
Thus, the above gives a picture of the last days, of a majority of Christians growing cold toward God, apostatizing.
There's nothing we can do about this for Jesus Christ said this was to happen, He does not lie. But we can make sure we are not a part of this group of people, "But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved" (Matthew 24:13).
Mario
Thanks so much Mario. That was how I understood the verse too. Thank you for taking the time to share your studies. I liked your ending, making sure we are not in that group. A sobering thought.
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