The rapidly accelerating downward spiral of daily events in recent years has awakened multitudes the world over to the realization that things have taken a dark and dangerous turn for humanity.  Even in America, which can hardly be referred to any longer as the United States, polls show decisive and still growing majorities who firmly believe that the country is on the wrong track.  To the extent that the U.S. is yet considered the leader of the free world, this is disconcerting and deeply troubling news, affecting people around the globe.

Without getting into minutiae, the trends are toward:

• Centralization of power and wealth
• Concentration of that power and wealth in the hands of a few
• Universal surveillance, censorship, and propaganda
• Viewpoint discrimination and the criminalization of dissent
• Totalitarian governance by international cabals of control-crazed elites
• Corruption and lawlessness
• Violence and social upheaval
• Imminent economic collapse
• War

This list is far from exhaustive but is sufficient to illustrate the burgeoning mass of seemingly insoluble problems that continues to accumulate.  The question on the minds of many is what, if anything, can be done amid mounting chaos, to end the choking rise of terror and turmoil?

After decades of bashing and trashing God in the cultural arena, it is more than a little ironic that some of the very same people now say that nothing short of divine guidance is needed to lead us out of this mess.  But which is the authentic voice of God?   Let’s see if you can recognize it.

Which guidance is given in the Bible (Proverbs 3:5-6)?  Is it…

A) “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.“

OR 

B) “Trust in the political leadership with all thine heart; and depend on thine own understanding.  In all thy ways ignore the Lord, and direct thine own paths.”

Which do you think is God’s counsel?  Which path is better (more likely to find favor with God and if followed, to produce the desired result)?  If you said “A,” give yourself full marks.  Feel free to follow God’s advice, and start receiving the direction He promises for your life.

If you said “B,” see me after class.  Oh, and plan on attending summer school.  Meanwhile, here’s a caution from the God who is the real deal: “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” (Proverbs 14:12)

Don’t believe it?  Compare it with Proverbs 16:25: “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.”  No, you’re not seeing things.  The warning is repeated word for word.  That makes me inclined to sit up and take notice.  How about you?

God says that, “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise.” (Proverbs 12:15).  It’s foolish to rely on our own feelings, instincts, and drives.  Flying blind so we don’t have to listen to and obey God’s counsel, inevitably leads to sorrow and death.  Oh, we can trivialize our sin and rationalize it out of OUR sight, but what about HIS?  Our Creator reminds us that, “Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the Lord pondereth the hearts.” (Proverbs 21:2)

Are you sincerely seeking God’s will and way for your life or simply seeking to justify yourself?  Before you respond, remember that He sees everything, including your thoughts, desires and motivations.  Are you looking for His answers or worldly answers to today’s unending crises?  [May as well be honest—God already knows the truth.]

And as long as we’re dropping truth bombs, let me just tell you that no Savior will be coming.  That may sound a little strange, coming from me.  It sounds odd to hear myself say it.  Allow me to explain what I mean.

First, no Savior should be expected because OUR SAVIOR HAS ALREADY COME.  HIS NAME IS JESUS.  God has only ever given us one Savior, His only begotten Son.  Jesus paid the price for the sins of all about 2,000 years ago.  He is coming again for His own, not to bear their sins all over again, a debt paid in full through Jesus’ suffering and death on the cross, but to receive them to Himself, keeping them from the time of God’s judgment and wrath:

“So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.” (Hebrews 9:28)

“For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.” (I Thessalonians 5:9-10)

“[Jesus said] Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.  In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” (John 14:1-3)

“But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.  For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.  For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent [go ahead of] them which are asleep.  For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.  Wherefore comfort one another with these words.” (I Thessalonians 4:13-18)

Followers of Christ eagerly await this thrilling experience.  But Jesus will not just appear in the clouds to the longing eyes of His followers, ushering them into a heavenly reception.  He will also physically return to earth not long after, in the event popularly known as the Second Coming.

His return to Earth will serve many purposes, including, but not limited to, the fulfillment of key Bible prophecies involving judgment, the rescue and conversion of a Jewish remnant, and the establishment of the earthly messianic kingdom long promised to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David, and others.  This is the second reason that no [new] Savior should be expected: WE HAVE NO NEED OF ANOTHER: “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)

Can you imagine the absurdity and futility of looking for a better Savior, a more excellent Son, a more faithful Friend, a truer Witness, a more righteous Advocate, a more honest Judge, a more spotless Lamb, a wiser and more empathetic Counselor, a more royal and regal, more glorious and majestic Monarch than Jesus, King of kings and Lord of lords, Creator, Sustainer, Redeemer, Almighty God in human form?

Of course you can’t.  No one can.  It’s not just impossible, it’s inconceivable.  Which brings us to the third and final reason why no other Savior should be expected: we look to Christ, not Antichrist.  To embrace a false Christ is to embrace damnation.

Remember the passage quoted earlier from I Thessalonians, about how Christ was offered once and bore the sins of many?  God’s offer of salvation as a free gift by faith in Jesus remains in force.  And, we have just established that anyone who comes after Him is inferior, is NOT sent by God, and CANNOT save.  Such a person is, by definition, a deceiver, a counterfeit and an imposter.  If God does not send him, who does?  There is only one answer: the Devil.

In these last days, you are either waiting and watching for Christ, or for Antichrist (the one who is against Christ and seeks to take His place).  In that sense, I DO expect would-be saviors to arise or be put forward by others, portraying themselves as the superman who can solve all dilemmas and work whatever miracles may be required in any given situation.  As they try to dazzle a frightened and increasingly desperate world with supernatural displays of all kinds, they will attempt to conceal their origins, their real intentions, and their actual agendas.

When they come knocking, don’t answer the door, or you will find yourself looking into the cunning eyes and becoming smile of evil incarnate, and listening to the velvety smooth and beguiling voice of wickedness.

Tragic though it most surely is, the world has long ago made its choice.  It has utterly rejected and energetically rebelled against the lordship of Jesus.  But you don’t have to go down with it.  By God’s grace, you can still choose life, can still ask God to give you mercy instead of justice, forgiveness instead of what your sins deserve.  When it comes to your Savior, accept no substitutes.  Insist on the genuine article.  Call out and call on the name of Jesus!

HOW TO BE SAVED:

• Admit to God that you are a sinner (that you have not kept His moral law to perfection; in your thoughts, words, and actions you have done what His law forbids and have failed to do what His love demands).  This is seeing yourself from God’s point of view and agreeing that He is right about you.  Be as specific as you can.
• Believe in your heart that Jesus died for your sins and that God raised Him from the dead.
• Sincerely repent (turn away) from your sins, asking God to forgive you and to use His power to help you resist temptation, no matter how strong the pull of sin may be, at first.
• Acknowledge Jesus as the Lord of your life.  Invite Him to move into your heart and take up residence there, so that He can change you from the inside out.
• Trust His promise to save you and give you a new spiritual birth and a new nature (thoughts, desires, priorities, hopes, dreams, and character).

SOME KEY TRUTHS:

• “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”  (Romans 3:23)
• “As it is written, there is none righteous, no, not one.”  (Romans 3:10)
• “For the wages of sin is death: but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”  (Romans 6:23)
• “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”  (John 3:16)
• “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”  (Romans 5:8)
• “For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.”  (I Corinthians 15:3,4)
• “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.” (John 1:12)
• “Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him…”  (Revelation 3:20)
• “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”  (Romans 10:13)
• “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.  For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”  (Romans 10:9-10)
• “Verily, verily, I say unto you; He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life; and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.”  (John 5:24)
• “But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing, ye might have life through his name.”  (John 20:31) 
• “These things I have written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.”  (I John 5:13)