In our own day the continual lifting of moral and governmental restraints can be observed in the "free world." Some sins that at one time were considered to be crimes are no longer judged as crimes. The aborting of fetuses for no sound medical reason is an example of a sin that formerly was a crime. There are countries, however, that still remain under strict governmental control.

We Christians ought always to pray that the governments under which we live will allow us to serve the Lord and to preach the Gospel of Christ. Perhaps it is even more important that we pray God will direct the officials of government to behave righteously and to pass laws requiring righteousness on the part of the citizens. Government-imposed righteousness is to be preferred to a "freedom" that results in every form of wickedness. Better to live under a government that enforces righteous moral behavior han a government that, in the name of freedom and liberty, allows its citizens to live in moral filth and violence.

A powerful force is working among people today, sometimes dressed in Christian clothes. It is the spirit of Antichrist. It is seeking to place the rulership of the nations in the hands of the people.

The result of placing power in the hands of the people will be chaos as every individual presses his own advantage. Antichrist, always the liar and deceiver, will cunningly use this chaos to create a society under his own control, a society that appears to be free from war and to be protected against economic problems. The new order will think it has no need of God or of His Christ. Man will be his own god in that day.

It is this world of "peaceful," "safe" people that suddenly will be invaded by the Lord Jesus with His saints and holy angels.

Woe to the Christians who have joined with the world in producing this "peaceful," "safe" environment! Christ will destroy the world system and all its adherents with the brightness of His coming.

We now are entering the greatest witness of the coming of God's Kingdom that has ever been given to any generation. The power and teaching of the Kingdom will reach every city and village on the earth. This is the promised "latter rain" (Hosea 6:3; Joel 2:23).

After the latter-rain witness has been given, a dangerous reaction will set in. Because of the multitudes of newly saved people the Christian churches will be caught off guard.

An able and cunning "Christian" administrator will perceive the readiness of the nations, now repulsed by the thought of war and having been influenced by the end-time preaching of the Gospel of the Kingdom, to accept the establishing of a one-world government based on a morality that has some "Christian" characteristics.

Numerous believers, thankful that at least part of their faith seemingly is being received by the world leadership, will be willing to compromise the intense worship and service of Christ that the Scripture commands.

But it is the intense worshiping and serving of Christ in the Spirit that separates the church from the world!

The world may appreciate the wisdom of some of the Christian principles of peace and good will. But the world never will accept the intense worship and serving of Christ, or the rulership of the Spirit of God, or the making of Christ central in every individual, institution, and event.

To be continued.