Upstream Christians

And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. (Matthew 24:12)

But the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits. (Daniel 11:32)

My father often said that as the culture becomes more corrupt, there is greater opportunity to produce stronger Christians because they must swim upstream. My dad passed away in 1997. Over a quarter of a century later we find ourselves in a rapidly declining culture. Are we being swept downstream with it, or are we taking grace to swim upstream?

And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. It seems clear there is a correlation between indulging in sin and the cooling of the heart. Ever since the fall of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden sin has always been around. Good governments seek to restrain it. But only Jesus can save from sin. As societies let sin run unrestrained, individuals can either be swept downstream in the flow of evil or swim upstream against the pressure. Where do you find yourself? Has your love waxed cold?

But the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits. The way to go against the evil current is to know God. This begins with knowing God in Christ through faith in Jesus as Savior. But this continues with knowing God as your leader, accepting His will as always best, and knowing God as your power source, trusting His enabling to do His will. D.L. Moody said, “The way to get faith is to know who God is.”

God is not surprised by corrupting cultures. God is still all powerful. As the anti-God sentiment rises, we can take the enabling grace of God to swim upstream. Because it takes intentionality to go against the current, Christians in such times have the opportunity by grace to be strong and do exploits.

If ever we needed to know our Bibles, it’s today. If ever we needed a biblical worldview with understanding, it’s now. If ever we needed to embrace God’s plan for marriage and family, it’s the present time in which we find ourselves. We need to know the living Word through life in the Spirit. We need the abundant fruit of the Holy Spirit, love in its myriad of expressions including temperance—Spirit-energized self-discipline that that says no to the world, the flesh, and the devil, and yes to Jesus.

May we be among those who know their God as upstream Christians.