The day will come, indeed it is approaching, when religion will be looked upon as the cause or source of all our problems. When that happens a new religion, by necessity will rise.
More and more we are told our beliefs are private matters; translation, keep your beliefs to yourself. We hear, “Don’t shove your Christianity down our throats,” even when simply stating our beliefs. By its very nature Christianity is convicting and therefore can be “painful” to hear. It is painful to hear that one has cancer, but it is also the only way to begin the treatment for healing. The ultimate goal is the healing, but the diagnosis must be shared. How absurd it would sound if someone said to the doctor who told them they had cancer and shared their recommended means of treating the disease, “Don’t shove your medical care down my throat.” Because hearing that we are corrupt and in need of Christ’s grace can be painful, we are told to keep it private and more and more that is precisely what we do – hiding inside our churches. Christianity will continue to get blamed more and more for the ills that are present in society.
The world’s other major religion, Islam, has become so associated with terrorism and violence and the desire to force its ways upon all society that it becomes an easy target for blame. In addition there is naturally a divide between Christianity and Islam. I say naturally because if you believe the claims of one you have to reject the claims of the other. Either Christ is the only Savior of mankind or He is not. He claimed He was, so your choices are limited to what C. S. Lewis points out and that is He is either Lord, lunatic, or liar. By His own claims He cannot be just a good man or a good prophet. So the world’s two most popular religions cannot be compatible. this often results in conflict around the world.
As these escalate, and they will, people will cry out for a solution. Religion will be come the source or cause of all of society’s problems. Great numbers of people will turn against religion and it will be subdued and trampled under foot. This will create a void. A void, that ironically can only be filled by some form of religion. Man is by nature a religious creature. God created us to worship and worship we will. but we will not worship the Lord God Almighty because He will be associated with ills of the world. So man will worship himself and more specifically their best amongst them. Thus will the anti-Christ find his way into the world.
Keep your lamps trimmed and ready. There is only one God. There is only one Savior and one means of grace – Jesus Christ.