Does the Bible teach the world will get darker and darker?

Recently We've been reconsidering many of the things we thought we understood regarding doctrine and faith. This shift comes as our question becomes, "does the Bible really teach that?"

It's easy to be spoon fed the conventional wisdom, but it's an entirely separate thing to search these things out for one's self. We read the Bible with these unexamined understandings and interpret what we read through those lenses. We've grown lazy about our Bible study, assuming that pastors and theologians are telling us the truth, but we rarely check it out for ourselves.

You'll find everything written about doctrinal rethink here.

Some of the more significant teachings we've examined are

• What is communion?
• Will only a few be saved?
• Does the Bible support women in leadership, or as teachers?
• Did God pour out His wrath on Jesus?
• What is the real role of pastor?
• Did God forsake Jesus on the cross?
• Did the "supernatural" gifts of the Spirit cease?

We should note that we are not Bible scholars, but we believe that one doesn't need to be in order to understand the the Word of God. God has made the way of salvation clear.
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So, does the Bible teach the world will get darker and darker?

The quick and easy answer is no. There is no verse in the Bible that teaches that the world will increase in sin and depravity. This may surprise you, but please bear with us.

Let's start with some fundamental understandings. First, God is light.

1Jn. 1:5 God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.

He is the source of light, He is light, He has no shadow of turning. There is nothing in God that is deceptive, manipulative, disingenuous, or untrue.

When He created the heavens and the earth He brought His light to creation. Notice the sun was yet to be created, yet light pre-exists any source but God Himself.

Ge. 1:2-4 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. 3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4 God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness.

Darkness and light are separated. They have nothing in common. They do not mix or cooperate. They are apart.

God's light has come to the world:

Mt. 4:16 the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.” [Isaiah 9:1,2] 

Before, the entire world was a part of the darkness. Then through revelation, God brought His light, and with that light the equation has been completely changed.

Jesus is the light entering the dark world.

Jn. 3:19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 

There are two kingdoms, the kingdom of light and the kingdom of darkness. Everyone is in one or the other. There is no fellowship or co-existence between the two.

1Th. 5:5 You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness.

Part of being saved is being rescued or taken from darkness into light:

Col. 1:12-13 ...giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you  to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. 13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves...

We become people of light.

You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do men light a candle and put it under a basket, but on a candlestick. And it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven" (Matt. 5:14-16)

Ep. 5:8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord.

 The Kingdom is the light and presence of God.

1Pe. 2:9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

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So now we have the basis of understanding. The light of the world is now the Church (Matt. 5:14), and without vigilance this light, the light that is the presence of the Holy Spirit, can fade. The forces of darkness are always on the lookout to gain a foothold (Eph. 4:27).

We will grant that there are many verses that talk about the evilness of the world, but we are unable to locate any Scripture that says the evilness of the world will increase.

We recognize this is an astounding statement.

But consider that darkness is simply darkness, the total absence of light. So, how can something that is absent light grow darker? Well, it can't. Darkness is what it is, it's always been evil, it's always been without hope, it has always been absent revelation, it's always bent on destruction, and, it's always pursued by its citizens.

1Jn. 5:19 We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.

The world is already controlled by satan. It's already in total darkness. 

Da. 12:10 ...the wicked will continue to be wicked. 

But doesn't the Bible say the world's darkness will increase? We don't think so. There are two main passages relied upon to teach that the world is going to grow darker:

Mt. 24:10-13 At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, 11 and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. 12 Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, 13 but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.

2Ti. 3:1-2, 5, 12-13 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive... 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.... 12 In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, 13 while evil men and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.

A careful examination of these passages will reveal that the subject is the people of God. These passages are talking about the Church! The wickedness will increase in the Church:

• False prophets can only be in the church.
• Having a form of godliness can only occur in the church.
• There can be impostors only in the church, since if they were in the world they would be acting according to their nature. 

In the Church. Darkness can only encroach where there is light. These verses are not about the world.

As we read the various statements about light and dark, we will find that all of them have to do with God's people, or those who claim to be God's people.

Mt. 13:41-42 The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. 42 They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Mt. 24:50-51 The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. 51 He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Mt. 8:12 But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

Mt. 25:29-30 For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. 30 And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Lk. 13:28 There will be weeping there, and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves thrown out.

This is not to say that it will necessarily be a large number turning to darkness (apostasy). Perhaps it will be only a few, but it takes only a few to knock a church off-stride.

1Ti. 4:1 The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.

For the church in Thyatira, it was really only one person, but she was actively leading people astray with her teaching:

Re. 2:20 Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess.

The church's toleration of evil in its ranks is a central theme of the Bible. Compromise is a little yeast that works its way though the whole batch.

There is a tendency among "end times" people to look for signs of evil in the world and attribute it to increasing darkness. They talk about homosexuality, weather events, political corruption, and Hollywood, and view these things as evidence that the world is growing more evil, which indicates the rapture is soon coming.

But the problem is, the church is so fixated on the evils of the world fulfilling end times scenarios that the evils in the church too often go unnoticed. But much of what Jesus preached, and what is detailed in the epistles, are directed towards the pretenders, backsliders, compromisers, and false people in the Church. And God's wrath is directed at them:

Ro. 2:5 But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed.

1Pe. 4:17 For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God?

We should also note that the number of people who will be saved is huge:

Mat. 9:37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few."

Re. 7:9-10 After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no-one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. 10 And they cried out in a loud voice: “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.”

Re. 19:1 After this I heard what sounded like the roar of a great multitude in heaven shouting: “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God...

Re. 19:6 Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: “Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns.

We think the Church has missed or ignored the clear call to righteousness, and many are tolerating immorality, false doctrine, the infiltration of demonic forces of darkness, and are reluctant to exercise discipline in the church for fear of offending people or being called judgmental.

But Jesus is returning to a Beautiful Bride:

Re. 19:7-8 ...For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. 8 Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.” (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints.)

It is our obligation as His Bride to make ourselves ready.

Ep. 5:3 But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people.

So our conclusion is the Church is where darkness will increase, not the world, and it is the Church that is called to be holy and clean. It's our duty to prepare the way for the Bridegroom.