In Matthew 16:3, Christ criticizes the Pharisees and Sadducees for understanding the meaning of weather signs but failing to grasp the significance of the signs of the times. Are we at risk of making the same mistake today?
An elderly friend once joked, “I’m over the hill and gaining speed,” aptly describing today’s rapid moral and societal decline. Are we heading toward an unavoidable collapse? Or could this decline signal something far greater? Could these be the very signs Christ warns about?
As we think about the rapid decline in our world, we must not disregard what Christ says about times like these and what they reveal.
Signs of the Times
As we observe increasing chaos in the world, the signs should alert us because they unmistakably match Christ’s warnings about the end of the age and His return. In Luke 17:26-27, Christ compares the time of His return to “the days of Noah.” Genesis 6:12 describes those days: “So God looked upon the earth, and indeed it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth.” Just as the corruption of Noah’s time grieved God, we must ask: Is the state of our world today just as bad?
Corruption today affects every part of society, including the media, schools, government, science, religion, courts, and even elections. Institutions reflect the people in them. As leaders and people become corrupt, the systems they influence also become corrupt. These systems take on the character of the people in them.
This corruption has also seeped into every form of communication, making it harder to recognize truth. As a result, we can no longer take what we see, read, or hear at face value. The familiar saying, “Seeing is believing,” no longer holds true. Edited videos and out-of-context clips now create stories intended to distort the truth.
Deep-fake technology and AI-generated content make the situation worse. Anyone can now create convincing but completely false images and videos. Relying solely on our senses to know the truth has become almost impossible.
Christ Warns About Deception
In a world deeply rooted in corruption, Christ’s warnings about deception are strikingly relevant today. The remarkable connection between His words and the state of our world today should sound an alarm, helping us recognize the significance of these times.
Christ specifically warns multiple times that widespread deception would mark the end times and signal His return:
Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?” And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you.” (Matthew 24:3-4)
Deception has always been a threat, but its pervasive spread today aligns with Christ’s prophecy in ways previously unimaginable. As we consider Christ’s words, His repeated warnings underscore how serious the threat of deception is:
» Christ mentions deception first (Matthew 24:4), emphasizing its importance as a critical sign we should watch for.
» He repeats this warning in verse 5: “For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many.”
» Later, in verse 11, He adds, “Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many.”
» Finally, in verses 24-25, He warns: “For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. See, I have told you beforehand. Therefore if they say to you, ‘Look, He is in the desert!’ do not go out; or ‘Look, He is in the inner rooms!’ do not believe it.”
Christ gave these warnings about deception to His disciples—and to us today, as we live in a time that fits with the signs of His return. His repeated warnings in Matthew 24 show that deception is a serious threat we must guard against by staying vigilant and faithful until His return.
This warning is crucial for these Laodicean times, the final church period existing immediately before Christ’s return. Jesus Himself calls it “lukewarm.” But why are Laodiceans lukewarm? The simple but sobering truth is this: because they are deceived! Revelation 3:17 says, “Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked.” Their self-deception about their spiritual condition is disastrous. The consequences (verse 16) show just how dangerous such entrenched spiritual blindness can be.
Lessons from the Ten Virgins
This troubling self-deception should lead us to ask: Are we at risk of being deceived about our spiritual condition? I Corinthians 10:12 warns: “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.” Christ’s words in Matthew 24:5 and 11 warn that many will be deceived. But what does “many” truly mean?
The Parable of the Ten Virgins in Matthew 25:1-13 is a powerful warning to stay spiritually prepared and alert as Christ’s return approaches. It is part of Christ’s response to His disciples’ questions about the signs of His coming. In verse 6, He provides the timing: “And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’”
Who are these virgins? II Corinthians 11:2 refers to the body of believers as a “chaste virgin.” Similarly, Revelation 14:4 describes “virgins” as those who remain spiritually undefiled and fully committed to Christ. All ten virgins share similar beliefs, symbolized by their lamps (Matthew 25:1-4). The lamps represent God’s Word and laws (Psalm 119:105). These virgins represent believers living just before Christ’s return, as noted in Matthew 25:6. The Parable of the Ten Virgins and Jesus’ warnings to the church of the Laodiceans represent the same period, the time just before Christ’s return.
Verse 5 highlights a striking detail about these virgins: “But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.” Yes, all—this includes us, believers living at the end time. Christ directs His message in Revelation 3:19-21 to us:
As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.
An Urgent Wake-Up Call
Paul echoes Christ’s call, urging believers to wake up from spiritual slumber—a message particularly urgent for spiritual virgins living just before the return of Jesus Christ. He writes:
» Ephesians 5:14-17: Therefore He says: “Awake, you who sleep, arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light.” See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. (Emphasis added throughout.)
» Romans 13:11-14: And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.
Ignoring these urgent warnings to awaken places us in grave danger, as illustrated by the Parable of the Ten Virgins. Only half of the virgins are ready when Christ returns. Which group do we belong to? Are we actively preparing to withstand the prophesied wave of deception described in Matthew 24:24? This threat often begins with self-deception, as seen among the Laodiceans.
How did the foolish virgins let their light go out (verse 8)? I John 1:5 reveals that God is light. These virgins once had God’s Spirit but failed to stir it up, keeping it strong and burning brightly (II Timothy 1:6).
Distraction and spiritual complacency, as we see in the foolish virgins, define these end times. Lukewarm attitudes dominate our world, with many people so misled by worldly priorities that it causes them to neglect so great a salvation (Hebrews 2:3). Christ Himself warns against such dangerous distractions and misplaced priorities:
» He teaches that we cannot serve two masters (Matthew 6:24).
» He commands us to seek God’s Kingdom first (Matthew 6:33).
» He warns that gaining the world at the expense of our soul is a catastrophic mistake (Matthew 16:26).
» He cautions us about the deceitfulness of riches (Mark 4:18-19).
» He adds, “Beware of covetousness” (Luke 12:15).
» John echoes Christ’s warnings, reminding us not to love the world or the things in it (I John 2:15-17).
Resisting the World’s Influence
In a world full of distractions, we must actively and consistently resist its pull with daily effort and commitment to keep our lights burning and our faith alive. The ten virgins, living when this world’s time is coming to an end, face a world that has God in none of its thoughts or plans (Psalm 10:4). As Paul warns in Romans 12:2: “And do not be conformed to this world,” or as the J.B. Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English renders it, “Don’t let the world around you squeeze you into its own mould.”
The distractions of this world are not accidental—they are deliberate tools Satan uses to pull us away from God. His goal is to devour us by separating us from God and stealing the promises of our calling (I Peter 5:8). To defend against this, we must build a strong, daily relationship with God and set clear priorities (Matthew 6:33). Our time and energy should reflect God’s will, not the world’s values. Whether we are wise or foolish depends on how close we stay to God and Christ. It does not depend on loyalty to a specific church or group.
The foolish squander their time chasing fleeting pleasures instead of strengthening their relationship with God and Christ. By prioritizing temporary distractions over eternal promises, they neglect their time with God (Mark 8:37). Their tragic reward is to be shut out from the wedding with Christ (Matthew 25:10) and hearing His chilling words, “Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you” (Matthew 25:12).
Satan’s Deceptions
The destructive pull of worldly distractions is part of Satan’s plan to draw us away from God. To avoid falling into his trap, we must recognize the Devil as the enemy orchestrating these distractions.
Satan, the Adversary, relies on deception as his most effective weapon, and his goal is to lull us into spiritual complacency. The Laodicean mindset, marked by spiritual complacency and self-deception, provides fertile ground for Satan’s attacks. From the very beginning, as seen in the Garden of Eden, Satan’s favorite weapon has been deception: “And the LORD God said to the woman, ‘What is this you have done?’ The woman said, ‘The serpent deceived me, and I ate’” (Genesis 3:13).
The Devil’s ongoing efforts make Paul’s warning in II Corinthians 11:14 especially urgent: “And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.” Who are the so-called angels of light that Satan uses to deceive? Christ answers in Matthew 24:5, “For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many.” These false teachers claim to represent Christ, yet they lead countless people astray with their deception.
A Cautionary Tale
Satan’s tactic of pretending to be an angel of light is just as dangerous today as it has always been. This danger became clear when deception entered our former association, the Worldwide Church of God (WCG), after Herbert Armstrong’s death. The new leaders claimed to represent Christ, but they became tools of Satan’s lies, and their actions led to the church’s decline and division. This kind of deception is not limited to one event. It can happen wherever God’s people gather. Even now, Satan pretends to be an angel of light, using false teachings to mislead God’s people.
The WCG’s example is a strong warning of what can easily happen when we fail to stay spiritually alert. Satan never stops, and we cannot take his threat lightly. We are not just “playing church,” a phrase that reminds us how dangerous it is to grow lazy in our faith. Instead, we are in a battle for eternal life, and we must stay vigilant. By focusing on God’s Word and asking for His guidance, we can gain the understanding we need to face these dangerous times.
Are we living as wise virgins—awake, prepared, and unshakable, as Christ teaches us to be? In Part Two, we will explore how to remain steadfast in a period rife with deception.
