Category Archives: Finding the End of the World

Blogging about stuff related to my book, “Finding the End of the World”

discipleship, Finding Answers to Stuff Churches Don't Discuss, Finding the End of the World, Uncategorized

Covenant Revisited: Part I

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God’s children are in a covenantal relationship with Him. It’s a committed, faithful bond in which God graciously promises to be with and for His people, and they respond with trust, obedience, and devotion. It’s not merely a contract but a living relationship marked by love, loyalty, and ongoing renewal. We’ll further unpack God’s relational nature and the covenant with Him in the next two articles, updated from the original 2021 publication.

God has sought partnership with His creation since the beginning of human time, when He charged the first man, Adam, with caring for what He had made. Adam cultivated the garden and named the animals (Genesis 1:26-30 and 2:15-20). From then on, a relational God who endowed humans with the ability to choose Him has regularly sought “I will if you will” engagements.

Probably the earliest example of a two-way covenant with God was the one He established with Abraham. In Genesis 15:1-21 and 17:1-14, we learn that God entered into a relationship with Abraham to fulfill a promise to provide a way back and to redeem creation after Adam and Eve’s rebellion. The covenant was based on an ancient Hittite suzerain-vassal framework that outlined the relationship between the lord of the land and its occupants. The lord demanded complete devotion and allegiance, along with a tithe (10%) of what the land produced. In return, subjects received protection and provision. This was the standard arrangement in Abraham’s time and included a preamble listing the parties involved and a historical prologue providing the “basis of obligation.”

Furthermore, the covenantal agreement included stipulations (terms and conditions), blessings for obedience, and curses for disobedience. Regular readings of the treaty were necessary to keep it foremost in participants’ minds. That God used it should come as no surprise, given that Father and Son have always employed human language, practices, and figures of speech in communicating with us. The lord-servant arrangement was what Abraham knew, and it would have made sense to him. God continued what He had started by reaffirming the agreement through Moses 500 years later.

God remembered His covenant with the people of Israel when they were captives in Egypt (Exodus 2:24). After their rescue by Moses, God confirmed the treaty using the same suzerain/vassal framework:

1.         Preamble/Title: “I am Yahweh your God . . .”          

2.         Prologue: “. . . who brought you up out of the land” (provides obligations and motive).

3.         Stipulations/Obligations: “You shall have no other gods before me. . . .”

4.         Periodic reading of the treaty.

5.         Witnesses.

6.         Curses and blessings.

Additional covenantal artifacts exist in scriptures such as Deuteronomy 4:32-40, 6:4-25, and chapter eight.

In summary, a God who exercises choice created humans with the same ability, and He sought reciprocal relationships with willing participants in the Old Covenant (Old Testament). Next time, we’ll see that this is still the case in the New Covenant.

Blessings and peace,

Dr. Ron Braley (MDiv; DMin)

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Are You ‘Saved?’ – Part Two

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Someone told me this when I was 16: “All you have to do to be saved from hell is believe in Jesus and say this silent prayer.” It sounded too good to be true, and I thought, “Surely, there must be more to a relationship with God!” Now I can tell you that rescue from hell is possible only through an active, two-way relationship (covenant) with Him that we need to foster… do our part… until we die or the world ends. But this isn’t what many Protestants believe.

In Part One of this series, I defined salvation as both a rescue from God’s future wrath (will be saved) and the process of being made whole (being saved). I also noted that salvation involves two main parts: (1) entering a relationship with God and (2) remaining in that relationship. Here, I will expand on these points and explain their elements.

Enter a relationship (covenant) with God. Some believe that everyone is on the fast track to hell unless God occasionally rescues someone. Others teach that everyone will be saved. The truth: Anyone can choose salvation, but not everyone will … or stay if they do.

• Who. “… God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (1 Timothy 2:4).

• Why. “For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God.” (1 Peter 3:18—see also 1 John 2:2).

• How. Entry into the relationship, like a marriage, requires experience, decision, and devotion: “He came as a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe through him.” (John 1:7; 20:31) and “… confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved …” (Romans 10:9-10).

Stay in the relationship. Honor God, be charitable to people, and abide (stay).

• Honor God with all you are and have (e.g., Matthew 22:34-40).

• Be charitable (love others through a fruitful faith). “Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share …” (1 Timothy 6:18). Otherwise, “… faith, if it has no works, is dead.” (James 2:17)

• Persevere. “But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved. … If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away … and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.” (Matthew 24:13; John 15:6).

Summary. Partner with God for transformation, rescue, and eternal life by devoting yourself fully to Him and remaining in the relationship. What’s next? Many Christians view their connection to a heavenly Father (which should be a covenant) as a one-sided affair with a lovesick God. So we’ll work to better understand it. Meanwhile, honor God, be charitable, love justice and mercy, and focus on purity and spiritual growth.

Blessings and peace,
Dr. Ron Braley, MDiv; DMin.

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Are You ‘Saved?’ – Part One

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“Are you saved, brother?” two guys asked me for several days about 40 years ago. I initially replied, “Yep!” Finally, I responded, “I was saved the first time you asked me, and I’m still saved!” What does salvation mean, and how do we attain it? We’ll explore this in a two-part series.

Salvation Defined. In Biblical Greek, it means to rescue, protect, or restore. The specific meaning varies based on the context, and the Bible often describes salvation as a future rescue from God’s end-of-the-world wrath: “… for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” (1 Peter 1:3-5) Meanwhile, we are “being” saved—being made whole (e.g., 1 Corinthians 1:18).

Salvation relies on choosing, engaging in, and maintaining a healthy relationship with God. Therefore, rescue from God’s wrath requires free-will decision and action, as the Bible teaches and the earliest Church affirmed.

What the Bible teaches and the earliest Church believed. Ancient Church fathers (and the Bible!) taught that salvation has two parts: (1) entering a relationship with God; (2) staying in that relationship. Entry requires a decision and dedication (e.g., John 1:7 and 20:31; Romans 10:9-10). Staying requires obeying God’s commands to honor Him and to love others charitably—doing good works (e.g., James 2:14-26; Ephesians 2:10; 1 Timothy 6:18; Hebrews 10:24; Revelation 20:13). As a result, apostles and early Church fathers emphasized that belief and action go hand in hand: “Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself. … You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone” (James 2:17 & 24).

Staying also requires perseverance: “But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved. … If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned.” (Matthew 24:13; John 15:6). So, who is called by God to believe, devote, and persevere?

Who. God wants everyone to have a relationship with Him (1 Timothy 2:4). So Jesus died to pay the penalty for humanity’s rebellion (2 Corinthians 5:14-15; 1 Peter 3:18; 1 John 2:2). The reality is, though, that not everyone will follow the narrow path to salvation.

The path to salvation. Contrary to popular beliefs, faith alone, silent prayers or fruitless faith will not save you. Instead, the Bible teaches that the way to eternal life follows this basic approach: Experience and decide, devote yourself to God, honor Him, be charitable to people, and stay in the relationship. Dissecting and explaining these steps will be the focus of Part Two.

Summary. Salvation involves being rescued from God’s wrath and experiencing a present transformation. Building and maintaining a relationship with God is essential to navigating these life-changing events. Next time, I will discuss the elements of the pathway that lead to new life and rescue from God’s wrath.

Blessings and peace,

Dr. Ron Braley, MDiv, DMin.

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World War III?

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I’ve lost track of how many times I’ve heard or read that we’re on the verge of a third world war (WWIII)! Some even believe the war has already begun. Many, especially Evangelicals, think WWIII is tied to end-of-the-world prophecies. Is this true? Or are people just overreacting? I’ll discuss these questions here to help ease fears or anxiety.

Is World War III starting or about to happen? Probably not. Deep alliances, divisions, and failed diplomacy — like those that led to the first two world wars — aren’t at pre-war levels. And although Jesus showed several signs of the end times, current events don’t match anything more than ‘birth pains’ leading to the end. This has been true for 2,000 years, and it will be, with the frequency and intensity of events foretold by Jesus increasing significantly as the end approaches.

Unfortunately, people often believe that current conflicts and natural disasters indicate the end of the world, leading to fears of a looming global war like biblical Armageddon. However, these predictions have recurred throughout history. For example, the Crusades, the Black Plague, the Napoleonic Wars, both World Wars, the Cold War, and Y2K have caused Christians to think the world was ending. Adding to the confusion are Nostradamus’ cryptic prophecies, which some interpret as signs of imminent disaster or biblical prophetic fulfillment.

It’s true that close alliances and divisions among nations, or an event that triggers a major conflict involving them, can lead to a large-scale war. Territorial expansion, dominance, military buildup, and failed diplomacy might signal a global conflict, as seen with both World Wars. Still, we should focus on hope, not despair—on biblical and historical truths, not on distorted media hype, prophecies, or YouTube sensationalism.

What does the Bible reveal about World War III? Nothing. The Bible does suggest there will be at least two major conflicts: the Armageddon of Revelation 16:12-16 and 19:11-21, and the Gog-Magog war of Ezekiel 38-39 and Revelation 20:8-9. However, neither Armageddon nor the Gog-Magog wars qualify as world wars. Both involve or are against God, and at least the Gog-Magog war targets Israel during a time of peace. Currently, Israel is seen as an aggressor, not a peacetime victim. Also, God is not openly a combatant as He will be in both conflicts I mentioned. Nonetheless, how should we behave?

How should we respond? Paul teaches us to persevere through trials, which builds character and hope (Romans 5:3-4). Jesus also encourages us by saying that those who “endure to the end will be saved” (rescued from God’s wrath to come in the last days—Matthew 10:22 and 24:13). Meanwhile, spend more time honoring God and loving people than watching or reading media outlets!

In short, we’re unlikely to see WWIII or the end of the world anytime soon. Still, we must stay strong and faithful during difficult times. In the next column, I’ll try to unravel the mystery of ‘salvation.’

Blessings and peace,

Dr. Ron Braley, MDiv, DMin.

discipleship, Finding Answers to Stuff Churches Don't Discuss, Finding the End of the World, Uncategorized

Spiritual Donuts

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Muscle cars, parking lots, and hot chicks! Yep. You’ve gotta love the seventies and eighties (or not)! Reminiscing, I thought: “Ron! Remember punching the accelerator on your car in a parking lot to hear all the ‘squeaking’ and smell burnt rubber? Remember how you thought the girls would be impressed?” My response to myself: “Well, of course!” And my answer to my reply? “Ron! You were an idiot! You wasted gas, used up perfectly good clutches and tires, and ended up dateless anyway!” Sigh . . . It’s true. But the situation made me think: “Do we do something similar in our Christianity: spin around in circles, pointlessly wasting resources?” The simple answer is YES!

First, let’s look at the God-given resources we often waste or keep to ourselves. These are meant to empower us to be effective partners in introducing people to His Kingdom, and they include spiritual skills, superpowers, and assignments:

Skills. In Ephesians 4:11-16, Paul explains that the Spirit enables people to become Christian apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers. You can also add helpers and administrators to the list (1 Corinthians 12:28). For what purpose? To equip others in the Body of Christ to be faithful, helpful, and complete.

Superpowers. Furthermore, the Spirit occasionally empowers us to do really cool stuff at a particular time and for a specific reason according to God’s desires. These ‘superpowers’ include wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, spiritual discernment, and human and heavenly languages (1 Corinthians 12:4-11 & 28).

Assignments. We were made, and are equipped, for doing good works (Ephesians 2:10). We must honor God with all we are and have and be charitable (Matthew 22:34-40). And we must make the most of every moment by being righteous as He desires (Ephesians 5:13-21).

Second, spiritually doing donuts by not using our God-given resources and wasting what’s good and meant for others is genuinely robbing God! Sharing what He has given to build up His people is impossible, though, if we don’t hang out with them: “and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together . . ..” (Hebrews 10:24-25)

Stealing from God, forsaking others, and wasting God-given gifts and skills by ‘spinning spiritual wheels’ will have consequences! For instance, in the parable of the talents: “. . . . Throw out the worthless slave into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Matthew 25:14-30) And Jesus repeats this fate in Matthew 25:31-46.

In summary, God wishes to equip you for partnership in this age and the next. Don’t be wasteful or stingy! What about the following article? Let’s uncover how God seeks partners, not affirmation, zombies, or spiritual couch potatoes!

Blessings and peace,

Dr. Ron Braley, MDiv, DMin.

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God’s Names & Attributes

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Father of lights. Father of spirits. Creator, daddy, healer, and provider. All label and describe the One who was, is, and is to come. And, as He is, God cares for His children as no other. What follows is a sampling of God’s many attributes, starting with His name.

  • God’s name. Hebrew YHVH is His formal name, usually pronounced as Jehovah or Yahweh. Conversely, the Bible mentions ‘in the name’ of God or Christ. Just ending a prayer “In Jesus’ name!” is not what this means—it’s their power, character, and authority by which followers must operate.
  • Creator & Father. “This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made earth and heaven.” (Genesis 2:4)
  • Daddy. One of the coolest names of God is Abba, which means ‘daddy’ or ‘papa:’ “And He was saying, “Abba! Father! All things are possible for You; remove this cup from Me …” (Mark 14:36)
  • King/Lord. “The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands.” (Acts 17:24)
  • Shepherd (YHVH Rohi). Psalm 23:1-3 reflects this attribute: “The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want.  He makes … He leads … He restores … He guides …”
  • Healer (YHVH Rapha). Exodus 15:26 states “If you will give earnest heed to the voice of the LORD your God, and do what is right in His sight, and give ear to His commandments, and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have put on the Egyptians; for I, the LORD, am your healer.”
  • Provider (YHVH Jireh). God gives so many things, including food, shelter, money, transportation, and salvation.
  • Savior. We see the saving hand of YHVH through His Son, whom we call Jesus, who obediently came to earth, lived as a human, died a horrible death, and was raised by the Father to be the first of many who would be raised on the last day: “We have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world.” (1John 4:14)
  • Judge. YHVH’s Son will judge everyone at the end of this age. Some will then enter eternal life. Others will experience eternal destruction (2 Corinthians 5:10; Matthew 25:31-46): “Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent, because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead.” (Acts 17:30-31)

Summary. God can be Father, Daddy, Creator, Healer, Provider, and Savior. Is He yours? Next time, we’ll dive into the complex topic of divorce. Meanwhile, remember the Father of Spirits and honor Him appropriately.

God’s blessings and peace,

Dr. Ron Braley, MDiv, DMin.

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What God Hates

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While God loves many things, there are things He hates. Some, such as sexual immorality and deviousness (Proverbs 3:32), are disgusting—an abomination, according to the ancient language (Hebrew to-ay-baw’, to-ay-baw’). This makes sense, as He designed us to reflect His character and behave as He created us. Anything else is disrespectful and counter to God’s design. Here, we’ll focus on several categories of disgusting things after considering why they happen. But, before we do, a caveat: All rebellion against God is bad, and none is better or worse than another—the same fate awaits all who practice such things.

Why do we do stuff that God hates? Self-centeredness that seeks personal pleasure over obedience to God. Verse 1 John 2:16 states that, “For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life;” these become the root of all kinds of abominations. Sexual immorality is an excellent example and one that deserves special attention because many Christian leaders have turned bad into good and corrupted the Church.

Sexual immorality. This includes adultery, prostitution, incest, bestiality, pedophilia, and homosexuality (Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13; Deuteronomy 22:5). Redefining the ancient language, distorting history, or promoting a self-gratifying love to legitimize disgusting behavior in the Church won’t make it less so or soften God’s response. See my related article for additional information (https://ronbraley.blog/2022/11/10/weed-patrol-weeds-beget-weeds-part-two-sexual-immorality/). Dishonoring God in a variety of ways is also something He hates.

Dishonoring God. Besides what I’ve already listed, God hates our prioritizing other gods, spiritual or material. Lying, especially to the detriment of others, and wicked behavior are also disgusting according to God (Proverbs 12:22; Exodus 20:16). God hates the abuse of His name (Exodus 20:7), which concerns His character and authority, not syllables. For instance, Ezekiel 13:6 condemns prophets who “see false visions and utter lying divinations” and claim, “This is what the Lord declares,” when He has not spoken. See also Jeremiah 14:14 and 23:16 and Deuteronomy 18:20. If I only had a dollar for every time I heard, “The Spirit said this…” or “God told me that …”)! God also hates the poor treatment of people.

Hurting people. Sexual immorality, lying, and injustice that God hates, as I’ve already mentioned, negatively affect humans. Add murder, theft, malice, slander, and envy (e.g., Galatians 5:19-21; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10). God commands us to love our neighbors charitably. So, the lack of love would be something He also hates, as evidenced by the hell-bound nature of those who don’t care for the less fortunate. Matthew 25:31-46 tells us that we’ll be judged for how we care for them. And Jesus chided the Pharisees for honoring the religious tithe instead of treating people appropriately (Matthew 23:23; Luke 11:42).

Summary. God hates, and often finds disgusting, behaviors that violate His standards and dishonor Him and hurt people. Next, let’s learn more about God through His names and attributes!

God’s blessings and peace,

Dr. Ron Braley, MDiv, DMin.

discipleship, Finding the End of the World, Uncategorized

No King but YHVH

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“We have no king but Caesar!” the Jewish high priests exclaimed to Pontius Pilate, who would send Jesus to be crucified. Conversely, we experienced a flurry of ‘No Kings!’ protests on June 14, 2025, in opposition to President Donald Trump’s authoritative measures. Have a king; don’t have a king … Which is it? Like it or not, the Creator of the universe is king and owns everything, whether people demand a human king or defy any kingly rule.

The Jewish people understood the Creator’s name to be represented by the four Hebrew consonants YHVH. We who have been adopted into His family pronounce it Yehovah or Yahweh, depending on how you consider the V. The apostle Paul explained nearly 2,000 years ago that YHVH made everything and is King over all in His realm and our created world (Acts 17:24). So, the heavens and the earth are His throne (Matthew 5:34). YHVH owns everything and was recognized by the Jews as their King until about 1,000 BCE.

Selfishly, we generally want what others have. Such was the case with the 10th-century BCE Jews, who decided to be governed by a human king like other nations: “Now appoint a king for us to judge us like all the nations … Give us a king to judge us.” The LORD said to Samuel, ‘… they have rejected Me from being king over them.’” (1 Samuel 8:5-7) The Jewish people would eventually have a puppet king under the Roman leaders and then … none.

Yet, YHVH was, is, and will be King, whether humans recognize His sovereignty. Old Testament king David expressed this in Psalm 47:2 & 7: “For the Lord Most High is awesome; He is a great King over all the earth” and “For God is the King of all the earth … God reigns over the nations, God sits on His holy throne.” Similarly, New Testament Paul wrote this about YHVH, the one true King, in 1 Timothy 6:15: “… He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords.”

So, what about the future? YHVH will eventually tire of our nonsense and immoralities and redo everything. Then, His realm and ours will become one again as was the case in Eden, as we find in Revelation 22:3-5: “There will no longer be any curse; and the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it … And there will no longer be any night; and they will not have need of the light of a lamp nor the light of the sun, because the Lord God will illumine them; and they will reign forever and ever.”

Summary. Like it or not, you have a King that is above all and rules over everything, including you and even Trump! Soon, I’ll contrast what that King loves against what He hates: What He loves, first. Meanwhile, choose your king well!

God’s blessings and peace,

Dr. Ron Braley, MDiv, DMin.

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Jesus in the Underworld

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Jesus died in the flesh after Roman crucifixion and was resurrected three days later. Upon that, most Christians will agree. But what happened before the resurrection? Where was Jesus during that time, and what did He do while He was there? I’ve heard things like, “Jesus went to the grave, preached to all the dead people, and got ‘em saved!” Let’s discover the truth, starting with a foresight into Jesus’s subterranean visit.

Where: The prophecy. “… Teacher, we want to see a sign from You.” But He [Jesus] answered and said to them, “. . . no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet; for just as JONAH WAS THREE DAYS AND THREE NIGHTS IN THE BELLY OF THE SEA MONSTER, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.”

So, where was Jesus after His crucifixion? In the “heart of the earth,” where disobedient spiritual beings await their final end-of-the-age disposition. What did He do during that time? Let’s search for the answer with what He did NOT do.

What: Fake news. The idea that Jesus preached to dead people to ‘get ‘em saved’ is nonsense. First,the Bible teaches there’s no middle ground, do-overs, or second chances where God is concerned. We live as we choose until we die and then are judged accordingly (e.g., Hebrews 9:27). Second, the apostle Peter taught that Jesus’ ‘preaching’ in the underworld was to doomed angelic beings—the Watchers who corrupted humankind, prompting the great flood (not the spirits of dead people). Now, more on that truth.

What: The truth. Read 1 Peter 3:18-20, and you’ll find thatJesus’ proclamation was to imprisoned disobedient spirits. What disobedience? Why did God imprison them? The Book of Enoch provides much information on the subject, but you can read a summary in Genesis, chapter six. But, basically, it was because they taught humans things they shouldn’t know and had sexual relations with them, corrupting God’s creation. They’ve been imprisoned in the underworld since and await God’s great judgment and wrath at the end of this age (see Jude 1:6).

What did Jesus proclaim to them? That their fate had been sealed with Christ’s triumph over death. They’d lost; Christ had won, and wrath is coming for all who oppose the Creator. In case you’re now wondering, “What about all those people who died before Jesus could ‘save’ them?” This will all be fleshed out in God’s great end-of-the-world judgment (2 Corinthians 5:10; Revelation 20:11-15).

Summary. In the underworld between crucifixion and resurrection, Jesus proclaimed His triumph in fulfilled prophecy to spiritual prisoners, the angels who corrupted humans post-Eden (not the spirits of dead people!). What’s next?  From uncaused first cause to nature, we’ll discover that there’s no excuse for denying God. Meanwhile, remember there are no do-overs where God is concerned: choose well, stay there, and live.

God’s blessings and peace,

Dr. Ron Braley, MDiv, DMin.

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When Love Grows Cold …

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In my last article, I taught that real, unconditional, godly love is “doing the right thing no matter how we ‘feel.’” It doesn’t come and go with an emotional or sexual wind; it’s constant and actionable. That’s God’s love for us, as proved by Jesus’ sacrifice and resurrection from the dead to pay our debt to the Creator and give us hope. Similarly, we do real, unconditional love because God first loved us (1 John 4:19). How can we summarize and do real love?

True love seeks the highest good in others. It is always actionable and even translated occasionally as ‘charity.’ For instance, the apostle Paul mentions these actions (or lack of certain actions) in a not-all-inclusive true love list (1 Corinthians 13:4-6): “Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth.”

Furthermore, Jesus gave the following examples when teaching about last-days judgment in Matthew 25:31-40: “Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in … Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’” In other words, do love and live.

Still, Jesus said true love will ‘grow cold’ in the last days: “At that time many will fall away … Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved.” (Matthew 24:10-13) What does that mean? What would, or does, cold love look like?

If true love = action, cold love is the opposite: diminishing charity, patience, self-control, truth, etc. Look around, and this is the predominant posture in America, which has earned the title of “the most self-centered nation in the world.” What will be the end for the loveless? “Then He will answer them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ These will go away into eternal punishment …” (Matthew 25:45-46)

Summary. True love seeks the highest good in others through actions like charity and self-control. Cold love deceives, deprives, and hurts others. What’s next? Let’s explore evangelism in “What’s Your Story?” In the meantime, don’t be lukewarm in your zeal for God and don’t let your love run cold! The results could be devastating!

God’s blessings and peace,

Dr. Ron Braley, MDiv, DMin.