Sold

Introduction

When the serpent tempted Eve, the proposal was simple: “I will give you this if you give me that.” She considered it—and consented. In that moment, a transaction occurred. Sold!

What seemed like a small exchange became a cosmic forfeiture. The echo of that decision still reverberates through history. Sin entered, and with it came corruption, disorder, and death (cf. Genesis 3).

Today, there is widespread confusion—within the Church and beyond—regarding the presence and escalation of evil in the world. Few deny its increase. Hatred, violence, and anger appear to intensify among nations, governments, and individuals alike. These realities are amplified daily through news outlets, social media platforms, educational systems, and even within segments of the visible church. Institutions once entrusted with reasoned discernment (nous) and moral clarity have themselves become compromised.

Those who remember previous generations often express astonishment at the moral decline. The acceleration feels exponential. Public discourse frequently centers on how dark the world is becoming. Many no longer feel secure. Some pulpits resound with anxiety; others avoid the subject entirely. Still others reassure congregations, saying, “It’s going to be alright.”

That statement is true—but it must be rightly understood.

Our Lord will preserve His own. Yet Scripture does not promise cultural/moral improvement before Christ’s return. On the contrary, it warns of intensifying difficulty. The Apostle Paul writes:

“But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.” 2 Timothy 3:1-5 ESV

Where has this Scripture not been fulfilled? Do we not see its ongoing fulfillment—even its intensification—in our own time? We should not expect it to cease. Yet neither should we fear as those without hope. Scripture consistently affirms that the Lord preserves His people. Just as a faithful husband and father protects and provides for his household, so our heavenly Father guards and sustains those who belong to Him (Psalm 121; Matthew 6:31–33).

“The LORD will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. The LORD will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore.” Psalms 121:7-8 ESV

“Therefore, do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³² For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.” Matthew 6:31-32 ESV

The sobering truth is this: mankind is not worthy of redemption.

“All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

Many have not sought salvation, yet redemption has been accomplished through Christ. “It is finished” (John 19:30). The atoning work is complete; the gift is offered. Our responsibility is not to achieve it, but to receive it by faith.

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9 ESV

Here lies the true crisis: Do we genuinely believe this? When our comfort is threatened, our instinct is resistance. “Why must I change? Let others change. I am fine.” “I have done nothing wrong”. Such reasoning reveals the subtle pride of the fallen heart. Spiritual complacency persuades us that passivity is innocence. It is not.

And yet, there is something we can do.

We are called to discern the times (Matthew 16:3), to remain watchful, sober-minded, and steadfast (1 Peter 5:8). We must pursue both spiritual vigilance and practical wisdom. Faith does not negate action; it directs it. The same God who redeems the soul also instructs His people how to live wisely in turbulent days.

Let us therefore examine the signs of the times—not with panic, but with clarity—and consider what obedience requires of us. Survival, both spiritual and practical, is not achieved through denial but through repentance, faith, and faithful endurance.

The Growth of Evil

I mentioned above that evil seems to be growing at an exponential rate. This is very serious. Let me explain by relating a short story below. (Understand that an exponential growth sequence using numbers 1 to 5 would look like this: 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, etc.)

The Story of the Wheat and the Chessboard

According to tradition, a wise man (sometimes described as a mathematician or sage) invented the game of chess and presented it to a powerful king. The king was so impressed by the game’s brilliance that he offered the inventor any reward he desired.

The wise man replied with what seemed like a modest request:

“Place one grain of wheat on the first square of the chessboard, two grains on the second square, four on the third, eight on the fourth, and continue doubling the number of grains on each of the 64 squares.”

At first, the king was amused. Such a small reward seemed trivial for such an extraordinary invention. He readily agreed.

When the royal accountants calculated the total, they were astonished. The amount of wheat required far exceeded the kingdom’s stores—indeed, far more than could reasonably be produced in the entire world at the time.

What appeared to be a humble request was, in fact, astronomically large.

When the Bible speaks of the coming of our Lord and the end of days by saying “…as were the days of Noah,” we must understand that we have stopped becoming like those days – we are here, this is today.

“The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” – Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight, and the earth was filled with violence. And God saw the earth, and behold, it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth. And God said to Noah, “I have determined to make an end of all flesh, for the earth is filled with violence through them. Genesis 6:5,11-13 ESV

“But concerning that day (the rapture of the Church) and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only. For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and they were unawareuntil the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.” Matthew 24:36-39 ESV

As these signs become more obvious each day, we need not fear. In fact, I do the opposite; I am excited as I see prophecy unfold and marvel at the accuracy of end-time Biblical accounts.

What Must I Do?

In times past, when this message was preached, two opposite reactions often followed. Some were gripped by fear. Others responded with reckless abandon. Out of panic, people abandoned prudence—maxing out credit cards and living what they called “the good life,” assuming the end was imminent. The clear commands of Christ—“fear not” and “occupy until I come”—were cast aside in favor of a careless fatalism: “If everything is ending, why bother? Enjoy life until He returns.”

This response is neither faithful nor biblical.

First, we must remind ourselves: we are not called to fear, but to faith. Scripture repeatedly commands, “Fear not.” The Lord is our Shepherd—our protector and deliverer. To live in fear when we belong to Him is not wisdom; it is unbelief.

“In the LORD I take refuge; how can you say to my soul, ‘Flee like a bird to your mountain’?” Psalm 11:1 (ESV)

Our refuge is not escape. It is trust.

The standard for a clean conscience is always the Cross. It is not speculation about the future but confidence in the finished work of Christ.

“…how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.” Hebrews 9:14 (ESV)

The Cross purifies our conscience so that we may serve—not panic, not indulge, but serve the living God.

Pull Down All Things Evil

In prayer, we often find our minds assaulted by distracting or even sinful thoughts. At times, it feels as though we are helpless against them. But that is not the truth. Scripture never commands what is impossible through the Spirit’s power. The apostle Paul makes this clear:

“We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion(Your thoughts and ideas)raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.” 2 Corinthians 10:5 (ESV)

We are not passive victims of our thoughts. By the Spirit, we are called to active warfare. Every imagination, every arrogant idea, every intrusive thought must be taken captive and brought into obedience to Christ.

This requires discipline. It is spiritual labor. We must, by the power of the Holy Spirit, redirect our minds toward what is pure and worthy of Christ.

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” Philippians 4:8 (ESV)

We do not merely resist evil; we replace it with righteousness. We pull down evil in thought, word, and deed by filling the mind with what reflects the character of God.

The Work of the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is not an abstract doctrine but an active, indwelling Helper. Though we understand so little of Him, He faithfully teaches us day by day.

But He does more than instruct. As we listen and obey, He begins to shape and inhabit our thinking.

Consider your own life in Christ (those who declare to be mature believers). Ideas and desires that once dominated you have fallen away, like leaves in autumn. Thoughts that once would never have entered your mind—holy desires, righteous ambitions, a hunger for truth—now arise naturally.

This transformation is not self-generated. We cannot produce holiness by willpower alone.

We depend entirely upon Him. We must learn—and continue learning—to rely upon the Spirit as we walk this journey of faith. Fear is not our calling. Reckless abandon is not our calling. Faithful obedience, renewed minds, purified consciences, and Spirit-led lives—that is our calling until He comes.

Conclusion

When I was new to ministry, I was once asked to teach on eschatology. My immediate response was, “What is that?” I was not fearful of the subject; I simply found it confusing and knew very little about it. Convinced that the rapture would not occur in my lifetime, I chose to devote my studies elsewhere.

But times have changed—and they are changing with increasing velocity. Now I find myself watching carefully, attentive to what our Lord called “the signs of the times” (Matthew 16:3).

As I sit in my study, searching the Scriptures and listening for His voice, I sense that something significant is drawing near. There is within me a growing anticipation—a longing, a vigilance, a readiness I have never before experienced. An eagerness has taken root in my heart. I now ask a question I once dismissed: Will I be part of this generation that sees His appearing?

As I observe the accelerating spread of evil throughout the world, I am acutely aware of how swiftly darkness advances. Yet I am equally certain that God is at work. He is neither absent nor passive. He will not be overcome, nor will He permit His righteous ones to be overcome. The kingdom of God is not in retreat. Scripture assures us that “the counsel of the LORD stands forever” (Psalm 33:11).

The prophetic Word recorded in Scripture appears to be unfolding before our eyes. Nothing remains lacking for Christ to return for His bride. We are reminded in 1 Thessalonians 4:16–17 and 1 Corinthians 15:52 that His coming will be sudden, decisive, and glorious.

I am not gripped by fear; I am filled with reverent awe. I desire to be ready as never before. Yet readiness does not mean passivity. Our Lord instructed us to “Occupy till I come” (Luke 19:13, KJV). This is not business as usual.

First, I am preparing myself in righteousness—seeking to walk in obedience and holiness before the Lord with renewed seriousness (1 Peter 1:15–16).

Second, I am proclaiming this message to all who will hear. If the hour is indeed drawing near, then faithfulness requires both personal readiness and bold witness.

“The LORD is my refuge; how can you say to my soul, ‘Flee like a bird to your mountain’?” (Psalm 11:1, ESV).

There is a “Sold” sign planted firmly in the courtyard of my life. I have driven a stake into the ground of Holy Scriptures and chained myself to it. I will not depart from the teachings of our Lord. Every truth I learn deepens my joy and strengthens my resolve. I am wholly given—Sold-Out—to Christ. And so should we all be.

Enough Said

“Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I am called by your name, O Lord, God of hosts.” Jeremiah 15:16 ESV

Notes:

Exponential Growth

An exponential growth sequence using numbers 1 to 5 would look like this: 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, etc.

Factorial Growth

A factorial growth sequence using numbers 1 to 5 would look like this: 1, 2, 6, 24, 120, etc.

Double-exponential Growth

A double-exponential growth is also called: iterated exponential growth, power-tower–type growth, or simply, repeated squaring. This sequence using numbers 1 to 5 would look like this: 2, 4, 16, 256, 65,536, etc.