When the Son of Man Comes, Will He Find Faith on the Earth?

            And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge said; now, will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry to Him day and night, and will He delay long over them? I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:6-8)

            This passage asks one of the questions found on the heart of the Lord Jesus, “will He find faith?” Archaeologists study ancient civilizations to see how they lived, what they valued, whom they worshipped, and what they thought. Jesus too examines our minds and hearts to see how we live, what we value, whom we worship, and what we think. I wonder how he finds us, what he sees in our lives.  Will he find faith?

            Those who watch American society can easily see the enormous changes in America, even in a generation. A Barna survey showed only 40 percent of American adults believe Jesus Christ lived a sinless life while he was on earth. Only 27 percent believe Satan is a real being or force to reckon with. A recent Pew Forum study revealed 42 percent of Christians in America say that atheism can nonetheless lead to eternal life. What would our grandparents have said about that? How could things change so quickly?

            Even the best of parents sometimes fail to reach their children. In our society where parents and church often have to compete with public schools and the media for the hearts of children, it is easy to see how children can grow up compromised or confused. When ungodly and secular agendas color and distort the truth, it is easy to see how younger generations can be deceived and fall into error.

When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth? The greatest challenge facing our children in the coming days is not sex, alcohol, or drugs. It is not the media or the internet. The greatest challenge is whether they will remain faithful to God.

I recently learned of a large, prominent denomination that boasted millions of members but had only 28 percent of the adherents attending church on any given Sunday. On many moral issues today, one can hardly see any difference between the lives of nominal Christians and the world.

Will he find parents involved in their children’s spiritual lives?  Will he find families sacrificing so they can give to the Lord? Will he find Sunday classes that dig deep into the Bible?  Will he find Christians sharing the gospel with their neighbors?

Will he find men and women who have learned to say no to the world, Christians who have put to death the deeds of the body (Rom. 8:12-13; Col. 3:5-11)? Will he find parents who have taken the time to explain the errors of evolution?  Will our children know there are some absolute moral truths? Will they be able to give a reason for the hope that lies within them, yet with gentleness and respect (1 Pet. 3:15)?

When the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?

-Phil Sanders

(You can hear and see brother Phil on the “In Search of the Lord’s Way” TV program on WVAH, channel 11 every Sunday morning at 7:30am.)

-Jerry D. Sturgill