"I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?" (Luke 18:8)

This sad query by Jesus seems to suggest that true Christian faith could almost disappear from the earth before He returns. Neither Christ nor His disciples answered the question, leaving it for us to consider on our own.

Since all people--even atheists--have faith in something, it is clear that Jesus used the word "faith" to refer specifically to genuine trust in the true God and His Word. That faith would evidently be in short supply in the last days.

There are many such warnings in Scripture: "In the last days," said Paul, men shall be "lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof" (2 Timothy 3:1, 4-5).

"In the last days" said Peter, men will be "saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation" (2 Peter 3:3-4).

"In the last time," said Jude, men would be "mockers . . . who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit" (Jude 18-19).

Nevertheless, the apostles did not say that all men would be lovers of pleasure more than God, or questioners of His promised coming, or mocking sensualists. Paul's warning, in fact, was given specifically to urge believers living in the last days to "preach the word" (2 Timothy 4:2). Peter's exhortation was given to encourage us to "grow in grace" (2 Peter 3:18), and Jude's was given to exhort us to be "building up yourselves on your most holy faith" (Jude 20).

Finally, John insists that we "abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming" (1 John 2:28). HMM