Religious strife continues to dominate our world. God and religion are certainly not dead, despite all the rumors. The front lines of religion crisscross our globe telling us that religion will play a major role in the 21st century. How will that impact your life?
by Darris McNeely
Jesus of Nazareth walked out of the temple, crossed the Kidron Valley and slowly made His way up the slope of the Mount of Olives. With Him were His disciples. At some point near the summit, under the shade of some trees, they stopped and looked back across the valley to the city and its magnificent temple.
Minutes earlier, as they left the temple, Christ's words had shocked the disciples. He told them that the time was coming when the massive temple would be utterly destroyed, without a stone left atop another. Now they could ask Him the meaning of His words. "Tell us, when will these things be?" they asked. "And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?" (Matthew 24:3).
Jesus responded with what would become known as the Olivet Prophecy—an overview of the trends and events that would lead up to His return. Christ listed several signs, but the first sign He gave was: "Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many" (verses 4-5).
Religious deception: A scourge
Religious deception was the first and in many ways the most basic of problems that would plague the world. Religious wars have racked the planet for millennia. In today's postmodern world, while many wish that religion would fade completely from the scene, the reality is that there is more strife in God's name than ever before. A survey of our world shows that, far from dying out, religion continues to play a significant role in the political affairs of nations.
