This is how Jesus described the callous condition of people's hearts in the days just before His return. A related passage says, "This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection … lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God" (2 Timothy 3:1-4). Unfortunately, selfishness and cold-heartedness seem to be on the rise almost everywhere we look. The following clip from the British Press Authority reflects what's occurring in most countries:

Britain is in moral decline as people become more selfish and less public-spirited, according to a [recent] survey.

The country is less law-abiding than it was 10 years ago, according to 77% of people questioned in a Gallup social survey, while 65% said the sense of morality was weaker.

People were also "less likely to get involved" than they were 10 years ago, according to 70%, while 72% thought the country was becoming more selfish. (33)

The Missing Children

A United Nations study concludes that "the size of the family is shrinking all over the world because women in most countries want fewer children." (34) One reason for reduced family size is the radical increase in the number of abortions performed in recent years. Despite the fact that modern fetology has made it evident that human life begins at conception, worldwide over 30 million unborn children's lives are snuffed out every year. The Bible says, "In thy skirts is found the blood of the souls of the poor innocents: I [God] have not found it by secret search, but upon all these" (Jeremiah 2:34).

A mother's love for her infant has always been considered as pure and natural as can be. Reuter reports that "women around the world are having fewer children and are ending more than a quarter of all pregnancies in abortion." (35)

There are currently 1.6 million abortions carried out in the U.S. each year. That means that every day in the U.S. over 4,300 unborn babies are killed. It is estimated that more than 46 percent of American women will have had an abortion by the time they are 45. (36)

Previous generations would be appalled by such statistics, but not ours. Surely the predicted days have arrived when hearts would grow cold and natural affection would fade away.

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