I always heard in my Baptist upbringing that there will be a "great revival" in the last days. But the scriptures saying so are mostly prophecies that the Jews will at that time come to faith in Christ.
For the wider Church, it may be self-delusion to look for a "Great End-Times Revival." There are many definite scriptures otherwise.
In Jesus' prophecy to the disciples of the "end of the age," He says that "...many will fall away and will betray one another and will hate one another" (Matthew 24:10, my emphasis). It's worth noting that in Jesus' context, much of the persecution suffered by those who cleave to Him in the last days will come from "Christians" who have "fallen away."
I Timothy 4 also tells us that "...the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith..." And II Thessalonians 2:3 likewise says that Jesus will not return "...until the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed" (both my emphasis).
Contrary the standard "Evangelical" model of the Church, it seems scripture repeatedly affirms that in the last days many will "fall away" from the faith; and that the numbers of those who follow Christ will dwindle, not increase.
It's in that prophetic context we must understand Jesus' rejecting the "workers of lawless" (undoubtedly followers of "the man of lawlessness") who plead their great works done in His name (Matthew 7:21-23). No doubt they were among those whom Jesus said would, in their "falling away," persecute His steadfast believers.
It's likewise undoubtedly in terms of the "falling away" He prophesies that we must understand Jesus' sobering question, if at His return He will "...find faith on the earth ?" (Luke 18:8).
The Spirit's explicit warning in I Timothy 4 is that those who "fall away" do so by "...paying heed to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience..." (vv.1,2; my emphasis). As Jesus' return approaches, then, it is imperative...a literal matter of life and death...that we be hyper-vigilant to test our every thought and belief by the One Who IS "The Truth."
In our country, in this day, many self-identified "Evangelicals" are followers of politicians whose every word is lies, and hatred, and lawlessness. This is certainly behavior that scripture calls "falling away:" but God Alone knows if it is the final "falling away" that scripture prophesies.
In any case, we should pray for those who've fallen prey to "the father of lies," knowing that in every time and circumstance, "...God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance" (II Peter 3:9).
May it be so of today's many fallen away ! Amen !!
