An Unfortunate "Falling Away"

"There is such a "falling away" in the number of genuine conversions -- we say "genuine" conversions because there are multitudes of those who come forward to shake some popular preacher by the hand, multitudes of card-signers, [hand-raisers] etc., etc.

Hence it is that there has been such a sad and such a wide-spread "falling away" from the old time family worship.

Hence it is that we now witness such a lamentable "falling away" from the mid-week prayer-meeting.

Hence it is that there is such an awful "falling away" from the observance of the Holy Sabbath.

Hence it is that there is such a fearful "falling away" from the moral standards of former days.

Hence it is that there is now such an ever-growing "falling away" from Sunday School attendance all over the land.

Yes, the "falling away" has commenced and is already far advanced.

The "falling away" which characterizes our day was referred to by the apostle when he said, "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they, heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables" (2 Timothy 4:8). That time has arrived! Church-goers today will not endure "sound doctrine."

Those who preach the total depravity of man, who insist upon the imperative necessity of the new birth, who set forth the inflexible righteousness and holiness of God, and who warn against the Eternal and conscious torment awaiting every rejector of Christ, find it almost impossible to obtain a hearing.

Such preachers are regarded as puritanical pessimists, and are not wanted. In these degenerate times, the masses demand that which will soothe them in their sins and amuse them while they journey down the Broad Road. The multitude is affected with "itching ears" which crave novelty and that which is sensational.

They have ears which wish to be "tickled," ears which eagerly drink in the songs of professional and unsaved soloists and [bands], ears which are well pleased with the vulgar slang of our modern evangelists.

-- AW Pink, "The Redeemer's Return"