The first point that we must make is that all signs and prophecies seem to suggest that there will be a minority of good and faithful people in the last days. There is not much need for convincing on this point, our cultural depictions of the end times have already set us with that expectation. Still, it is worth noting that that vision is justified by the words of scripture.

Virtually every scriptural description we have of the end times is one of evil and suffering. It is as though each prophet took a glimpse into the future, and the prevailing themes of what they saw was wickedness and tragedy. If the love of Christ was ubiquitous in the last days, you think they would have said something about that. Instead, we hear the following:

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, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God (2 Timothy 3:1-4).

Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts (2 Peter 3:3).

One of the clearest visions of the end days comes from Jesus, himself. When asked by his disciples “what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?” he replied:

Many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.

And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.

Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.

But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.
-Matthew 24:5-14

Language such as “ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake” does not suggest that the believers are in the majority. How are they able to be delivered up to be afflicted and killed, unless they are but a small faction at the mercy of the masses?

The straight up murder of Christians is quite extreme. Anyone that would do such a thing is at the very limit of darkness and violence. But surely there are other degrees of wickedness along the way. There are those that the prophets described as lovers of own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, scoffers, walking after their own lusts, etc. These are people who have given in to immorality, but could arguably still view themselves as basically good, having a generous view of humanity, and trying to make the world what they think is a better place. It seems credible that such a people would be largest of the majorities. They would not be willing to kill the righteous, but to mock and scorn them, which would then justify the radical minority to commit the murders.

Not only does this demographic seem credible it sounds very familiar! It sounds like the state of the world today. Let us take a closer look at this hypothesized majority tomorrow. Those that are morally compromised, but who still have enough conscience to not shock society against them. The popular indulgent who seduce the common citizen, accumulating numbers day by day, until they are able to assume what is “right” for the entire culture.