Will there be a great revival or influx of new Christians as we approach the end of the world as we know it?

Many very devoted and sincere Christians strongly believe there will be, and are fervently praying for a widespread revival in Christianity.

“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise . . . he is . . . not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance”—2 Peter 3:9 NIV. “God our Savior . . . wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth”—1 Timothy 2:3,4 NIV. The scriptures thus are very clear that God wants everyone to repent and be saved. The scriptures are also clear that Almighty God says:

“I make known the end from the beginning”—Isaiah 46:9 NIV. Almighty God has accurately predicted what will happen in this world, down to its end, and beyond!

However, we need to take into consideration all the scriptures, the entire Bible, especially the New Testament, in order to be able to arrive at the truth of any matter. Do the scriptures give any evidence of any widespread revival of Christianity in “the last days” (2 Timothy 3:1)?—–No, they don’t! What do the scriptures predict?

 Many will fall away. “At that time many will turn away from the faith”—Matthew 24:10 NIV

Many will be nominally Christian, but in actual everyday life and practice, they will blend in with the world: “Having a form of godliness but denying its power”—2 Timothy 3:5 NIV

Rather than revival, notice what other factors are predicted for Christianity in “the last days”: “Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming . . . ‘The time is near.’ Do not follow them”—Luke 21:8 NIV

“Many false prophets will appear and deceive many people”—Matthew 24:11 NIV

“False messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive”—Matthew 24:24 NIV

“The love of most will grow cold”—Matthew 24:12 NIV

This is far from any kind of “Great Revival”.

1 Timothy 4:1 – Some will depart from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons.

2 Timothy 4:3-4 – The time will come when they will not put up with sound doctrine, but will get teachers to tell them what they want to hear.

2 Peter 2:1-3 – False teachers will come, exploiting people with deceptive words.

“Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.” (Matthew 13:30). Wheat (true Christians) and weeds (false Christians) both grow together until the harvest, or the end.

“As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age.” (Matthew 13:40). The weeds (false Christians) are not separated and burned until the end.

” . . . and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Matthew 13:50). Both good and bad Christians will be gathered into a dragnet. They are not separated until the end.

Matthew 25:1-13 – Wise and foolish virgins are together until the end – vs. 10

Matthew 25:31-46 – Sheep and goats separated at the end.

“The rest of mankind who were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the work of their hands; they did not stop worshiping demons, and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood—idols that cannot see or hear or walk. Nor did they repent of their murders, their magic arts, their sexual immorality or their thefts.” (Revelation 9:20-21). The scriptures are very clear that there will be no widespread repentance, or revival, at the end.

“The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and its kingdom was plunged into darkness. People gnawed their tongues in agony.” (Revelation 16:20). Rather than widespread revival, the scriptures foretell widespread apathy and antipathy toward God at the end.

Therefore, there is no Biblical basis for predictions of any great revival of Christians, nor any great influx of people into Christianity prior to the end of the world, as we know it.