“And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold.” (Matthew 24:12 ESV)
Jesus taught that just prior to His return as judge over mankind in power and great glory with all His angels, that every form of law based on the Word of God would be abandoned. (see Matthew ch. 24)
This would result in a breakdown of love in the framework of relationships, the most important being marriage, within the family. This shift in viewpoint in law has to do with the shift in Biblical values occurring in the world. Erich Fromm explains in the Art of Loving that our viewpoint of loving others is directly related to our view of Loving God:
“the disintegration of the love of God has reached the same proportions as the disintegration of the love of man.” 1
Family is the one place where we can learn to love and grow, according to the principles of faith.
Fromm further points out that there “is a regression to an idolatrous concept of God, and a transformation of the love of God into a relationship fitting an alienated character structure.” An an idolatrous concept of God is easy to see in the world we live in. Witness the movies centering on hero worship and those based on Mythology such as Thor. Disney has made the myth its primary income model. They have purchased Marvel and Star Wars – the last movie The Force Awakens has earned well over 1 billion dollars in the first week, setting a record at the box office.
As people do not understand nor have Biblical principles or faith, they become anxious, finding themselves without an aim except the one to move ahead without principles or filters as to what they hold as life-shaping values and purpose. Fromm, one of the world’s renowned psychologists indicates a problem with personal growth without faith in God.
“they continue to remain children, to hope for father or mother to come to their help when help is needed.” 1
It is very important that husband and wife work together to raise the consciousness of the need to follow the Lord, and the need to refer to His Bible daily to be led by the insight and power of the Holy Spirit. Joshua made it clear that a choice must be made at all costs if he was to lead the families of Israel into the promised land:
“if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve…as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 15:15 ESV)
1 Fromm, Erich (The Art of Loving) Open Road Media.