But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.
— 2 Timothy 3:13
But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness. And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus;
— 2 Timothy 2:16-17
And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
— 2 Thessalonians 2:6-10
Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
— 1 Timothy 4:1
For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.
— 2 Peter 2:20
They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.
— 1 John 2:19
But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended. He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.
— Matthew 13:20-22
Crocodile Sinners, by Thomas Brooks.
The sinner never leaves his sin—until his sin first leaves him. Did not death put a stop to his sin, he would never cease from sin. This may be illustrated thus: a company of gamesters resolve to play all night; their candle, accidentally or unexpectedly, goes out, or is put out, or burns out. Their candle being out, they are forced to give up their game, and go to bed in the dark. But had the candle lasted all night, they would have played their games all night. This is every sinner’s case in regard of sin—did not death put out the candle of life, the sinner would sin still. If the sinner could live forever, he would sin forever. Therefore, it is a righteous thing with God to punish him forever in hellish torments. Every impenitent sinner would sin to the days of eternity, if he might live to the days of eternity.
I have read of the crocodile, that he knows no maximum size; he is always growing bigger and bigger, and never comes to a certain pitch of monstrosity, as long as he lives. Likewise, every lost sinner would, if he were let alone—be a monster, perpetually growing worse and worse.
They were seared by the intense heat and they cursed the name of God, who had control over these plagues, but they refused to repent and glorify him. . . Men gnawed their tongues in agony and cursed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, but they refused to repent of what they had done.
— Revelation 16:9-11
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