Correction: In 1967, it was applied to JWs but since 1984 they "adjusted" the application.
*** w84 12/15 p. 30 Do You Remember? ***
When, at Matthew 24:12, Jesus said that "the love of the greater number will cool off," was he predicting this to happen to true worshipers now?
Jesus’ words were part of a prophecy about ‘the sign of his presence and of the conclusion of the system of things.’ (Matthew 24:3) These words found an application in the first century among Jews claiming to worship God. With their lack of love they did not heed Jesus’ warning, and they suffered the consequences when the Roman armies invaded Jerusalem. Comparably, among professing Christians today not only is neighbor love diminishing but so is love for God. This is the principal application of Jesus’ words, yet they should act as a warning for all true Christians as well.—10/1, page 31.
*** w67 12/1 pp. 735-736 Questions from Readers ***
Does Jesus’ prophecy at Matthew 24:12 about the cooling off of the love of the greater number find fulfillment in Christendom or among Jehovah’s Christian witnesses?—P. A., U.S.A.
The things that have occurred in this generation show that both Christendom and God’s true servants are involved in the fulfillment of this prophecy. In the twenty-fourth chapter of Matthew Jesus Christ was describing to four of his disciples different aspects of the composite sign that would be observed during his second presence. After mentioning wars, food shortages, earthquakes and persecution of true Christians, he added: "Many false prophets will arise and mislead many; and because of the increasing of lawlessness the love of the greater number will cool off."—Matt. 24:11, 12.
The various aspects of this composite sign have been in evidence since the establishment of God’s kingdom in 1914, including the leading of people away from the Bible and fundamental Christian beliefs. The clergy of Christendom joined the trend to label the Bible as mythological; then they mixed in among their teachings human theories such as evolution, and now they spread the "God is dead" idea. Whereas people in Christendom claiming to be Christian used to read the Bible and view it as God’s inspired Word, many have now been led away from it by their ‘false prophet’ religious leaders. And some of the leaders have as much as admitted this. One clergyman told a Baptist convention: "A spirit of lethargy has overcome the people . . . and it is our fault." Another minister told the same group: "We have drifted away from the practice of scriptural Christianity."—Houston Post, December 5, 1964, page 15.
With millions of persons in Christendom rejecting the Bible as the standard to follow, morals have been adversely affected. There has been an increase of lawlessness. Some think that if there is a God he is not concerned with what they do. The people in general are frightened by the resulting crime and lawlessness, but, instead of their turning to God, they drift farther away from Him. As the aforementioned clergyman noted, they become lethargic and what love for God and fellowman they had diminishes; it cools off.
Some wonder how these can be the "greater number" referred to in this text, since they are not even true Christians. But they claim to be so. Of all the people professing to be Christians, these having little love for God and neighbor constitute the majority, the greater number.
However, those who are actually Christians can also be involved in this prophecy. For a time following the setting up of the Kingdom in 1914 Jehovah’s servants were in a state of spiritual captivity. There was persecution from the outside, and even within the organization of true Christians there were problems. Some had allowed their love for God to grow cold and they tried unlawfully to seize control of the organization. When they failed, they fell away and became an "evil slave" class, opposing those who continued to show true love for God. (Matt. 24:48-51) And over the years others have been influenced by the lawlessness of the world or have let their love die down for some other reason. The cooling off of their love caused them to abandon true worship and to join the imitation Christians, thus adding to the "greater number."
Yet there appears to be no reason to conclude that the greater number of those in Jehovah’s organization of Christian witnesses now are going to lose their love for God in the future. The lawlessness and lack of love in the world is already well advanced, but most of Jehovah’s witnesses are remaining devoted to God and with strong love. Even so, we each need to be concerned with our own spirituality so that our love for God remains strong. (Matt. 22:37) If that is the case with each one of us, Jesus’ words in the next verse of Matthew chapter 24 will be fulfilled in us: "He that has endured to the end is the one that will be saved."—Matt. 24:13.
