Waxing Worse and Worse

Last Updated on Tue September 12, 2023 @ 10:43 am

Many will be purified, made spotless and refined,
but the wicked will continue to be wicked.
None of the wicked will understand,
but those who are wise will understand.
(Daniel 12:10  NIV84)

In 2nd Timothy 3 Paul speaks of the Last Days and details the events and the men that will come.  Paul lists the fruits, or works, of these last days men and sums it up in verse 13 showing us how they are revealed and the magnitude of their impact “Evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived” (2Tim 3:13).

Paul uses a very important word here in 2 Timothy 3:13 — wax.  He is not talking about men that get worse but men whose true nature is manifest over time, they come to light as to what they have always been – what they really are.  The root that lies beneath, even when hidden by malice, will eventually show forth in their fruit (Matt 7:20).  Whose hatred is covered by deceit, his wickedness shall be shewed before the whole congregation (Prov 26:26).

These seducers fall under their own deception because they have no understanding as Daniel said (Dan 12:10  NAB).  They have been given over to a strong delusion because they take pleasure in unrighteousness and love their own lies as they teach it won’t damn them (2Thes 2:11;  Ps 14:1).  Paul gives a second witness in Romans 1:31-32 to Daniel on their not understanding and to their having pleasure in their sins.  These signs shall follow them that deceive, the evil seducers (Mt 7:15-20;  2Tim 3:13).

“They bend their tongues like bows to shoot their arrows of untruth. They care nothing for right and go from bad to worse; they care nothing for Me,” says the Lord.  “They pile evil upon evil, lie upon lie, and utterly refuse to come to Me,” says the Lord.   For their tongues aim lies like poisoned spears.  (Jer 9:3, 6, 8  TLB)

Certain Men

Where we find men who wax worse and worse (2Tim 3:13) – that is, they are being revealed to be worse than we thought – 2Timothy is telling us that these men are identified as evil men and seducers — they are ‘deceivers’ (2Tim 3:13).  They are not what they originally appeared to be – it was a deception.  Likewise, even they themselves are under their own delusion – they have got to where they actually believe their own deception (2Tim 3:13).

This is partially because they are without understanding (Dan 12:10;  Mt 15:16;  Rom 1:31-32), and partially because they have been given over to a strong delusion to believe their own lies – because they refused to love the truth more than their lies (2Thes 2:11).  Because they take pleasure in unrighteousness.  This is God’s work of judgment upon them (2 Thessalonians 2:10-12).

This is in total contrast to a true man of God which Paul shows us the works and fruit of a few verses later.  For a man of God is perfect and produces good works.  “That the man of God… be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” (2Tim 3:17)

2nd Timothy gives instructions immediately following the identification of the deceivers so that you will not be deceived by them.  In Paul’s instructions, he shows the manner in which they deceive.

Scripture says to – continue in what you have learned and are assured of because the seducers will teach you contrary to what you know is right (2Tim 3:14;  Prov 19:27 TLB).  It is the scriptures that are what is able to make you wise and obtain salvation, not what these deceivers and seducers teach you (2Tim 3:14-15;  1Jn 2:27).  They teach and do contrary to scripture and sound doctrine, to turn you away from truth to be turned unto fables (2 Timothy 4:3-4).

Waxing or Waning

As the Moon does not get bigger as it waxes towards full, likewise these men are not getting worse than they are.  They are only being found out to be what they really are – what they have always been.  They are waxing — as the waxing Moon exposes more light on the surface – the surface that is already there.  Its size does not change – only its actual appearance is exposed and brought to light.  This verse is not nearly saying that these men are getting worse, but that the revelation of who they are is becoming clearer to more people.

Their fruit is becoming known, it is coming to light, more and more — as the waxing of the Moon shows more of the hidden surface that is always there.  “Likewise also the good works of some are manifest beforehand; and they that are otherwise cannot be hid.” (1Tim 5:25)

The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn,
shining ever brighter till the full light of day.
But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness;
they do not know what makes them stumble.
The man who walks in the dark
does not know where he is going.
(Pr 4:18-19;  Jn 12:35  NIV84)

It’s A Fruit Market

This is a good lesson in fruit identification that leads us to the identification of the person.  Their waxing worse and worse is the fruit that is the sign that identifies them to be evil men, seducers, and deceivers.  It’s that simple, that’s how it works.  That is how Jesus’ fruit test works (Matt 7:16-20).  It is the only way that you are to identify any man – but especially a prophet (Mt 7:15-16, 20).

It is the standard that even Jesus held Himself to, and Paul likewise (1John 1:3;   Php 4:9;  Acts 4:20).  Any man who will not be judged by the same standard and is making his justification something else from God is doing so to hide his evil fruit from identifying him as an evil man, seducer, and a deceiver.

This is why certain men teach a false doctrine of getting a witness from God on them (Jude 1:4).  This witness is supposed to seal your testimony of them forever so that when you see the truth revealed – from their waxing – then you not to change what you think God told you.  You are to ignore their fruit – the very thing Jesus told you to pay attention to – not a witness, their fruit is your witness (Matt 7:15-20).  The truth is that God has no such witnessas they are selling you on.  God’s word tells us repeatedly that we get a witness on someone from their fruits (Matt 7:16, 20).  This especially applies to prophets (Matt 7:15).  We are told to test the spirits not to ask God for a witness on them (1John 4:1).  Evil men and seducers will use this tactic to deceive you – beware!

Show Me Your Fruit

Are there revelations of your leader leaking out that there are questionable things going on?  Red flags?  Beware, and do not ignore this.  Burying your head in the sand is the surest way to deception and damnation.  Where you have many declarations (or witnesses) of wrongdoing in the same area, there is most likely something to it.

Do not buy the self-justification that says, “They accused Jesus too”, to justify this.  Jesus only had false witnesses against Him, and they had to be bought off to say it.  They were false and they didn’t even witness in agreement, “their witness agreed not together” (Mark 14:56).

When you have an abundance of witnesses witnessing to the same things in agreement, it is telling you something is wrong.  It’s actually how God designed it to work (1Tim 5:19-20).  Remember PTL, Peter Popoff, and Jim Jones all carried a good front, but there were rumors, there were realizations, questionings, and surmisings of the evil that was beneath the surface of what was witnessed – long before it came out to the whole world.

If you were to have 99% of your followers leaving you over your evil ways.  What is the common denominator here?  It’s the one who remains – the leader.  This is a show of fruit – evil fruit (Matt 7:17).  For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.  For every tree is known by his own fruit… A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh. (Luke 6:43-45;  Matt 7:16-20)

Their End from Their Beginning

These men are also not simply falling into error in their latter days, but as John said, “They went out from among us because they were not of us” (1Jn 2:19).  They separated themselves from the body of believers – before this.

Jesus’s warning of the End Times deceivers was that they lure you into separating yourself to a certain place in the wilderness that they have prepared, where the body of Christ is to be kept safe (and preserved) and where God’s secret mysteries are (Matt 24:24-26;  Luke 21:8).  As Jude also said, “These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit” (Jude 1:19).

They are waxing worse and worse — their true nature comes more into light as time passes.  They are not getting worse, the evil that has always been there is being made manifest.  They are unable to hide it from you.  They are raging waves foaming out their own shame, wandering stars (Jude 1:13).  Though their hatred is covered by deceit, his wickedness shall be shewed before the whole congregation (Prov 26:26).

The ministers of Satan are established by and walk in wickedness, they are not God’s servants.  God’s servants “Sheweth forth righteousness” (Prov 12:17), and we follow them in their example (1Cor 11:1;  Heb 6:12).  Do not let these evil men “deceive you with words” (Eph 5:6) that they are still “God’s servants” no matter what you might see them do.  That’s not how it works.  Test these men!

The truth is so simple that even a child can understand it; “An evil tree cannot bear good fruit” (Matt 7:17-18;  Luke 6:43).  Wolves In the Flock of God?

That you may show yourselves to be blameless and guileless, innocent and uncontaminated,
children of God without blemish (faultless, unrebukable)
in the midst of a crooked and wicked generation [spiritually perverted and perverse], among whom you are seen as bright lights (stars or beacons shining out clearly) in the [dark] world (Phil 2:15  AMPC)

Vessels of Dishonor

You do not find in scripture where God turned a blind eye to men He called, chose, or anointed; that later went after their own sins — these men God no longer used.  Not even David got a free pass on this.  David paid for his sin for the rest of his life, and God never used him again.  A wound and dishonour shall he get; and his reproach shall not be wiped away (Prov 6:32-33).

David lost his wife, and his baby, had his throne was usurped by his son and he had to flee barefoot.  He was hunted by his son Absalom, his four sons caused him great trouble; and still, David continued to sin by taking a census.

God is not going to go against His word, “whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding: he that doeth it destroyeth his own soul.  A wound and dishonor shall he get, and his reproach shall not be wiped away.  (Wounds and constant disgrace are his lot (TLB))” (Pr 6:32-33).  God isn’t going to change His word just because you’re David or some son of man.

Adam, Noah, Aaron, Moses, Saul, David, Balaam, Jonah, Sampson, Judas, Simon the soccer, Demas, Diotrephes, the list goes on — some of whom were once greatly used by God – but lost their usefulness to God through sin.  “A man shall not be established by wickedness” (Pr 12:3).

Still, certain men brag that they were schooled in their ministry (craft) under shysters.  God only uses clean vessels that are “meet for the Master’s use” for His holy purposes (2Tim 2:20-21).  Don’t try to put Peter’s denial on that list to ignore the truth here.  Peter is not in that class as Peter repented and never denied Christ again.  His wasn’t a worldly repentance that was sorry he got caught, or like Judas’ was.  These men walked after their sin and or added sin to sin (Isa 30:1).

God favored Noah (Gen 6:8) because God found Noah to be righteous before Him (Gen 7:1).  God didn’t miraculously deem Noah righteous – that’s not what it says.  God saw that Noah was upright by what Noah did (Mt 7:16, 20).  Show us from scripture a man that God called and anointed who was walking contrary to God’s ways before He called them!

The Sign

Certain men are marked by one thing that hangs over them — they are waxing worse and worse.  Their fruit is showing.  Giving witness to their root.  What then does scripture tell us of such an one?  They are an evil man, a seducer, and a deceiver; according to Paul’s words in Timothy (2Tim 3:13). 

Or do you not believe that we are in the End Times?  Remember that Jesus said in Luke 21:8 that the message that ‘the End is Near‘ is the calling card of the End Time deceivers (“saying,… the time draweth near“).  But, it is what they do along with this message that fully identifies them — their fruit bears them witness (Matt 7:15-20).

One sign of the end times is that the good will get better and the bad will get worse (Rev 22:11).  In that point, Brother Stair did fulfill the role of a Sign.  “He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still” (Rev 22:11).  “Evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived“ (2Tim 3:13-14).  “The wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand” (Dan 12:10).  “For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.” (Ecc 12:14).

There’s your Sign!

Stop listening to teaching that contradicts what you know is right.

A worthless witness cares nothing for truth—he enjoys his sinning too much.
Mockers and rebels shall be severely punished.
(Proverbs 19:27-29  TLB)

And a highway will be there;
it will be called the Way of Holiness;
it will be for those who walk on that Way.
The unclean will not journey on it;
wicked fools will not go about on it.
(Isaiah 35:8  NIV)