It Comes Down to Simple Math – 8 Billion Sinners Commit More Sin
Whenever it is said that the world is experiencing unparalleled evil, it is inevitable that some person will say, "Oh, there's been great evil in the world before." Of course, it is true that there has been great evil in the world before. Yet, the statement is deceiving in the sense it is made to try and say that since there has been great evil in the world before, our present time of evil is basically the same. That is, they are really trying to diminish the idea that the evil in the world at this time is the worse evil there has ever been.
Now, we could start to make an itemized list of wickedness (and it would be long) and go into various details to show that evil is far greater in evidence today than any past time. But I do not think we need to do that in order to prove the point. We can simply look at the population of the world and compare it with the population of past generations – which some have thought to be particularly evil periods in earth's history.
Many evil deeds took place during the period of time known as the "dark ages" as well as during the times of the Reformation.
Some estimate the population of the world at the end of the dark ages to be between 350 and 450 million people. While during the 16th and 17th centuries (the Reformation), the estimated world population range is from 450 million to about 550 million.
Today, we live in a world which numbers close to 8 billion souls. Therefore, our present world population is about 15 times greater than the time of the reformation (when many true Christians were burned by false Christians); and about 17 times greater than at the end of the dark ages.
And given the fact that every human being is a sinner – this alone tells us that evil is more prevalent and worse today than it was then:
Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
And,
Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
The dramatic multiplication of the number of sinners (people) in the world, all by itself means a dramatic multiplication of sin at this time of the world's end.
In Matthew 24, a chapter which goes into detail answering the disciples question regarding, "what shall be the sign of thy coming and of the end of the world?" Jesus pointed out that at the time of the end there would be an abounding increase in iniquity:
Matthew 24:12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
There is no debating the issue on which period of time in world history is more evil – because it comes down to simple math. Eight billion sinners commit more sin than 450 or 550 million sinners.
But of course, there is more to the reason why evil has so greatly multiplied in our day. On top of the great multiplication of the number of sinners themselves – there is a unprecedented explosion of evil in the world because God has loosed Satan (Revelation 20:7-9) and simultaneously has given mankind up to his own evil heart's desires:
Romans 1:26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.