Apathy is one of the greater dangers that those in the church of God have to be alert to at this time. Apathy means without feeling. It is expressed in life as indifference, a lack of interest or concern, impassive, even detached. Apathetic people are usually not indifferent or impassive about every aspect of life. For example, a person might be apathetic about government or about religion, but on the other hand, really passionate about baseball, dress fashions, or movies. What concerns is what people are apathetic about. How important to life's purpose is baseball, clothing fashions, or movies, as compared to God and one's salvation, or a nation that is rapidly sliding into the septic tank through widespread, rampant immorality? Americans prove their biblical ignorance in a nation supposedly founded as a Christian nation. This apathy witnesses that the nation is well on the way to the undertaker by means of a suicidal death. Jesus warns that when this time comes in history, the manner of life will be exceedingly deceptive. Despite all the warning signs that Christ gave in terms of events like wars, earthquakes, and major upsets in the weather, given so that the times would be recognized, deception is going to be a major hallmark of the times leading right up to the very moment of Christ's return. People will be marrying and giving in marriage, even as was done right immediately before the Flood. This illustration indicates that people, though receiving a warning, do not heed the warning. They are apathetic about the times. People will live as though they are blind because they have gotten caught up in guileful, clever disguises. The concern is that those in the church of God not allow themselves to get caught up in the spirit of the times, with its materialistic, live-for-the-moment focus. If caught up in the spirit of the times, deception to some degree will already be present. The theme of several of Christ's parables at the conclusion of Matthew 24 on into Matthew 25 is watchfulness, being alert to what is important to spiritual life in Christ Jesus and not to what is important to this world. In the parable of the ten virgins, both the foolish and the wise went to sleep. What put them to sleep was probably tiredness from the preparation for the wedding, and therefore the times themselves which filled the time in which they lived. The difference between the wise and the foolish is that the wise prepared before they went to sleep. The foolish frittered away their time, even though they no doubt also prepared to some degree for the Lord's return. But it was not enough. The wise organized their lives so that their attention was placed first on the most important thing in life for them and they stuck to the course. To them, it was a matter of priority, and they disciplined themselves, making sure that they were not apathetic regarding their responsibility. Their focus was first things first, without allowing themselves any excuse for distractions.

Apathy derives directly from Greek with little or no change. It is formed by a- (not) and pathos (feeling or suffering) and means unfeeling or without feeling. An apathetic person is indifferent and unconcerned. Once a Christian reaches the point of apathy about the sins of society he is precariously close to losing his salvation. He no longer cares how terribly far morals and standards have slid. He has become so accustomed to the gutter that he no longer cares that he lives there. Ezekiel 9 records the slaying of all those who do not sigh and cry over abominations.

A person settled on his lees becomes at least slothful, perhaps even complacent, indifferent, and apathetic. This attitude produces slothfulness, complacency, indifference, spiritual carelessness, and destruction. Even a righteous person must take care not to become complacent because he could turn thick and apathetic. One must evaluate oneself often to avoid settling on one's lees. One cannot rest on one's oars spiritually and should never become satisfied with one's spiritual progress.