The world by wisdom knew not God is a sad reality today.  The false prophets have assured people that God, salvation, and redemption are not real.  People are all too ready to serve themselves, but not serve the Living God.  Those who have come to a saving knowledge of Jesus know that this age ends in judgement.  The leaders of this age resist the knowledge of salvation.  They want nothing to do with the Gospel.  They persecute the followers of Jesus because they are not of this age.