What do you mean 'things get too bad'? Christ said there would be war and rumors of war.... but that is NOT the end. The old devil is going to get tossed out here among us playing like he is Jesus, and all but the elect will be deceived. That is the tribulation.
Actually, the Bible doesn’t say ‘all but the elect will be decieved’. It says that even SOME of the elect will be deceived. And this is what’s going on now by believing in false doctrine that makes us vulnerable.