“Make sure that the light you think you have is not actually darkness. If you are filled with light, with no dark corners, then your whole life will be radiant, as though a floodlight were filling you with light.” (Luke 11:35 NLT)
There are two issues I’d like to address today. First, if someone who has heard the truth about who Jesus is and what He has done on our behalf yet continues to ignore the clear urging of the Spirit to repent and believe, that’s not on God! A person can blame God all they want about how “mean” He is to punish someone for their sin, but what else can He do? God gives a clear warning! Sin has consequences – separation from God, now and forever.
Satan, on the other hand, is a liar and a deceiver. His goal isn’t for someone not to come to Christ, just not now – in this moment (which is the only one in which anyone CAN come to Christ). For anyone to believe they can wait until their “death bed” to come to Christ is like saying: “I’m going to jump out of a plane and wait to the last second to pull the release on the parachute, then remembering: ‘WAIT! I forgot the parachute!’”
Waiting is spiritual suicide because no one comes to the Lord unless He calls them. We take no steps toward God unless and until He first takes steps toward us. “Then how can anyone EVER be saved?” Because (a) His first and most important step was taken in sending Jesus and allowing Him to die on the Cross in our place, and (b) if you’re sensing any interest in coming to Christ, guess who put that “sensing” there? It’s called “conviction” and it’s the Holy Spirit who is alerting you that it’s time to come to Him.
The other piece of that is, the Holy Spirit will not keep asking. There may come a time when it’s His last offer. “How will I know?” You won’t, that’s why you should give your life to Christ while you can. Am I trying to scare you? If only I could, but no, I’m trying to help you see the stupidity in waiting.
Jesus said in John 12:46-47: “I have come as a light to shine in this dark world, so that all who put their trust in Me will no longer remain in the dark. I will not judge those who hear Me but don’t obey Me, for I have come to save the world and not to judge it. But all who reject Me and My message will be judged on the day of judgment by the truth I have spoken.” Judgment always comes as a result of OUR decision to reject God’s offer, never God’s!
But that leads me to the second issue for today’s discussion. Where do we fit in? How do you and I who love Jesus and love lost people fit into the obvious set of tragic circumstances that exist in the hearts and minds of those in our spheres of influence who (a) don’t know Jesus or (b) don’t care to know Him?
In a recent sermon one of our Pastors said: “People can’t believe (or reject) what they don’t hear.” Billions of people will be separated from God for all eternity, not because they wanted to be, but because no one ever told them they don’t have to be. They may never have heard the name of Jesus except in profanity. And here’s where the proverbial “rubber meets the road” – they’re our friends, neighbors, co-workers, classmates, employers, employees, clerks, waiters/waitresses, police officers, firefighters, attorneys, doctors, nurses, therapists, and on and on it goes.
Pastor Tom asked another searing question in reference to God: “What’s in Him that not’s in me?” What is it that’s in the heart of God to love and want lost people to be saved so badly He gave the life of His only Son on their behalf? Yet, we can’t miss a sports event or anything else that might stand in our way of spending time with a friend or loved one or with anyone who is heading to a Christ-less eternity and who desperately needs Jesus?
If you profess faith in Jesus, yet can think of ANYTHING that’s more important than helping someone know Jesus, please, get on your knees and ask Him: Lord, what’s in You that’s not in me?” And whatever it is, ask Him to “PLEASE GIVE IT TO ME!”
If not us, who? If not now, when?
Food for thought.
Blessings, Ed 😊
Walking With Jesus 