Why is it that so many people who claim to be committed in long-term relationships, whether married or single, feel entitled to browbeat, rage against, condescend to, provoke fights with, backstab, cheat on, or just generally emotionally torment the person they chose to be involved with?
For that matter, why is it that so many people who profess to be followers of Christ only seem to follow him when it's convenient?
Why is it that so many people conduct their lives as though they've got all the time in the world to prepare themselves for eternity?
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What if the last words you said to a family member turned out to be things you'd said in anger?
What if the last thing you did in your life was skip tithing to pay for that new car or big screen TV ... or season football tickets?
What if the last thing you did in your life was cheat on your spouse?
What if the last thing you did in your life was avoiding sharing your testimony as a believer because you felt afraid of what other people at work might think?
Seems to me like those would be some pretty heavy burdens to carry into judgement and eternity. Unless, of course, you don't believe that either Judgement or Eternity exist in the first place ... or maybe your life-long plan includes living forever ... and skipping death altogether.
Could be that be you do believe in Judgement and Eternity, but feel pretty sure you've got all the time in the world to "do a 360 and get yourself turned around" ... before the last second of your life arrives.
After all, that moment's far, far off in the future ... isn't it?
Thing is, so long as you're planning on" getting yourself straightened out in time," all the time in the world isn't going to do any good or make any difference.
That's because all the time in the world doesn't belong to you. And anyway, you can't do a thing to save yourself from eternity, either.
"He said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.' "
- Luke 16:31
"Therefore since we are God's offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by man's design and skill. In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead."
-Acts 17:29-31
As God's fellow workers we urge you not to receive God's grace in vain. For he says,
"In the time of my favor I heard you,
and in the day of salvation I helped you." I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation.
"In the time of my favor I heard you,
and in the day of salvation I helped you." I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation.
- 2 Corinthians 6:1
