Time is Short, What are You Waiting For?

Whether you like it or not, Jesus is coming back, and some of us will meet Him sooner than others. Many of us, though, live as if we have time, and time to spare. Some of us acknowledge that God is One (don’t even the demons believe and tremble?), but we live like hell Monday through Saturday, and quietly creep in to Church on Sunday, hoping that out attendance counts for something. Some of us walk day in and day out amongst those who are perishing, and say nothing, because we care more for public opinion than we do the eternal salvation of those around us. And, still, some of us ignore the calling Jesus has placed upon us, burying the talents He has given us, and hoping that giving them back some day will be enough.

If we were to stand before Christ today, from whom we have Salvation and the Holy Spirit, what would He say? Would He say “well done!” or “I never knew you!” or “You wicked and lazy servant”? These are all warnings He gave in Scripture, and the warnings still stand! Time is short, people are dying every day, and we have the message of salvation for all the peoples of the world! It is not enough to say “I have decided to follow Jesus,” we need to walk in His steps, using all we have available to us to bring the Good News to those who are perishing. All have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory, and the wages of sin is death, but Jesus died for our sins, was buried and rose on the third day! He did this, according to the Scriptures, to reconcile us to the One True God. And if we have been saved, shouldn’t we be more concerned about this message than anything else?

Romans 10:1-17

Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.

For Moses writes about the righteousness that is based on the law, that the person who does the commandments shall live by them. But the righteousness based on faith says, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down) “or ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.