In light of the fact the world is presently mourning the loss of one of its national heroes and celebrated Icons - who having made his exit from this world only today it makes you realize how fragile and vulnerable life is!! Here today and gone tommorow - and who knoweth how long he will spend on the planet?? For what is your life? it is but a vapour that appeareth for a little time and then vanisheth away. James hitS the nail on the head (in one) so to speak...
The Bible ( the Word-of-God ) informs us Now is the Accepted time - Now is the DAY of salvation. Not tommorow, not next month, Not when you have a more convientient season. Do not play russian roulette with your eternal soul! Do not put it off till another day - is CLEARLY the message of the bible! And the message of jesus AND the message of the apostles and the prophets. Repent for the kingdom of God is at hand - was the urgent TONE of Christs' voice! as he went from city to city and from village to village! Urging and preaching repentance towards God!
One day some people came and informed Jesus with the news of how pilate had mingled the blood of galileans - along with there own sacrifices! however the reaction they got from jesus on that day was one that floored them and one which they didn;t expect? He said do you think these galileans that died were MORE sinners than anybody else?? Nay, but i tell you unless ye repent ye shall ALL likewise perish! And did ye suppose when the tower of siloam fell and slew those eighteen men ... did you presume to think they were sinners above all men? in Jerusalem? Again the answer must have reverberated down through there spines as they heard ...nay! - but unless ye repent you will all likewise perish. These people thought surely they died due to there sinful ways and having met with divine justice! ( they got there come-upenence )
Christ knocks there presumtion on the head and says all mankind has a sin-debt to pay - but i will go to the cross and be a propitiation for your sins and pay the penalty for sin (in the body of my flesh) Of course many of the jews failed to understand that the blood of goats and calves could NEVER take away sins! And so thus -- they did not understand the message of repentance that came by John - nor did they know WHO christ was! NOR why he was sent? (to make an atonememt for the sins of the world ) and thereby become the ultimate lamb Of God sacrifice for men! ( Christ who is our passover )
When i see the blood i will pass over ( In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins )
But the title of the Op is " its never too late, until the final day " again Christ with urgent tones warned of a case when God said to a foolish man once " this night thy soul shall be required of thee " and " then whose shall those things be, be which you have provided for yourself ??
( But God said to him thou fool ) tonight your soul will vacate this planet - and you will slip into eternity, and your SOUL will be required of you! ( time is up ) !!! And so is the time for building bigger and greater barns and laying up many goods upon the earth! Jesus also said what doth it profit a man if he accrues the entire world -- and yet in the process of that aquisition....loses his soul? what can a man give in exchange for his soul? the rich and the affluent for all intents and purposes make many exchanges with money and property during there lifetime having many goods and wealth to boot! But how can you buy, transact, or exchange anything -- for a lost soul??????
You simply can't: The day is spent, the harvest is over and we are not saved! were words similiarly used by the prophet Jeremiah in his day. The Apostle paul made many impassioned pleas to sinners to repent during his apostleship and none were so graphicly portrayed as described when witnessing his faith to felix in the book of acts. Felix was a ruler in authority that left paul basically to rot in prison at that time -- he also did this - to do the jews a pleaure ( and appease them ) and he hoped also, that he would recieve money and that by that - he might let paul Go - and release him!
The story or account that follows was that on a certain day felix came with his wife drusilla a jewess, And they together heard him of his faith in Christ! Paul obliged with delight and testified of his faith and began to talk about 3 things in particular? that being
1. righteousness
2. temperance
3. And judgment - to come
And upon hearing those things preached by saul who is now called paul - he began to squirm and get a little uncomfortable! a little bit hot under the collar! and quickly brought the conversation to an end! Scripture portays it this way. Felix trembled and answered, go thy way for now, when i have a more suitable time, i will call for thee again! One has to wonder wether the more suitable and convienient time ever came to felix (we hope for his sakes - it did)
Look at noahs generation and lots generation (they knew not) what was coming! until the flood came and took them all away. When lot tried to witness to his sons-in-law of impending judgment and the awful fury of God coming to sodom and the surrounding cities about them...
what happened? They mocked and dismissed it as tall tales!! Even lots wife got far enough away from the danger zone and had outwardly forsaken sodom ... but in her heart she thought why am i giving all this up? my life is here in sodom and so is my families life here in sodom! whats all the fuss and commotion about? this is ridiculous!! Where is the judgment of God and the wrath of God? and at that very moment and having entertained those thoughts ....she looked back longingly and lovingly towards sodom! and well the rest of the story is well documented in bible history for you to read ( It's never to late, until the final day )
Man makes every preparation for death in the natural and in the physical realm with wills and testaments in place, funeral arrangements, and burial site! ecet. Like the man today who passed away today before us as a celebrated celebrity of high stature and fame! possessing lands and many assets and with plans to have his body frozen upon his death - in the hope of a cure and that MAN one day might revive him and bring him back. I believe this proceedure has a special name which i just cant think of it at the moment - however all those plans are for the here and now and present moment - yet what about the plan of one day meeting your maker?? And of facing of - with him?
Jesus said we SHOULD lay hold of eternal life and not let go of it! And whatever gets in the way must go GO! and has to GO! sell what ye have, give alms, lay up for yourselves a (treasure in heaven) that neither moth nor rust can corrupt, or take away. The rich man that fared sumptiously every day is another example of them that procrastinate and ignore there need of repentance! The story goes THAT abraham and the rich man (NOW BEING) in hell - had a conversation between themselves, upon which abraham reproves him several times! Saying " Son remember that you in YOUR LIFETIME recieved all those good things and lazarus evil tidings?? But now he is comforted and thou art tormented! the rich man accepts his fete - and that he left HIS RUN too late! However can i go and plead with my kinfolk not to come here? and warn them not to make the same mistakes as me? and come to this horrible, horrible, horrible place?? Again father abraham reproves him and says " they have the word of God and the law of moses " if that is not enough - then how will your words change anything? that is as opposed to divinely spoken words ( and the very oracle of God )?? The rich man continues to argue his case however - saying " nay" " if one went and told them of the realties of hell then they would surely repent and fear God" !! (no) ??? Abraham responds by saying ( wrong again - rich man ) If they hear not moses, and the prophets that followed after them, it is unlikely! and next to nigh and near impossible - that such will hear you and be persuaded, even though one rise from the dead to WARN THEM! ( Wow )
( It's never too late, until the final day )
For who knoweth a man's movements? or when his last breath shall be ? Is not man's breath held in the hands of his maker? And cannot there feet slide at anytime? Shall not the wicked's own iniquities take him? And shall not they be holden with the cords of there own iniquity? Will the hand of God suddenly appear saying " thou art weighed in the balances O'MAN and found wanting"?
Only with thine eyes shall thou behold and see the reward of the wicked. Soloman said The way of the transgressors is hard! and this is the same man that also warned saying " there is a way that seemeth right unto man, but the ends thereof - - are the ways of DEATH!
BUT THE PROPHET EZEKIEL HAS THE FINAL WORD AND SAY ON THE MATTER: ( ezekiel chapter 33 )
God has no pleasure in the death of the wicked: Turn and live is the beckoning call! Turn or burn modern day evangelist often quip in there sermons! But here in ezekiel he makes a very emotive and impassionate plea to the sinner to turn from his ways and sins, and live! Or face the consequences! WHY WILL YE DIE O' HOUSE OF ISRAEL? blow the trumpet and warn the people and warn the wicked to turn from his wickedness! was the plea of the impassioned prophet...why o why will ye die in your sins?? Why not heed the warnings and deliver your souls - the prophet lamented...
Finally: In ending this exhortation today who knows the final state of the man in question - but God only? who knows wether he repented or not, in time? Is not God the only true judge? it is also reported and rumoured reported the man in question converted to islam recently, so he must have had some faith, of some sort! But again i am not sure of that either! But one thing we can declare with clarity and certainty is this! God is judge of all the earth! and they that have done good shall rise AT THE SOUND OF THE VOICE OF THE SON OF GOD! AND THEY THAT HAVE DONE EVIL WILL ALSO RISE AT THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD ALSO, TO GO INTO ETERNAL DAMNATION !!!
Now is the accepted time ...whilst it is not to late ... now is the DAY OF SALVATION ...FOR WHAT CAN A MAN GIVE IN EXCHANGE OF HIS SOUL? ONCE IT IS LOST AND IS PERISHED ???? I ASK YOU?
MAKE SURE OF YOUR CALLING AND ELECTION BELOVED! AND ABOVE ALL ELSE, MAKE SURE YOU ARE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE FENCE...COME JUDGMENT DAY!!!