Behold, Now is the Day of Salvation

“We then, as workers together with Him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.  (For He saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured (helped) thee: now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”  II Corinthians 6:1-2

Paul, along with his fellow preachers, as ambassadors for Christ, beseeched or begged folks to be reconciled to Jesus.  God was not the One who caused the relationship between Him and His creation to become separated, but He was the One who was willing to do what was necessary for reconciliation.  He authored the requirement and then fulfilled it Himself.  No one forced Christ to go to the cross.  He suffered and died of His own free will.  Had God withheld Christ from the cross which would have resulted in eternal punishment for every person, God would still have been justified.

The offer of salvation that God arranged for sinners was the greatest favor and greatest gift that He could have provided for men and women.  Whether folks believe it or not, all people are held accountable to their Creator.  If folks decide to ignore God’s plan of salvation or outright reject it, they have spurned the grace of God, their only hope of having an earthly and an eternal relationship with the Lord.  God called workers for the task of sharing the gospel message with others to give them this wonderful opportunity to be able to stand before God innocent and without shame.  How sad to have heard the gospel and not believe it.  How burdensome to carry around the guilt of sin for a lifetime when one could have been forever ridden of the guilt and lived a life pleasing to God, blessed by His daily presence, care, and comfort.  Those who faithfully share the good news of the gospel will be rewarded for their efforts.  Those who reject their message will not be counted against the faithful witnesses.  In other words, when a believer tells an unbeliever about how they can have new life in Christ and the unbeliever chooses to reject salvation, it’s on him or her.

In a parenthetical note, Paul reminded us of the importance of responding to the gospel message quickly.  It won’t be available forever.  The most opportune time to receive the gospel is today.  While it may seem strange, but a car salesman comes to mind.  A couple go into the dealership to buy a car.  The salesman is already filling out the sales contract when the couple changes their mind because they have decided to wait.  They leave, and the salesman follows them out the door waving the contract and saying, “This offer won’t be available tomorrow”.  While the salesman is using a threat to force them to buy the car, a tactic sometimes used by other types of salespeople, the salesman is correct in that he legally doesn’t have to honor the contract at a later time.

How does this compare to the offer of salvation, you ask.  A person who rejects the gospel today may or may not have another opportunity tomorrow.  The most obvious reason for not having that opportunity another day is the death of the sinner.  Years ago, that reason was used by preachers from the pulpit to scare folks into coming to the altar to repent.  While that was a drastic way to invite people to receive Christ, it is a possibility.  Ecclesiastes 3:2 tells us that there is a time to die, and no one knows when his or her time is up, thus it is good to be prepared spiritually as one departs for eternity.  As they say, the only thing sure is death and taxes.

Another reason to respond positively to the gospel today when the Holy Spirit convicts one of his or her sin and calls him or her to repent and trust Christ is that the Holy Spirit may not come back tomorrow or the next day, the next week, month, or year.  Jesus said in John 3:8 that the Holy Spirit is like the wind.  One doesn’t know where He comes from nor where He goes when He leaves, but one knows that He has been there because one feels the effect of Him.  But will He visit again?  Folks hope so, but it is not a given.  Most folks that I know, including me, had several opportunities to respond to the gospel and finally did so, but that might not be true for everyone.  God said in Genesis 6:3 that He would “not always strive with man”.  There will be a “cut off point” at some future date.  Eternity is too long to be wrong.

A few years ago, a survey was done during the church service.  People were asked to stand when the age group in which they were saved was called.  They began with the teenage and early 20’s.  About 60 percent of the congregation stood.  Then the late 20’s to 30’s were called, and about 30 percent stood.  When the 40’s and 50’s were called, about 10 percent stood, and then one or two folks stood at 60 years of age or older.  One of the great advantages, among many, of coming to Christ at a young age is the opportunity to avoid sins in one’s life that, without Christ, he or she could have committed.  In other words, being saved not only saves us for heaven, but it also saves us from many heartaches and troubles due to living a sinful life.  In conclusion, it is infinitely better to be saved than not saved, and it is also infinitely better to be saved while one has more life ahead of them than behind them.  Nevertheless, when the Holy Spirit knocks at the heart’s door, God will save anyone at any age if he or she will only repent and place faith in Jesus Christ.