Don't be late - be on time!

All photos courtesy of Unsplash

I don’t know about you but I hate being late for anything. I’m one of those people who is always 30 mins early for appointments and events.

As someone who works for the health service, I found it interesting to read that according to the NHS (nhs.co.uk 2/1/19) 15.4 million people were late or missed an appointment with the GP service. This equated to almost 5% of all appointments costing the NHS £216 billion.

There’s a story in the Bible regarding a man called Noah and how God told him to build an ark for refuge and safety. God had revealed to Noah that He was going to judge the world for their wicked behaviour. So Noah listened to God and built an ark (a humongous boat). For over 100 years Noah pleaded with people to come into the ark to be safe from the coming judgement. 

At the appointed time God shut the door and His judgment fell on the world.  Apart from Noah, and seven members of his family, the whole population of the world was wiped out in a worldwide flood.

Are there lessons that can be learnt from this story?

Firstly the Bible warns that God is angry with human wickedness and cannot ignore it. He must judge wrongdoing because He is just and righteous. The New Testament Bible says that ‘it is appointed for people to die once—and after this, judgment,' Hebrews 9:27

When we die, as we all must, God will judge us for our sins because there are moral consequences to our behaviour. Sad consequences but fair and just. As the Bible says 'the wages of sins is death,' Rom. 6. 23.  But don’t stop reading now; there is hope and an offer of guaranteed forgiveness and salvation, the rest of the verse says ‘but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord’.

Just as in the days of Noah so God, today,  has provided an alternative to judgment. Between BC 06 and 04, God sent His son into the world. He was not born to condemn the world but that the world through Him might be saved, John 3. 17.

When Jesus Christ came into this world He lived a pure and spotless life and then died on a cross for our sins;  not for any sin of His won for the Bible makes it clear that He could not sin, Heb 4. 15. Prior to dying on the Cross He was extremely badly treated. He was whipped and spat upon. Nails were hammered into His hands and feet and then He was crucified. There were then three hours of darkness when God ‘laid on him the iniquity of us all,’ Isa 53. 6.  Jesus experienced the judgment we deserved for sin. But how do we know that it was enough? On the 3rd day, Jesus rose from the grave demonstrating that God was satisfied that death was conquered and salvation was now available to all.

How do we get saved?

So how do we get saved from the judgment of God – By believing in His Son. By believing that on the cross He bore our sins. He took the punishment so that we could ‘Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and . . . be saved,’ Acts 16. 31. We need to confess our sins to God in repentance and follow Him ‘If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shall believe in thine heart that God has raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved,’ Rom 10. 9.

Saved from what? 

From the judgment of God for our sins. Without salvation, we will go to the place we deserve which is Hell, but if we are saved we will go to be with Him in heaven. It was Jesus’ desire that ‘Where I am you may be also,’ John 14. 3.

When do I need to be saved?

The Bible says ‘Now is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation,’ 2 Cor 6. 2. Once we die there is no further opportunity to get saved. You would be lost for all eternity. We don’t know when we are going to die which is why this is such an urgent matter. The Bible says ‘For what is your life? It is even a vapour that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away,’ James 4. 14.

Don’t be late or miss the opportunity 

One hymn says:

 

Time is gliding swiftly by,

Death and judgment draweth nigh,

To the arms of Jesus fly,

Be in time.

Oh, I pray you count the cost,

Ere the fatal line be crossed,

And your soul in hell be lost,

Be in time.

Sinner, heed the warning voice,

Make the Lord your final choice,

Then all Heaven will rejoice,

Be in time.

Come from darkness into light, 

Come, let Jesus make you right,

Come, and start for Heav’n tonight,

Be in time.

 

Be in time, be in time,

While the voice of Jesus calls you, be in time.

If in sin you longer wait,

You may find no open gate,

And your cry be just too late, 

be in time.

Co-authored by Kerry Robinson