Everlastingsalvationchurchofgod.com
2 Corinthians 6:1-2
Since we are God’s coworkers, we urge you not to let God’s kindnessbe wasted on you. God says, “At the right time I heard you. On the day of salvation I helped you.” Listen, now is God’s acceptable time! Now is the day of salvation!
MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION:
the message demands a decision. Note three facts.
a. Ministers are co-workers with God. They actually have the great privilege of working together with God. What is the work that they do with God? The minister who works with God does exactly what Scripture says: he “beseeches,” that is, urges, begs, and pleads with men to receive the wonderful grace of God. What is that grace? It is the glorious truth …
• that God has provided salvation through Christ and proclaimed that salvation through Christ
b. The message of redemption is not to be received in vain. A person must not hear the message with empty, deaf ears. Redemption and salvation are available. God has made it possible—He even begs and pleads with men—to be saved; but a person can receive the message with empty ears and heart. He can either do nothing about the message or deliberately reject it. In either case he refuses …
• to let the grace of God take effect in his life
• to let God’s grace work in his heart through regeneration
• to let the death and righteousness of Christ be counted as his death and righteousness
A person must not receive the grace of God in vain. God’s grace is much too wonderful—it is the only hope and way of redemption and salvation.
c. The decision to be saved is to be made now. Now is the only reasonable time to be saved. There may be no tomorrow; in fact, there may not even be one hour left for any of us. Any person’s life can be snatched away any moment of any day by accident, disease, or heart attack. Verse two declares two significant facts (note that this is an Old Testament quotation and God Himself is the spokesman, Is. 49:8):
1) This is the acceptable time when God has heard the cries of men. This is the day of salvation when God has succoured men.
2) Paul, the minister, cries out: “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” Note the forceful implication: the day is coming when the day of salvation will no longer be present.
“See, I have set before thee this day life and good and death and evil” (De. 30:15).
“I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live” (De. 30:19).
“Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsover thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me” (Mk. 10:21).
“From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?” (Jn. 6:66–67).
“And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve … but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Jos. 24:15).
“And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the Lord be God, follow him” (1 K. 18:21).
IT’S TIME TO STOP GOING BACK AND FORTH. IT’S TIME TO MAKE A DECISION, WHO ARE YOU GOING TO FOLLOW?
MAKE YOUR DECISION TODAY, DON’T WAIT, TOMORROW IS NOT GUARANTEED.
DON’T WAIT UNTIL THE STORM COME INTO YOUR LIFE TO FORM A RELATIONSHIIP WITH GOD, FORM YOUR RELATIONSHIP NOW. DON’T CAUSE GOD TO TELL YOU TO GO AWAY FROM ME I DON’T EVEN KNOW YOU!!!
PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM