The Time of Salvation

Humanity recognizes that life is short. Life is the most important resource that people possess. So everything is being done to secure life. Lawmakers enact laws that protect human life. Judges give premium to the security of life. Governments are expected to secure citizens’ welfare. But something is lacking in all these pursuits. The salvation of human soul seems to be overlooked. It is dumped into the realm of the spiritual. A need that is attended to when time permits; when all the basic needs are successfully met. We have forgotten that the completeness of man rests in his soul’s condition. We think of our spirit only when we are sick, troubled by life’s intricacies and nearing the end of life. Good if you would have the privilege of feeling the end of life. What if this would not be your case?

Apostle Paul affirms the urgency of salvation. He realized it was significant in life. One can not live life to the fullest by neglecting salvation. For one to leave earthly life without receiving eternal life is terribly shocking. It is a terrorizing experience as you are going to a place beyond human comprehension for the terrors it brings. I think to enter eternity without eternal life is such a great illogical procrastination. Why did the apostle sound that way? The text gives some reasons for such view.

Paul realized the shortness of life on earth. James acknowledged it too in 4:14. An unwise and unprepared person may spend life as if life is long only to discover quite late that he would soon be in eternity and yet still without salvation.

Then, he declared that NOW, that is upon understanding it, is the proper time to be saved. The text clearly says now is the accepted time…, now is the day of salvation. As you hear the need to be saved you ought to positively respond. Such response needs repentance from sin and believing in Christ to save you. When the soul winner pleads before you to receive Jesus then you must immediately follow him. Upon listening to the preacher who asks you to come to Christ and ask Him to save your soul then you should positively agree even if it is in public. What is at stake is your soul, which will soon enter to eternity!

The apostle indirectly assumes that whenever and wherever you come to Christ for salvation He is most ready to receive you. Note what he said …have I succoured thee… Jesus declared this truth in Matthew 11:28 as well as in John 6:37b. What an assurance that anyone in whatever condition can come to Him now! Friends, delay no more as your soul is at stake here! Come to Christ as soon as you have turned away from sins. You may not have another time that you expect!

The apostle spoke from his experience when he met the Savior on the road to Damascus. There he never delayed upon the impression of Christ on him. He swiftly responded to the convicting work of the Savior. There was no indication of vacillation due to possible reprisal from the religious authority. He never thought of his colleagues who might criticize him. He was childlike in responding to the call of Christ. You too need to be responding to the call of salvation. You must do it now!

The text also calls every soul winning church member to realize the urgency of salvation. We need to zealously get people into the body of Christ! We can not be indifferent now. Souls are at stake including our relatives and the people deceived by various errors. No matter how hard life is and the work of witnessing the urgent call of salvation is paramount. All existing CBC ministries must be geared towards reaping souls for the Savior! Our time is short! Our life is short. Our resources are meager. We must use each resource in a timely manner.

By Pastor Jed Raquintan

Let us eagerly raise every peso and wisely spend it to win souls for the Savior. Let us devote our energies as Christian servants towards the work of winning more souls and establishing more local churches. As I consider my days, not many are left, perhaps. Even Moses did the same in Psalm 90. So, much time and labor must now be invested. Having less in life will not disqualify me from the wise investment of time to get more souls for Him!

Since God said that man needs to be saved NOW and must respond NOW to the call of salvation, then we must likewise give our lives into the task of winning more souls. We need to give more time into the task of building up and reproducing disciples. We need to invest more funds in the task of providing more Sunday School rooms that will accommodate more attendees. We need to provoke the youth to give up their lives into the full time ministry now. We need to train more teachers and missionaries and send them into the mission fields. We all need to remain faithful in the faith until death. Amen!