Is It Ever Too Late For The Non-Christian To Respond To The Invitation of Jesus?
Jesus Christ desires all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:4). Only two events would cause the non-Christian's response to be too late:
The first event: Death - if the non-Christian died, having never responded to the gospel (2 Timothy 2:10; 2 Thessalonians 1:6-9). We do not know the day when we will die (Hebrews 9:27). It would be a grave mistake to spurn the invitation of Jesus like Felix did (Acts 24:24,25). Would you respond to the gracious invitation of Jesus in obeying the gospel now before it is too late? (Matthew 11:28-30; Revelation 14:13; 2 Corinthians 6:2)
The second event: Jesus returns - and the non-Christian has never obeyed the gospel (2 Thessalonians 1:6-9). In 2 Peter 3:1-9, Peter wrote about skeptics who doubted the second coming of Jesus Christ since everything continued to remain constant throughout the centuries. Peter reminds them of the cataclysmic event that changed the earth forever - the global flood. Noah, who was a "preacher of righteousness" (2 Peter 2:5), was preaching to the wicked generation of his day. He warned that they needed to repent because their cup of iniquity was overflowing and God's justice would have to meet the penalty of their sin. God would send the flood waters as a judgment from Himself that He does not tolerate sin. During that one hundred and twenty years while the ark was being prepared, 2 Peter 3:9 reveals: "The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance." Jesus compared the global flood to His second coming (Matthew 24:38,39). People knew that the second coming of Jesus would certainly come, but exactly when - we do not know (Matthew 24:36, 37). That is why it is so important that you obey the gospel today (2 Corinthians 6:2); for your soul and eventually your body (Romans 8:23) can only be redeemed by the precious blood of Jesus (Ephesians 1:7) or else you will be punished forever in hell, having never enjoyed the eternal blessings of the cleansing blood of Jesus (Matthew 10:28; Ephesians 1:7; Revelation 1:5).
www.thegospelofchrist.com
This material is copyrighted by The Gospel of Christ and its authors. This information is free to use in its entirety without further consent, however, modifications should not be made without contacting mail@thegospelofchrist.com for permission. Any and all images contained herein are believed to be free for all distribution and content.