Monday, March 8th, 2010

Bible Thoughts – Is there Plenty of Time? (Pt 2)

Last week, I re-introduced a sermon I preached here a year or so ago: Is there plenty of time? Is there plenty of time to put off becoming a Christian? Plenty of time to make those changes in your life you know need to be addressed? Plenty of time to be a better father, parent, friend? Plenty of time, down the road, to put our Savior Jesus first?

There are 5 Bible passages that we need to read and consider which introduce how Satan tries to deceive us into waiting until tomorrow; and then show how God pleads for us to take advantage of today. The first we considered last week: II Peter 3:3-4, where men believed God was inactive, and therefore they could follow after their own lusts. Peter clarifies the situation: God is not inactive; He is patient! And, one day that patience will end and this world will be destroyed. So act today!

Today, let’s consider a second passage: James 1:22-25 – “But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does.”

This imagery is easily understood. A man sees himself clearly in the mirror and maybe determines he needs to shave. But then he turns away and goes to breakfast and forgets until the next morning. And maybe he keeps walking away and forgetting day after day. If he does so, of what good to him was the mirror?

Now, Satan wants you to misapply the imagery. If there are things in your life that need to change; if the gospel has clearly shown you that there are deficiencies in your life; don’t worry about it. The mirror will be there tomorrow. The word of God will be right there on your bed stand next week. The preacher will teach on that topic again at a later date. Walk away, forget about changing today; the mirror isn’t going anywhere.

But James message is not justification to wait at all. Instead, he discusses the blessed man. The man who is blessed in what he does, is the one who looks at the law and sees clearly who he is and what he needs to change. And… is so thankful to shown how to grow, that he abides by it immediately and fully, so that he may be blessed. This man would never walk away from what he knows he should do, because that would strip him of blessings and make his religion worthless (v26).

In this same letter, James clarifies his point in this way: “…you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away… Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin” (4:14,17). What have you seen reflected from the truth of God’s word today? What changes do you need to make? God is waiting to forgive the penitent. Will you abide and be blessed today?

Kris Emerson