DON’T GO TOO FAR

            One of the great lies of the devil is that sinners have plenty of time to change before they die. However, throughout the Bible the teaching is that there are limits to the mercy of God.
            1. Before the flood God gave man 120 years to repent while the ark was being prepared, but man went too far. “And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.” (Genesis 6:5-7). After the period of probation God sent a flood and “And every living substance was destroyed which was upon the face of the ground, both man, and cattle, and the creeping things, and the fowl of the heaven; and they were destroyed from the earth: and Noah only remained alive, and they that were with him in the ark.”(Genesis 7:23). There was salvation for the human race but only Noah and his family were saved. Man can become so wicked that he never has a good thought nor does a good deed. When this happens he has no room for God’s will in his life and so there is no hope of his salvation.

            2. Jesus warns, “All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.”(Matthew 12:31). This refers to persons who reject the New Testament gospel as given by Jesus Christ through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. This is the last offer of salvation and to reject this is to invite final doom. Some reject it by just refusing to believe it, while others reject it by saying that they are just not ready to accept it and obey it. One way of rejection is just as bad as another. Remember that the Lord will not give another dispensation to the human race. The Lord will not give another savior to die for our sins. The Lord will not give another time for changes to take place. The Christian age is the last period of probation for the world.

            3. Give over to all kinds of sin leads men to a condition in which they cannot be saved. “This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.” (Ephesians 4:17-19). The steps that lead to this condition are: (A) Vanity of mind- seeking glory from sinful conduct. This is called by the world “Peer Pressure”, which is a mind to be accepted by the sinful crowd. (B) Willful ignorance due to blindness on purpose of the heart. Refusing to listen to anything that would turn them to God. (C) Going past feeling due to searing of the conscience that would condemn them in wrong doing. Thus they give over to evil lusts, sexual debauchery, unclean living, and greedy covetousness every day. Such people live and die in their sins thus making it impossible for them to go to heaven.

            4. Apostate church members go too far.  Now there is a way back as long as the heart can be changed by the gospel but when one sears over his heart in his apostasy he has doomed his soul. After warning the Christians to not forsake the assembly the inspired writer said, “For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.” (Hebrews 10:25-27). He shows that by apostasy such church members trod under foot the Son of God, count the blood of the covenant an unholy thing, and do despite to the spirit of grace (Hebrews 10:29). Such are under the vengeance of God which He will surely render. If one is going back to the world it would have been better not to have known the holy commandment because of the awful condition he faces in eternity. He faces burning forever in the fires of hell.

            God doesn’t want people to go too far. People don’t have to go too far. “My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.” (John 2:1, 2). We just need to Believe and obey for there is no other way to salvation. “Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him” (Hebrews 5:8,9). Repent and be baptized for the remission of your sins before it is too late. Repent and pray if you are an erring child of God before it is too late.    Don’t wait until tomorrow because it may never come.

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