Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!mips!dimacs.rutgers.edu!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: emery@tc.fluke.COM (John Emery) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: at the last moment Message-ID: Date: 1 Apr 91 06:24:04 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: John Fluke Mfg. Co., Inc., Everett, WA Lines: 58 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu >I have always wondered about the passage concerning the robber >on the cross who was saved right before he died. If this is >possible, why should anyone be "saved" before the last moment? >What I mean is, what is the incentive to be true to the Word if >salvation can come at the last moment of life? I believe the reasons are many. Here is an account I would like to share although I'm not positive on the details. But it demonstrates what I would like to share. There was a great preacher (Finney, I believe, but correct me if I'm wrong) who was preaching at a great revival meeting. After the first night, he did not give an invitation for people to accept Jesus, but told them to come back the next night if they want to be saved. Well, that night a great fire broke out in the city and consumed it. Many, many, many people lost their lives, some of which may have been at that meeting that night. The point is that a person does not know when he will die. It could be unexpected. But more than that, being saved is more than getting to go to a place, it is knowing a person. That person is Jesus. It is being reconciled and united to God. It is experiencing the grace, mercy, forgiveness, and love of the One who died for us. In summary, it is a relationship with the God who created us. And this opening the door to Jesus allows the Holy Spirit to come inside of us and make us new people. Over the life of a redeemed soul, he has the opportunity to grow closer and closer to the Lord and know Him more intimately. This intimacy transforms the believer, creating changes in his behavior, making him freer and freer inside. Also, the effect of this intimacy with Jesus and the resulting changes, creates a desire to serve God more and more and do good and loving deeds toward others, bearing fruit for His Kingdom. It allows us to reach out to those around us with our experience and knowledge of God's benevolant goodness! It allows people to be drawn to the source of eternal life: Jesus Christ! What a sorrow for one to have lived his life and never allowed the Lord Jesus to fulfill His mission in the person. There is a joy in being a part of the work of Jesus. Finally, the idea that it would be better to wait until the last moment in life to get saved implies that not being saved (unreconciled to God) is a better way to live than being saved (reconciled to God). I testify this is not true. Never have I experienced love that is true love, and peace that is real peace and joy that is real joy until I invited Jesus into my life. I have found a Savior who loves me, cares for me, and is with me always; who gives me fulfillment and delivers me out of trouble in my life and reveals to me my purpose in life. As I look back to my B.C. days, the question I ask myself is why didn't I accept Him earlier in life? God bless you all, John Emery emery@tc.fluke.COM