A Waiting Game

A man to our left at a recent poker table was shown one of our card protectors, and asked what he thought about Jesus Christ.

 "I'm not really evangelical about it," he answered.  Then he went on to admit, "After 75 years, I'm not really sure."

Some people spend years or careers trying to find answers to big questions -- whether it's a way to win a poker tournament or cure a deadly disease.  And the Bible indicates some answers will elude us all the way to the end:

There are three things that are too amazing for me, four that I do not understand: the way of an eagle in the sky, the way of a snake on a rock, the way of a ship on the high seas, and the way of a man with a maiden. - Proverbs 30:18-19

But the question we put to that man at the table needs to be answered sooner or later.

"Don't wait until it's too late to make a decision," we told him quietly.

We realized later that statement could be taken a couple of ways -- and church groups actually do take it in different ways.

Some say people are "on the clock" spiritually as they live.  If they die without accepting Jesus as their Savior (the "evangelical" approach the man mentioned), they're doomed to burn.  Others say the "final showdown" doesn't come until after Jesus returns to earth.  Let's see what the Bible really says.

"Stop grumbling among yourselves," Jesus said. "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day." - John 6:43-44

Jesus said God the Father has to draw you to Himself.  The Father's clearly not doing that with everyone right now; how else do we explain some terrorists and their unloving acts?  But for those who have been drawn in....

What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ -- the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. - Philippians 3:8-9

The apostle Paul indicates faith in Jesus Christ ultimately comes from God.  It's one thing to consider the arguments, as that man at the table may be doing. But when all is said and done, a decision for Jesus must be faith-based.

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God... - Ephesians 2:8

So what happens to those who die without that faith? Has God already decided they're as doomed as a poker player dealt 2-3 offsuit?  You're welcome to offer comments; we'll dig deeper into that in our next post.