Day 198/260: Read 2 Corinthians 6

Eternity is an urgent matter. When the Philippian jailer learned from Paul and Silas what he needed to do in order to be accepted by Jesus, Luke says that “immediately he and all his family were baptized” (Acts 16:33). He did not want to waste a single second outside the body of Christ, once he learned about the body of Christ.

In a passage addressed to the Servant of the Lord, Isaiah prophesied, “In an acceptable time I have heard You, and in the day of salvation I have helped You; I will preserve You and give You as a covenant to the people, to restore the earth, to cause them to inherit the desolate heritages” (Isaiah 49:8).

By inspiration, Paul makes application of the passage to the gospel age, writing, “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” We do not know if we will have a tomorrow, or a next week, or a next year. There is urgency—once we know the truth, we must accept it and obey it.

One of mankind’s greatest talents is that of procrastination. Finishing work minutes before the deadline, cramming for a final exam the night before, always going up to the very last second to complete a task. Yet, in the case of life, we do not know when that last second will come.

One’s soul is too precious to be subject to procrastination.

Memory (Fill in the blanks)

2 Corinthians 9:7. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.

Pray

Pray for a sense of urgency in obeying and teaching the gospel.