The Urgency of Salvation

            One of the problems many believers face is dealing with their non-believing friends. The topic of faith and religion is often pushed aside in order to maintain the friendship and avoid those ‘awkward conversations.’ Previously I wrote about this in a title called My Friend. However, last night as I was searching the Internet, I discovered a former shipmate had taken his own life. That got me to thinking about my previous post. While I made the point about sharing the Gospel, I believe my position could be bolstered.

            As Christians, we’re not called to be everyone’s friend. We often think of ourselves as the ‘good ones,’ the people who should be setting the example. As such, we don’t rock the proverbial boat, opting instead to maintain peace. In a day when everyone is offended by everything, the last thing we want to do is offend others, right? Wrong! The Gospel isn’t a fairy tale. It doesn’t necessarily have a happy ending. It was never intended to make us feel good about our lives or serve as a self-help book. God’s Word can in fact do those things, but that is not its purpose. Through His Word, God instructs us, rebukes us, and teaches us what it means to be a believer. The life of a believer is more challenging and demanding than merely going to church and being an active member.

            Many of the disciples were martyred for their faith; some were imprisoned. None had cushy, glamorous lives. Like their savior, they lived lives of adversity. Yet their faith remained undaunted. Why? Because they understood all too well the true intention of the Gospel. Subsequently they lived their lives accordingly. The things of this world were irrelevant. Fleeting in nature, possessions were largely ignored. Realizing the transient nature of life and the proximity of eternity, the disciples focused on the task at hand, namely The Great Commission.

            We are Christ’s disciples, descendants of those He chose. Our charge today is to continue the work they started, to make disciples of all nations. What does it mean to make disciples of all nations? Well, there are many interpretations. I’m no theologian, but on the surface I believe it means to share the Gospel with everyone, to provide the opportunity to receive salvation. There is only one thing in this world that is eternal – salvation. Everything else is transient. The disciples understood this and so lived their lives accordingly. They were bold and brash and in the faces of others; they didn’t shy away from the Gospel. Challenges were welcomed. Awkward conversations were their mainstay. They made God’s Word public. Fear of rejection did not exist.

            Like their savior, the disciples lived their faith. They didn’t read a morning devotional, pray, and call it a day. No, they spent their days and nights traveling and sharing the Good News. Faith and service was their priority. Not just a part of their lives, it was their life! Living for Jesus is a twenty-four hour a day commitment, seven days a week. That’s what it means to be a disciple.

            It also means not shying away from the subject of faith so others, particularly friends, aren’t offended. Imagine avoiding the topic of salvation. To use an analogy, imagine you have a cure for cancer. You have friends with cancer. Sure, it’s a touchy subject. No one wants to draw attention to it. But, wait, you have a cure, remember? Why not broach the subject? That’s right, because the cure probably won’t be accepted. You’ll sound like a crackpot. You know it works. Convincing others is the problem. Imagine what they’ll think when you tell them. Some will deny they have cancer. Therefore, no cure is required. Others will dismiss it as part of life, claiming that’s just how it goes. You’ll be ridiculed and labeled as ‘one of them.’ In time, you might even become an outcast. So, you refrain from sharing, opting for silence and acceptance. And so life goes on…for a while.

            You see, we all die. And when we do, it’s too late. The disciples grasped that concept fully. There was no ambiguity or confusion about the urgency of salvation. Tomorrow may never come. The opportunity for salvation can vanish with the night, and a soul can be lost for eternity in the blink of an eye. Our calling is to impress that urgency upon others, to carry out Christ’s last command while there is time. The Great Commission is the edict to all believers to live their faith each and every day, to be a shining example in a world of increasing darkness, and to have awkward conversations while there is time. Heaven and Hell is serious business. Eternity is just a heartbeat away for all of us. Where we spend it is a direct result of the decisions we make today. Live your faith today because tomorrow may never come.