It’s All About Time
As we traverse life, do we realize that it’s all about time? We are told that there is “a time to every purpose under the heaven” in Eccl. 3:1. But there is a phrase in God’s Word, “in process of time”, that shows that time does continue. We have that phrase no less than five times in God’s Word. We also know that “when the fullness of the time was come” Christ was to be born of woman. (Gal. 4:4) We are equally aware, according to Eph. 1:10, that God’s plan to bring redemption from sin came to fruition, but it took time. There we have the expression “in the dispensation of the fulness of times”.
Additionally, the Words “shall come to pass”, is found one hundred twenty nine times in the KJV Bible. Perhaps the most memorable occurrence of these is Gen. 9:14, where God, having promised to never again destroy the world by a flood, promised the bow in the cloud. In the 9th verse, God proclaimed it (the bow) as a token of the covenant between God and Noah. It was to be as long as time is, as God said it was “for perpetual generations”. Perpetual is an adjective that describes something continuing forever or occurring in an uninterrupted, ongoing succession. This indicates that God intended that time continue, at least for an extended period.
This is due to the fact that God indeed had a plan, even before time was. We refer to Titus 1:2, which speaks of the “hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;”. In the verse that follows, we are informed that God makes His Word known through preaching. Some call this preaching “foolishness” because some require a sign, while others seek for wisdom. Sadly, both of these project a lack of faith and rely on man’s insight alone. I urge all to read and study 1Cor. 1:18 – 2:5, then reevaluate your use of your time while on earth. Everyone’s time is limited.
Many desire the Promise of God, as was first proclaimed in the N.T. period in Acts 2:38-39. However, few are willing to biblically apply 1Pet. 1:16-17 as God would have it apply. Those that had obeyed the gospel were told to “Be ye holy; for I (God) am holy”. They were also admonished to “pass the time of your sojourning here in fear.” The need to do this is because “time” as we know it will cease when we die. Do we fail to realize that God gave time to man for his benefit? In Gen. 1:14, when in the creation, God set lights in the firmament “to divide the day from the night”. He also proclaimed, “let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:” The other purpose for these lights according to verse 15 was to illuminate the earth. Time means nothing to God, because He is eternal. 2Pet. 3:8 declares, “one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.”
Not so with man. We have a limited period on earth. And, time only exists on the earth. We have the inspired exhortation of Eccl. 9:10 to all mankind, “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.”. This strongly implies that time also, along with the things mentioned will cease for each individual when they pass from this life. In 2Cor 6:2 we have the inspired Words “behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” This has long been used to stress that time is short for all who are presently alive. Each gospel preacher or teacher that has used it this way are urging folks to obey the gospel before it’s everlastingly too late. In context, this passage is teaching that we are now living in the final period of time, when Christ has come. He has given Himself and His Precious blood as the only Sacrifice that can remit sin.
But because time continues on, man has perhaps been lulled into a sense of false security. Sadly, some still fail to realize that “time” for all, will cease. And as time for each ceases, so does their opportunity to obey. Perhaps this was the mindset of those in 2Pet. 3:4 who asked, “Where is the promise of his coming?” Their reasoning also was given. They said “for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.” These “all things” also includes death. Two passages, one from the O.T. and one from the N.T., should dispel such thinking. In Job 14:1-2, we find the record of this suffering servant which says, “Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble. 2 He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not.”. Then in Jas 4:14 it is pointed out that life is “even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.”.
It is all about time, and the fact of God’s patience attests to this. We know from 2Pet. 3:9 that God is longsuffering to humanity and doesn’t want any soul to be lost. Rather, He wants all to come to repentance. But none should allow this to delude them into thinking God will forgive everyone’s sin. God is a God of mercy, but that mercy is only extended when folks are alive. We should all remember that 2Pet. 3:10 tell us that at the end, “the earth also and the works therein shall be burned up.” Additionally, we learn from 2Thess. 1:8 when the Lord returns it will be “In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:” The following verse says these will be “punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord,”.
Is it any wonder that in Acts 17:30, God “commandeth all men every where to repent:”? It is “all about time”. It’s about time you learn how God says He saves the souls. It’s about time you seek to be saved according to God’s plan. The plans of man lead to eternal destruction. The best use of what time any soul has is to do what the Spirit had Peter say in Acts 2:40 - Save yourselves from this untoward generation. One can do this by learning the gospel and obeying what God Commands in His N.T. Word. If we can help you in your search for Salvation before your time runs out, please let us know.
Dennis Strickland – Mooresville church of Christ
