Our culture at large chooses to procrastinate even the simplest of tasks. Waiting until the last minute to do things that could have been done much earlier. In many cases, the risk is fine because the consequences are not severe if the task isn’t completed on time. However, that is not the case when it comes to salvation. Following the steps we see laid on in the scripture to be saved should not be put off. To put off the salvation you plainly see only opens yourself up to extreme risk. Opening yourself up to spend an eternity spent in torment. When you could have been saved had you just not put off until tomorrow what you could have done today. It must be understood that if you truly desire to receive salvation then you can’t wait. You must step in and do what it takes to be saved.
While the circumstances and even the reward may differ from the salvation we are able to receive, Rahab was given a task in order to be saved. She hid the Israelite spies sent into Jericho. Only requesting that in return they spare her and her family when they conquer the city. In order to be saved the spies told her she must tie a scarlet cord in her window. Indicating which house to spare and be sure to have all her family inside. Rahab wasted no time. As soon as she had finished letting the men down the wall she tied the cord in the window.
Joshua 2:18–21 (ESV)
18 Behold, when we come into the land, you shall tie this scarlet cord in the window through which you let us down, and you shall gather into your house your father and mother, your brothers, and all your father’s household. 19 Then if anyone goes out of the doors of your house into the street, his blood shall be on his own head, and we shall be guiltless. But if a hand is laid on anyone who is with you in the house, his blood shall be on our head. 20 But if you tell this business of ours, then we shall be guiltless with respect to your oath that you have made us swear.” 21 And she said, “According to your words, so be it.” Then she sent them away, and they departed. And she tied the scarlet cord in the window.
There are a few things to note in this. First, she knew she had plenty of time before needing to tie the cord. Because she had already told the men to wait three days in the wilderness before returning to their camp. Then they would have to travel all the way back with the army which would take several days. So she had plenty of time before the cord would even be necessary but still, she didn’t wait.
Joshua 2:16 (ESV)
16 And she said to them, “Go into the hills, or the pursuers will encounter you, and hide there three days until the pursuers have returned. Then afterward you may go your way.”
The men even told her to bind the cord in the window once they came into the land. Yet, she made sure to do it immediately because she understood just how important completing this task was. Also, it’s clear that she knew nothing would be gained by wanting but that everything could be lost. Had she put it off then forgot to do it or even had misplaced the cord while waiting it would have meant death. Of both her and her entire family. Rahab did what she knew was required of her to be saved immediately. As such, she saved her life as well as the lives of her whole family.
Joshua 6:22–25 (ESV)
22 But to the two men who had spied out the land, Joshua said, “Go into the prostitute’s house and bring out from there the woman and all who belong to her, as you swore to her.” 23 So the young men who had been spies went in and brought out Rahab and her father and mother and brothers and all who belonged to her. And they brought all her relatives and put them outside the camp of Israel.
24 And they burned the city with fire, and everything in it. Only the silver and gold, and the vessels of bronze and of iron, they put into the treasury of the house of the Lord. 25 But Rahab the prostitute and her father’s household and all who belonged to her, Joshua saved alive. And she has lived in Israel to this day, because she hid the messengers whom Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.
The scary truth is that we face an even tougher circumstance than Rahab did. She knew when the army would be coming in only a few days. She was even told she could wait until she saw them coming to tie the cord. Today we do not have those options. As we have no way of knowing what breath will be our last. Or if there will be another opportunity to join the body of believers. For many death comes without warning. Without a chance to finally do the things we have been putting off for so long. If you decide to wait just a little longer before giving your life to Christ and following the plan of salvation the chances are high that you won’t be saved.
Follow the clear example of the Bible and don’t wait to do what you must to be saved. Read the book of Acts and see the righteous responses of those who hear the Gospel. Those who follow the plan of salvation immediately after. Securing their place in heaven as soon as they can because they don’t want to risk facing the consequences.
We don’t read if those who heard the message believed it but put it off for a while. Only to come back later to be saved. Because those who attempt to do that almost never make it back. It is not a risk worth taking when your eternity is at stake. The best thing you can do is to immediately respond to God’s word. Just as those who helped set the foundation of the church did.
Acts 2:37–41 (ESV)
37 Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” 40 And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” 41 So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.
Acts 8:5–6 (ESV)
5 Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed to them the Christ. 6 And the crowds with one accord paid attention to what was being said by Philip, when they heard him and saw the signs that he did.
Acts 8:12 (ESV)
12 But when they believed Philip as he preached good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.
Acts 8:34–38 (ESV)
34 And the eunuch said to Philip, “About whom, I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?” 35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus. 36 And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?” 38 And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him.
Acts 19:1–6 (ESV)
1 And it happened that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the inland country and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples. 2 And he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” 3 And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They said, “Into John’s baptism.” 4 And Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.” 5 On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying.
All those people and more responded immediately to the message of God they heard. They didn’t wait to do what they knew it took to be saved and neither should you. The consequences are real and extreme. You only have two eternal options: extreme peace and joy or extreme pain and suffering. You can either choose to respond to the truth of the scripture as soon as you can and ensure that you will be saved. That you will one day enter the glory and majesty of heaven to spend eternity in peace.
Revelation 21:4 (ESV)
4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
John 3:16 (ESV)
16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
1 Corinthians 2:9 (ESV)
9 But, as it is written,
“What no eye has seen, nor ear heard,
nor the heart of man imagined,
what God has prepared for those who love him”—
Or you can wait to do what it takes to be saved. Living every day risking that it could be the day you take your last breath. In which you no longer have the option to follow the plan of salvation. Resulting in an eternity spent in the agony of hell. All the while knowing that you knew what it took to be saved. But simply kept choosing to wait just a little longer. A fact that you will never be able to forget no matter how hard you try.
Revelation 21:8 (ESV)
8 But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”
Revelation 20:15 (ESV)
15 And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
Matthew 7:21–23 (ESV)
21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’
Matthew 13:49–50 (ESV)
49 So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous 50 and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
While this may seem like a scare tactic employed to stir up your emotions and convince you to do something you don’t want to, I can ensure that is not my intent. Simply put you must understand the risk you take on when you put off what you know you must do to be saved. It is not knowing the steps to salvation that makes you right with God but faith lived out in complete obedience to His word that will.
If you wait to do what it takes to be saved you gain nothing but risk everything. The choice is ultimately yours. Will you keep waiting to finally accept what you know to be true and ensure your eternal salvation? Or will choose to stop waiting and follow the plan of salvation as it is laid out in the word of God? My prayer is that you will follow the righteous example of those recorded in the Bible and wait no longer.
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