Do Not Resist Salvation's Invitation

Christ Triumphant - A Devotional by E.G. White

Do Not Resist Salvation's Invitation

Today's Text: To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. Hebrews 4:7

The Message:      Who will describe to you the lamentations that will arise when, at the boundary line that parts time and eternity, the righteous Judge will lift up His voice and declare, "It is too late." Long have the wide gates of heaven stood open, and the heavenly messengers have invited and entreated: "Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely." "To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts." But at length the mandate goes forth: "He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still."      The heavenly gate closes, the invitation of salvation ceases. In heaven it is said, "It is done." Such a time is not far distant. I plead with you to make sure work for eternity, to lay hold on the hope set before you in the gospel. Strive to enter in at the strait gate, for if you merely seek, you will not be able.      The world is loaded down with the curse that sin brings. It is literally deluged with sin, with violence and corruption, as in the days of Noah. And yet at this fearful period of our world's history many are asleep. They cease to make efforts to become Christians. Self-gratification and carnal security still imperil the eternal welfare. Is not this foolhardy? Satan's followers may call it honorable, praiseworthy, to manifest that independence of mind that will lead you to regard with indifference your former instructions and make you think you have found a better way. As you listen to these suggestions, you are becoming hardened through the deceitfulness of sin....      What shall worldly pleasures avail you when all the world shall be overwhelmed as was Sodom and destroyed like Gomorrah? These cities are set forth as examples to other sinners that they may know that their day is coming.      Too late will sinners realize that they have sold their birthright. The crown that they might have had shines upon the brow of another. The inheritance that they might have had is lost. Beware how you trifle with temptation. Beware how you boast of your strength. Christ is your ever-lasting strength; confide in God, lay hold of His strength, and He will bring you off conqueror and you will wear the crown of victory.-Letter 21, 1867 (see also In Heavenly Places, 362).

Commentary: My friend, there are many in the church today that will pass the boundary of probation and not be saved.  The reason is because they neglected to make a full surrender of their lives to the working of Jesus within their hearts.  They had a profession of faith, but it did not lead to a full confession of sin.  They were not moved to surrender every sin to Christ that He may blot them from the record books of heaven. The close of probation is just before us and now is the time that we are to work out our salvation with fear and trembling before the Lord.  This is the time that we are to examine our lives to see if there be any wicked way in us, we need to be saying as David said in Psalm 139:23, 24 "Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." and in Psalm 51:10, 7, 9 "Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me." "Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow." "Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities."  These are the attitudes that we must have in our hearts that we may be reconciled with God. Too many today are satisfied with a mere form of godliness and they do not strive for perfection of character in Christ Jesus.  They have been lulled to sleep by the arch deceiver thinking that they are good enough for heaven, that God will save them in spite of their sins.  But this is a most deadly delusion, for the sins that we do not overcome will in the end overcome us. Christ gives us His life here on this earth that we may walk as He walked, that His victory may be our victory.  Those who resist the work of God in their hearts are hardening their hearts to the working of His Spirit in their lives.  Familiarity with sin corrupts the soul and deadens the mind to heavenly things.  Those who come up to the final crisis; the crisis that will separate the wheat from the tares; the crisis that will determine if we are saved or lost, while resisting the work of the Spirit of God, will grieve away the Spirit of Christ and seal their decision for all eternity. My friend, to be almost saved is to be totally lost.  There is no middle ground in this battle against evil.  We are either surrendered to Christ or surrendered to Satan.  To resist Christ is to accept Satan.  Now is the time for us to choose whom we will serve.  My prayer today is that you will yield your heart fully to Jesus and invite Him into your heart that He may cleanse you from all unrighteousness. God bless,

Video of the Week The Parable of the Comforter - Nader Mansour In The Parable of the Comforter Nader Mansour examines this most misunderstood teaching of Christ. Is the Comforter a different person to the Father and Son? What are the implications if so? Why did Jesus even speak this parable? To many people "another comforter" is evidence that Jesus was talking about a different person to himself. Who is this other Comforter? A very eye-opening study. Presented at the New Zealand camp meeting. April 2017.