Today is the Day of Salvation (2 Corinthians 6)

2 views

Coffee w/a Calvinist - Episode 17 This is our daily bible reading and study given by Pastor Keith Foskey. You can follow along with our readings at: http://www.sgfcjax.org/uncategorized/2020-reading-plan/

0 comments

00:07
Welcome back to Coffee with a Calvinist.
00:08
My name is Keith Foskey, and I am a Calvinist.
00:12
Today we're going to be looking at 2 Corinthians chapter 6.
00:17
Now at the end of 2 Corinthians chapter 5, which we looked at yesterday, the Apostle Paul was discussing the ministry of reconciliation.
00:26
He said that we have been called to the ministry of reconciliation, and what that means is that when we go and we witness and we share the gospel, that we are seeking to see that men be reconciled to God.
00:39
Not that we're seeking that men be reconciled with one another, which is positive and a good thing, but the most important thing is that someone would be reconciled to God.
00:48
This takes into the assumption that all men are at enmity with God.
00:52
The Bible says that.
00:53
The Bible says because of sin, we are actually at war with God, and that God is able to reconcile with us because of the work of Christ.
01:04
Jesus Christ takes our sin upon himself on the cross.
01:08
God made him who knew no sin to become sin for us, and we become the righteousness of God in him.
01:13
Therefore, God can declare us righteous because of the work of Christ.
01:17
Now at the beginning of chapter 6, he says something very important.
01:21
He says here in verse 2, in a favorable time I listened to you, and he's quoting an Old Testament passage here, and he says, in a day of salvation I have helped you.
01:33
Behold, now is the favorable time.
01:36
Behold, now is the day of salvation.
01:39
This is an important thing for us to remember when we are considering the proclamation of the gospel.
01:48
There needs to be an urgency in our proclamation.
01:53
We need to understand that people may not have a tomorrow.
01:58
James tells us this very clearly.
02:01
He says that we ought not say that today or tomorrow we'll go here or go there or do this or do that, but we should say if the Lord wills that we will go here, we will do this, or we will do that, because ultimately none of us knows if we have even one more day to live because the Lord could call us home and call us to account tonight.
02:21
The Bible says it is appointed unto every man once to die, and after this is judgment, and we have to remember what that means is we all have an appointment to keep.
02:31
Therefore, the only day available for salvation that's guaranteed to anyone is today, and the only time that's available is now, and therefore there needs to be an urgency when we proclaim that message of reconciliation, when we proclaim that message, that message of transaction that God made him who knew no sin to become sin for us.
02:54
There needs to be an urgency.
02:57
I'm reminded of years ago there was a pastor, and I don't remember who he was, and somebody maybe in the comments can remind me because it was a fairly famous story that he gave, and in my mind I'm thinking D.L.
03:09
Moody, but I could be wrong, and so don't hold me to that, but that there was a minister who was preaching the gospel in a crusade, and he chose not to give a urgent call for repentance and faith.
03:24
He said, I'll do that tomorrow.
03:26
I'll wait an extra day.
03:29
I'll share the message, and then the next day I'll call for repentance and faith, and that night was a great fire, and many of the people who had heard him proclaim the gospel or had heard him preach the night before but not really express the urgency of the gospel, many of them perished in that fire, and therefore he said that he would never again be in a situation where he did not proclaim the gospel with urgency wherever he was, reminding people that no one is guaranteed, not even one more day, and so my encouragement to you today is to be reminded that there is no day like today.
04:19
In fact, there is no time like the present to consider the eternal things of God.
04:27
It is not something you want to put off until tomorrow.
04:30
It's not something that you want to say, I'll deal with this when I get ready or when I get older.
04:37
Today is the only day that we know we have, and now is the only time that we know we have for in the very next hour and the very next minute our lives could be over, and I say all this as a confirmed Calvinist.
04:53
I believe God is in control of salvation.
04:56
I believe that not one hair falls from our head apart from the Father's, not only knowing, but the Father's decree, and so while I preach with urgency, I also preach with confidence that God is in the act of saving whom he will, and so while I can have a sense of urgency to go and proclaim it and call people to repentance now, I can also have the confidence and lay my head down at night knowing that the Lord will not miss one for whom he died, and so there's great blessing in that, and there's also great confidence in that.
05:37
So my encouragement to you today, as you evangelize, as you go and share the gospel, just remind people that none of us are promised another day, and today is the day of salvation.
05:49
So I thank you for listening, and I'm encouraged that those of you who keep telling me that these daily Bible videos are encouraging to you, that's a great encouragement to me, so please continue to let me know that, and I'll continue to put out this content.
06:06
May God bless you, and thank you for listening.
06:10
Thank you for tuning in to Coffee with a Calvinist.
06:12
I want to remind you that if you like what you have seen, please take a moment and thumbs up this video if you're watching it on YouTube.
06:20
Leave us a comment and even subscribe if you haven't yet.
06:24
This helps us to reach a larger audience.
06:26
If you're watching on Facebook, please like and share this video.
06:30
Thank you again for watching Coffee with a Calvinist.
06:33
My name is Keith, and I've been your Calvinist.