Why Repent Now?

I've heard quite a few folks say that they want to live it up now and "get religion" when they've had their fun. They assume that Christians live drab lives of unending and tedious rectitude. If only they could understand the joy of being in the family of Christ and the assurance of a home in heaven, they wouldn't say such things.

Consider what 1 Peter 1:8 (KJV) says about knowing Jesus personally, "Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:" That doesn't sound like drudgery to me.

We who have the assurance of eternal life with Christ also feel glad with, and about, one another. Look at what 1 Thessalonians 2:19 (KJV) says. "For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?"

Additionally, the result of belonging to Christ far outweighs any supposed benefit one can obtain from sin. Galatians 5:22 (KJV) reads, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,"

And contrary to popular belief, Christ wants us to be joyful. Look at what John 16:24 (KJV) says. "Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full."

Even God, who some think is a grumpy old man intent upon ruining people's fun, wants us to be glad. Psalms 5:11 (KJV) declares, "But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee."

So why wait for later when you can have all this joy today? Life on earth is so brief and we don't know the hour of our deaths until it happens. James 4:14 (KJV) warns, "Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away."

Jesus could return at any time as well. After giving a parable about a householder returning from a long journey, he said in Mark 13:35 (KJV), "Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning:"

I'll examine this subject in greater depth in my next book called You Think You're going to Heaven? People think they have all their lives ahead of them when they could die today from so many different causes. I hope what I write will help encourage undecided people to choose life so they will live eternally.

I'll be posting on Saturday about people with hardened hearts. The song is by one of England's New Wave artists and my personal favourite.