Perhaps most of us have experienced the sudden panic of time getting away from us so that we find ourselves unprepared for an important event. Suddenly, we look at the time and realize we are running late. We hurriedly do our best to make preparation. When Jesus warned about the destruction of Jerusalem that would come forty years after His ministry on earth, He encouraged faithful endurance in the Christian life (Matt. 24:13). His words are preserved for us in the Bible because in any century—until heaven and earth pass away—Christians are to be on guard against allowing the sins of the world to distract them or dull their spiritual senses from vigilantly awaiting the Lord’s return on the final day. Jesus said, “Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away. And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares” (Luke 21:33, 34).
Life here is short (James 4:14). Life in heaven and punishment in hell are eternal (Matt. 25:46). We should be preparing for eternity by learning to love God in this short life rather than loving this transient world and indulging in the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life (1 John 2:15-17).
The New Testament often ties proper living with reminders of the Lord’s return. Peter—after affirming that the physical universe will be burned up—asked, “Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?” (2 Pet. 3:11-12.) John wrote, “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure” (1 John 3:1-2). Many more examples are found throughout the New Testament that should encourage increased attentiveness to the Lord’s directives as time passes. If we have fallen into the spiritual stupor of the world’s pursuits, then, “it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed” (Rom. 13:11).
We have spent enough of our time, no matter how short, in sin; we should spend the rest of our time in doing the will of God, instead of continuing in the sin such as drinking, sensuality, and idolatry (1 Pet. 4:1-3). As the old year goes by, and the new year comes in, how will you spend the rest of your time? If you have been living in sin, will you repent before time runs out? Or will you continue in your spiritual stupor until you are suddenly unprepared for the judgment?
Make your decision today to live a life of joy and hope that comes with being right with God. We can let sins of the past overwhelm us and keep us from doing what we need to do now. Samuel mourned over Saul’s disobedience and rejection as king, but God told him to get up and go to Jesse’s house to anoint the next king (1 Sam. 16:1). Ezra mourned over the people’s unlawful marriages to pagan wives (Ezra 9); however, Shecaniah, after acknowledging the sin, said, “yet now there is hope in Israel concerning this thing” (Ezra 10:2). He told Ezra to take courage and pursue a plan of making a covenant with God and putting away the unauthorized wives (Ezra 10:3-5). Joshua mourned over the defeat at Ai (Josh. 7:6-9), but God told him to get up and sanctify the people by removing the sin that was among Israel (Josh. 7:10-15). It was only after David repented and was forgiven of his sins that he could expect to have the joy of salvation that would be so pivotal in converting sinners to the Lord (Psa. 51:12, 13).
Perhaps there is sin in your life. Don’t just leave it hanging around for another year. Do something about it. When Corinth was puffed up in spite of the fact that they had a man living in an open sin that was shameful (even to those outside the church), Paul told the congregation to withdraw from him so that his spirit might be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus (1 Cor. 5:5). They needed to “purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened” (1 Cor. 5:7). If we have sin among us, we need to do the same.
Later, Paul rejoiced that the Corinthians were made sorry by his previous letter because “godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation…” (2 Cor. 7:9-10). However, the Bible teaches that too much of the wrong kind of sorrow is not God’s will for man. Second Corinthians 2:7 mentions the man who had repented after punishment was inflicted upon him by many in the church, was to be comforted and shown love, “lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow.” Sin can leave us feeling so low that we give up trying, thinking there is no use because we are useless to God. This is one of the devices of the devil by which he gets advantage over us (2 Cor. 2:11). This one (likely the man in 1 Corinthians 5) who had been brought to his senses and broken up over his sin was, now that he repented, to be assured of his worth before God. That God loves us and has a purpose for us even though we have sinned is crucial to us having the healthy self-concept the Bible teaches.
Jesus asked the lame man at the pool of Bethesda, “Wilt thou be made whole?” (John 5:6.) This question highlights the possibility of having a mindset that is too low to inspire change. One who has been crippled by sin may have such a low evaluation of self that the work of being made whole is too daunting, and the effort toward that end lacking. Perhaps the lame man had for so long viewed himself as a victim of his circumstances that he was not prepared to be made whole even when the Jesus the Savior stood before him.
As a new year is upon us, let’s resolve to repent of our sins and move past the guilt that we may have been dragging along for way too long. If those in Christ penitently ask for forgiveness, God will give life (1 John 5:16). We can learn from our mistakes without having to spend the rest of our days with the guilt of them. We can begin a new year covered by the blood of Christ and forgiven of our past sins, enjoying the abundant life that he has for those “who live through Him” (John 10:10; 1 John 4:9).