Still Time

2 Thessalonians 2:9-12 - Still Time

How could people fall for all of this? Why would they give themselves over to these lies? How could a man such as this rise to absolute power? First, remember what Paul says in 2 Corinthians 4:4 – that the god of this world has blinded the eyes of the lost. Lost people cannot see the Truth of God’s Word until their blindness is removed. That is why it is imperative that we pray for God to open the eyes of lost people. Add to this the strong delusion God sends because of their constant rejection of His love and it all becomes clear.

Many people have a hard time getting their minds around this aspect of God. If you go back to the book of Exodus you read that God hardened the heart of Pharaoh over and over again so that he did not let the Israelites leave Egypt. Why? So that God could continue to pour out His wrath on Egypt! That seems so hard for us to believe about our loving God, but we must never forget that this loving, gracious God is also holy and just. He longs for all men to be saved, and He gives them a choice to follow Him or not. He reveals Himself to them over and over again giving them the opportunity to accept His love, but there comes a point where His mercy ends and judgment begins – when the cup of iniquity is full. Only then is their fate sealed. So Egypt had to suffer the full measure of God’s wrath, but have you ever noticed that some Egyptians left with the Israelites at the Exodus? Could it be that they saw the light of God’s love and decided to follow Him?

Think about this: the thieves on the crosses at Calvary. One repented and was promised heaven. The other mocked and no doubt is spending his eternity in hell. Two men, similar in nature, but they saw Jesus differently. Why? One’s eyes were opened, and he chose to follow the Lamb of Calvary. The other remained blind because he refused to see the truth. God responds to our choices. He knows our hearts, and when He sees that nothing is going to change them, judgment falls.

And those who are given over to the strong delusion will be condemned because they did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness. Where do you fall today? Are your eyes opened to the truth? Are you facing judgment? If you are reading this, there is still time for you to choose God’s grace.