WEDNESDAY January 25, 2023

Sin’s Judgment

Then Ananias, hearing these words, fell down and breathed his last. So great fear came upon all those who heard these things. And the young men arose and wrapped him up, carried him out, and buried him.
Acts 5:5-6

Ananias could have cried out for God’s grace and mercy when Peter confronted him, but nothing––silence. Again, God gives a space of time for people to repent. Ananias’ time was up. By the time Peter finished speaking, Ananias had dropped dead. God’s judgment fell upon his life.

Remember the days of Noah? God told him 120 years, then the end would come. God would send a worldwide flood, but he would give mankind a chance to repent. There would be 120 years before His judgment would come (Genesis 6:3). Noah was commanded to build a huge ark that would have one window and one door. Noah, a preacher of righteousness, warned people during this period of time (Genesis 6:13-22; 2 Peter 2:5).

By the grace of God, anyone who sought the safety of the ark could enter. The ark became a type of God’s divine grace and mercy. Only eight people believed! After 120 years were up, God’s judgment came, and billions of people drowned in the flood (Genesis 7). We can never say that God does not give people the opportunity to repent.

On one occasion, I was at the hospital when a 92-years-old woman came into the emergency room. She had had a heart attack. I began to pray, “Lord, if she doesn’t know you, please do not let her die at this time. Give her another day, so I can share the Gospel with her.” People do not plan for the day when they will die. They feel life will just go on and on. They continue to sin, unaware that God is watching.

God is always watching. He sees everything. He is like a father who keeps His eye on His child, because He loves them so much. Sometimes, God will take a person home to be with Him before their time. Why? He will not allow them to destroy their soul; He loves them too much.

If you will not have death unto sin, you shall have sin unto death. There is no alternative. If you do not die to sin, you shall die for sin. If you do not slay sin, sin will slay you.
~C. H. Spurgeon~

For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!