To Be Continued: Time Will Tell

We Can’t Know…

In previous To Be Continued posts, I’ve said that we can’t know what the future holds. That can be frightening, so today I’m flipping the coin.

Instead of talking about the future, our goals, and so forth, let’s talk about people. Are human beings capable of change, both for the worse and the better? Can good people become corrupt? Can sinful people turn back to Christ?

Now ≠ Future

Let me give credit where credit is due. This next section is based on a message by my youth pastor. He laid a great groundwork for the importance of always staying alert.

Just because someone is following Christ now doesn’t mean they always will. It’s a sad reality, but an important reminder. Without continually seeking Christ, we will fall away. Without putting the right measures in place, we will slip back into sin.

If you don’t believe me, here are three examples…

1. King David – the only Bible character (apart from Jesus) defined as “a man after God’s own heart”. And somehow he gave into sin, committing adultery and murder. How did this happen?
2. King Solomon – the wisest human of all time, no joke. He was wealthier than all the kings of the world combined, yet he gave himself over to idolatry and immorality. If the world’s smartest person turned from Christ, who can say we won’t?
3. Moses – the redeemer of Israel, rescuer of God’s people, and writer of the Torah…who committed murder. How did Moses go from God’s anointed rescuer of the Hebrews to a killer?

When you pull these stories up side by side, you see a striking similarity: all three were alone in their time of temptation and sin. David had sent his soldiers and men into battle, Solomon didn’t heed God’s advice, and Moses had no one to hold him accountable. My youth pastor constantly says, “You cannot fight the enemy alone.”

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 (NLT) declares, “Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble.” If you want to stay close to God, stay close to God with Godly people. As Finn put it in Star Wars: “Yeah, alone. With friends.”

If you wanna draw close to God – and stay close to God – don’t try it alone. Our society pushes the view that the lone wolf succeeds. In reality, the lone wolf gets left behind. And when we’re alone the devil pounces.

Then ≠ Now

If strong Christians can fall from the faith, then surely ardent non-Christians can know Jesus. (And remember, David and Moses did some of their best work after messing up and confessing their sin to God.)

People can change. Non-Christians can become Christians. Physical, mental, and spiritual transformation is possible – even probable. If God can create the world in 7 days, He can lead anyone to the love of Christ. Here are just three examples of Bible characters who changed for the better…

1. King David. After messing up big, David ultimately confessed his sin. Yes, there were consequences, but David didn’t let sin cripple his relationship with God. David changed and went on to do great things.
2. Rahab. The story of Rahab and the Spies goes against all laws of script-writing. Having lived as a prostitute her entire life, Rahab “out of the blue” helps protect the Israelite spies from Jericho’s soldiers. It goes against all laws of foreshadowing – people don’t just pull a 180 and go in the opposite direction. Yet Rahab did, and when the walls came tumbling down, her family was the only one that survived.
3. Saul (aka Paul). From a vehement Christian hater – the man who stood by at Stephen’s murder and jailed Christians – to the greatest evangelist in history. If early Christians thought anyone incapable of change, it would’ve been Saul. It was a moment no one saw coming.

Just because someone lives in sin now doesn’t mean they always will. David screwed up as badly as you can, and yet he’s remembered as Israel’s greatest king. Rahab lived in unrepentant sin for decades before turning away in five minutes. Saul murdered and jailed Christians for years, then abruptly saw the light.

As badly as we want people to change and know Christ, only God knows the timing. We don’t know His true plan. He may know that so and so needs more time before their heart is in the right place. He may know that the greatest testimonies come from years of walking the world’s road (such as with Christopher Yuan).

What Can I Do?

Knowing God’s plan doesn’t necessarily make waiting easier. While it all rests in His hands, here are four things we can do…

1. Pray

Ephesians 6:18 (NLT) says, “Pray in the spirit at all times and on every occasion.” Maybe you can’t physically or mentally help someone, but you can pray for their spiritual health. God listens and hears every prayer. As I said last week, it’s the best thing you can do. Take a moment and pray, every day.

2. Act in Love

“Actions speak louder than words,” or so the saying goes. This doesn’t mean blasting somebody with “believe in Jesus or you’ll go to hell” logic, it means performing acts of love and kindness. Love them in the same way Jesus loves all people.

3. Kindle Change.

Philosopher William James said, “Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does.” If you aren’t happy with a situation in life, try and change it (within the law, obviously). If you aren’t happy with someone living a life contrary to the Bible, live in such a way that Christ is reflected in everything you do.

4. Don’t Give Up Hope.

In the words of Martin Luther King Jr., “We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.” We will experience setbacks in life and faith. Don’t let them crush your dreams. It’s on our darkest nights that the stars shine brightest.

The heart of my message today is twofold. To those who already know Christ: Be wary of complacency and the devil’s tricks, and don’t solo-follow Christ, lest you fall into sin. And if you’re praying for someone to know Jesus: Trust God and believe change is possible; it’s happened in the Bible, and I’ve personally seen it. Remember to pray, act in love, kindle change, and never give up hope. Only time can tell who a person will become – and time rests in God’s hands.

To quote the apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 13:7 (NLT)…

“Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.”