Rev. Abel Ukachi Amadi

Key verse: 2 Corinthians 6:2 (KJV): “For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” 2 Corinthians 6:2 delivers an urgent apostolic plea:

“Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” Paul stresses that God’s grace demands an immediate response. Today offers a divine moment of favour that must not be wasted. Apostle Paul tells the Corinthians that God’s grace demands a response. The response demanded is to turn to God now because it is the accepted time of salvation. The word “accepted” means a time of God’s special grace, kindness and mercy. God is offering His gift of eternal life at this very moment. Now is the best time to surrender to Jesus and make Him your Lord and Personal Saviour. Tomorrow may be too late. Dying without Christ is the worst tragedy. Human life is brief and fragile. Waiting for a “better time” or putting off repentance till another time is dangerous because no one is guaranteed the next breath. Delaying your decision to follow Christ is very risky. You do not know what tomorrow brings.

Salvation is a free gift you can receive. It is free for all, no matter your race or colour. Titus 2:11, says: “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men.” You do not have to earn it; you only need to receive it today. Romans 6:23, tells us that the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ. God’s free gift of love and salvation is offered to all people. One of the ways to maximise God’s grace is to accept God’s gift of salvation and turn away from your evil ways. Grace teaches us to say “no” to ungodliness and worldly desires and to do what is right before God (Titus2:11-12). Grace gives us power to live Godly and righteous in a sinful world.

It gives you the inner power to refuse sin, selfish impulses, and godless living. Living with a clear, calm, and self-controlled mind. Treating other people with fairness, kindness and honesty. Keeping your focus on God and honouring Him with your daily actions.

God is the God of all time: the past, the present, and the future, but He is especially the God of the
present. To the unsaved, His Word is, “now is the accepted time … now is the day of salvation.” The favoured time of God for lost humanity is here and now. Since a person does not know what will happen next, it is extremely wise to heed God’s call to salvation. The Scriptures say: “For what is your life? It is even a vapour that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away,” (James 4:14). The Psalmist, David, says, “remember how short my time is,” (Psalm 89:47). Many tragedies could have been averted if someone had acted in time.

The Apostle Paul clearly understood the value of time and its importance to the soul of lost sinners. He says: “Behold now is the accepted time.” Not tomorrow, not next week, not even within the next hour.

“Now,” means immediately. The Bible says: “There is a time to be born, and a time to die” (Ecc 3:2). The question yet to be answered for each of us is when is that time to die? Because we do not know the answer, God says: “Now is the accepted time,” to receive salvation.

• Today’s nugget: Now is the accepted time of salvation. Prayer: Lord help me to heed to the call of salvation. Prayer lines: 08033299824. E-mail: [email protected], Rev. Abel Ukachi Amadi, General Superintendent, Assemblies of God Nigeria.