The Closing Age of Grace: Last Chance Not Only for Believers

From a prophetic standpoint, the Age of Grace (or the Dispensation of Grace, as Clarence Larkin calls it) appears to be coming to a close.  For unbelievers, this means that there is little time left to accept Jesus Christ as their Savior and receive the gift of eternal life (For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16).

But the closing of the Age of Grace has significant ramifications for believers, too.  The fear of the Lord should be upon us.  If we need to repent for sins that we have committed in the body, we should do so.  If we are not allowing the Lord to work through us, we should do so.  God is a God of love, but He is also a God of judgment.  Unfortunately, we don’t hear much about that these days.

Scripture tells us that all believers will stand before the Lord at the judgment seat of Christ.

2 Corinthians 5:10: For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad

Romans 14:10: we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

The only difference between those who have already died in Christ — and those of us who will be raptured when Jesus meets us in a cloud in the air (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17) — is that we will be fortunate enough to avoid the sting of death.  But all of our works will undergo the test of fire at the judgment seat.

1 Corinthians 3:10-15:  According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.  If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.  If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. 

I confess that the thought of standing before the Lord tomorrow sobers me.  I already know that many of my works will not withstand the test of fire.  The late Pastor Gary Whipple, who preached about Kingdom truths for believers, once said that he believed that most of us will have a combination of works.  That brings me great comfort.

We always want to think that we have more time.  But do we?  If you do not believe in Jesus Christ, I pray that you will accept him as your Savior right now.  If you are a believer, I pray that you (and I) will allow Christ Jesus to work through us every moment that we have left on this fallen earth.

While there are many professed believers who promise me that I can have my best life now, or that I need to find my purpose, I pray that I will have a little more time to die to self-will and allow the Lord to perform His great works through me.