“Now”

“Now”

            What is “now”?  Not yesterday: past already.  Not tomorrow: still future.   “Now” is a little word, with significance belying its size.  It speaks of a point in time, that is here then gone, not to be retrieved.

        “Now” is a term of emphasis: the boss, or the teacher, or the parent, displeased with the energy being expended in attending to a task, comes down with it: “NOW!”  Usually gets some attention.

        II Corinthians 6:2, “For he says, In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you.  Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation”.  This language comes from Isaiah 49:8.

        Paul uses “now” to make two points.  First, he says “now is the favorable time”; then, “now is the day of salvation”.

        “Now is the favorable time” = the fullness of time had come, when “God sent forth his son … to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons” Galatians 4:4, 5.  Before the “favorable time”, there were “times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent …” (Acts 17:30).  Thus it is, that

        “Now is the day of salvation”.   The “favorable time” is “the day of salvation”.  The urgency is communicated, by “now”.  Because this is the favorable time, men should act to be saved, NOW.  A convenient season never comes; so, NOW is when a person should be saved.  Not tomorrow; not later; NOW.

        Whenever it is “now”, God would have us be saved.  It is “now”  this minute, this second  … are you saved?  No?  Why not?  You are REFUSING GOD – Who said, ”NOW is the day of salvation”.

        Do it, now.                                                                                                  Pat