BED-REPENTANCE (Last prayer before Death) We may have the idea that a departed non-Christian went to heaven, in that, though he was a sinner, he might have repented secretly just before he died. Is it right? Here are some thoughts on unknown or secret death-bed repentance… 1. We must remember the fact that the individual gave us no reason to think he did repent. To think the person might have repented is mere speculation. 2. The Bible does not encourage comfort from such thinking – that the departed might have made some secret repentance. 3. The Bible makes salvation contingent upon a public confession (Rom 10:9,10). 4. The Bible boldly assumes men perish if there is no reason to think they repented, for example Judas Iscariot (Acts 1:25, John 17:12) and the false workers (Php 3:19), “their end is destruction”, and (2 Cor 11:15), “their end is according to their deeds.” 5. The devil would like to promote such thinking , as he would rob God of His glory, the glory God would get from putting the person in hell (Rom 9:22), or from receiving a confession, as in the case of the thief on the cross (Luke 23:40). 6. Any sinner would like to hear such thinking , for it would encourage him to continue in his sin and then slip into heaven the way the deceased presumably did. After all, that is what these Christians are saying and hoping and they claim to be ‘in the know.’ 7. Death-bed repentance is rare anyway . “There is one death bed repentance recorded in the Bible that no one despair, but there is only one instance that no one presume.” Matthew Henry. 8. Death-bed repentance is rarely true. True repentance can be late, but late repentance is seldom true. “Late repentance is seldom satisfactory .” J.C. Ryle . The mind is often not clear and cheap motives easily enter in. Now is the time to repent, to change your mind about serving sin and self, and flee to Christ, believing that He died for sinners like you. There is a hell to shun and a heaven to gain. If you are that type that has been hearing repentance, holiness and righteousness message and you are saying when you have enjoyed enough, when you want to die you will confess, please stop it....God forbid, On your death bed you might have a great sickness unable to confess. What if you are in a coma? What if you are shot and you die immediately, what if death doesnt give you any sign of its visit,and it took you unaware, what if you had an accident and you are down, and have lost your memory, not to talk of thinking, let alone opening your mouth to confess. I forbid this for you in Jesus name. Remember it is not when you repeat a prayer of repentance after the evangelist you are accepted by heaven: you are accepted by heaven when you truely repent and God sees your heart that you mean it, then GOD forgives you. And you have made restitution and you are sanctified by the blood of Jesus. Repeat this prayer after me is no salvation. Salvation is the working of God and not that of the evangelist...Salvation is transformation and regeneration...Even when some people die, some pastors, knowing well that this person didnt serve God, some people will say; he has gone straight to heaven, he was a nice man, pays his tithe, helped the church, and infact, i was there when he became born again, i was there when he said the repentance prayer when he was 12years old...And some people start saying rest in peace (R.I.P). But let me tell you, if he didnt live the will of God and died in sin, he is gone to hell...This is the truth. It feels sad the way people conduct burial, throwing big parties, celebrating a lost soul, it is a pity that even christians do this. This is not right. There is no peace for the wicked, if he is in hell, no matter the amount of R.I.P we write, we cant reduce his punishment in hell. . Stop following them to celebrate a burial. Instead weep for the lost soul...Some people are also doing rememberance for their late grandfather or mother. My people the dead immediately has gone to eternity(Heb 9:27). Whenever you hear that someone is dead, just keep quiet, become sober, thinking, where has this one gone now...This should be the attitude of christians. When they were alive we refuse to tell them the truth about heaven and hell. And when they die, some will be writing rest in peace. Why they were alive they made or refused to make the decision of their eternity, whether heaven or hell...You that is reading this now, have you made your decision? There is no peace for a sinner after death, it is hell, torment day and night. Are you the type who want to flex, enjoy your life since you are still young and then when you want to die you will repent? Or you are a youth, in the campus, you want to enjoy life first, when you are now out of the campus, or you are now married, you will then give your life to Christ, that is the devil talking to you. Dont be deceived, dont wait till you are sick and you want to die before you pray for forgiveness, you cannot deceive God. Remember rapture will take place any moment from now or you may die any moment from now, either ways, where will your soul land? Heaven or hell? If you are the type hoping to pray the repentance prayer on your death bed, please also remember what the Bible says, do not be deceived, God is not mocked, whatever a man sow, that he will reap.(Galatians 6:7) Make every effort to live IN PEACE with all men and to BE HOLY; without HOLINESS no one will see the Lord. (Hebrews 12:14). Please if that is your thought, and you have been living in sin hoping to get to heaven by just saying the repentance prayer, please reconsider by looking properly at the verses stated above. REPENT TODAY...Dont wait till your death day... It is dangerous.
Posted on: Mon, 21 Jul 2014 19:16:03 +0000