It Is Too Late

[Coliseum]

One of the devout Sunday school teachers in the church where I was once pastor said, “My husband is getting old and is very ill. I have witnessed to him for the years of our marriage, and he has always said, ‘Not now.’ Would you plead with him to accept the Lord as his Savior?”

I went to the home and to the upstairs bedroom. I talked to that husband and pleaded with him about the Lord. As I pressed the invitation to accept Christ as his Savior, he answered, “Oh, it is too late; it is too late.”

I do not know how demons rule the human spirit, but something happened in that man’s soul, and he could not stop repeating the words, “Oh, it is too late; it is too late.” The crescendo of the rising sound of his voice went higher and higher, “Oh, it is too late; it is too late!” I left the room. I could still hear him say those words as I left the house. He was taken to a mental institution and he died, saying, “Oh, it is too late; it is too late!”

What does that mean? What enters the spirit of a person that shuts him out from the kingdom of God? It is the vastness of judgment into which I cannot enter.

Noah could not open the door of the ark when the people crowded around and the waters began to rise. Why? Because God shut the door, not Noah. God shut the door.

...Pastor Criswell

"Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them." Ecc 12:1

[Guest]

If this was very recent there is an explanation. It could be he could sense the end of the world. Look what's happening around us. 

I admit i think this is it. I just heard India is going into lockdown. 

I am going to pray. For all who believe in Lord Jesus Christ this could well be it. Our time is here. For all who do not, it is indeed too late. 

Well i am excited. I cannot wait to see Jesus and be in heaven with Him forever. 

 

[Coliseum]

43 minutes ago, Sonshine said:

Greetings, Coliseum ... Your heartfelt concern shows your compassion. God bless you, brother.  ....but I just want to hopefully encourage you a little bit.  There is a condition that at times is experienced near the end if life.  This is marked by severe emotional agitation/distress, etc.  It is a medical condition and not at all indicative of demon possession or the like.  What an awesome blessing it is to have a Father in heaven who longs to be gracious—who rises to show us compassion—who inclines His ear to hear us.  He understands more than we can ever know.
 

Nice chatting with you again. 

 

Thank you  Sonshine. While what you share may or may not be true---since at the end of life our last breath takes us into a realm we cannot grasp, it was Pastor Criswell's commentary, not mine. It was his experience, not mine. He did not mention demon possession. But the main ingredients of his argument may have merit. I surely would not be another man's judge to decide one way or another. Medical or not, I agree with Pastor Criswell---that God, not us, opens or shuts that door. May God bless you during these crisis trials we are all undergoing in our own way. May God be praised and glorified.

[Behold]

1 hour ago, Coliseum said:

One of the devout Sunday school teachers in the church where I was once pastor said, “My husband is getting old and is very ill. I have witnessed to him for the years of our marriage, and he has always said, ‘Not now.’ Would you plead with him to accept the Lord as his Savior?”

I went to the home and to the upstairs bedroom. I talked to that husband and pleaded with him about the Lord. As I pressed the invitation to accept Christ as his Savior, he answered, “Oh, it is too late; it is too late.”

I do not know how demons rule the human spirit, but something happened in that man’s soul, and he could not stop repeating the words, “Oh, it is too late; it is too late.” The crescendo of the rising sound of his voice went higher and higher, “Oh, it is too late; it is too late!” I left the room. I could still hear him say those words as I left the house. He was taken to a mental institution and he died, saying, “Oh, it is too late; it is too late!”

What does that mean? What enters the spirit of a person that shuts him out from the kingdom of God? It is the vastness of judgment into which I cannot enter.

Noah could not open the door of the ark when the people crowded around and the waters began to rise. Why? Because God shut the door, not Noah. God shut the door.

...Pastor Criswell

"Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them." Ecc 12:1

The reason he is saying "its too late" is because he is convinced that salvation was only his if he lived a life that earned it.   So, this is why he is saying, at the end of his life, when he feels he can't do enough now to earn heaven, that its "too late"....."no time"....... In other words...."its too late, because i dont have time now to be good enough for long enough, for God to accept me based on ME and MY behavior".

That's the man's RELIGION.  And religion is what damns a person.

This  man does not understand the Grace of God is a free gift, because he is so legalistic.   So  he will have a hard time now at the end of his life being able to switch mental gears and allow God's blood (Jesus on the Cross)  to be the only reason he could join God and be a part of God's family for eternity.

See, the carnal instinct in all of us, our flesh..... is that we FEEL that we need to be doing something that EARNS God's acceptance, and that is the big problem this man has...

So, the correct thing to do, is pray that the Holy Spirit would reveal the Grace and Free Gift of God's love to this man's Heart, as this man's mind is totally owned and operated by legalism.

Edited March 24, 2020 by Behold

[kwikphilly]

2 hours ago, Coliseum said:

What does that mean? What enters the spirit of a person that shuts him out from the kingdom of God? It is the vastness of judgment into which I cannot enter.

He was never shut out,he could not see the doorway or understand how it could possibly be unlocked because of a hardened heart.....What do you think enters? What entered is what was invited and made a comfortable home there...strong delusion my friend    

The hardened heart that has rejected God knows very well he has                          With love-in Christ,Kwik

                                                                                                                      

[JustPassingThru]

I believe this to be the answer:

But if our Gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:  In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the Glorious Gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.  2 Cor 4:3_4

Lord bless

[Heleadethme]

One thing I can share is that the preaching of the gospel and word of God does sometimes cause demons to manifest.  I had someone do exactly what that man in the article did, except he kept repeating (threatening) to come back and haunt me after he died.  I have seen a little, but don't know a lot about casting out demons except I believe what needs to be done sometimes is to take authority by faith, and silence and cast them out when such things manifest.  My feeling is that that is what Jesus would have done.

[Coliseum]

38 minutes ago, Melinda12 said:

If this was very recent there is an explanation. It could be he could sense the end of the world. Look what's happening around us. 

I admit i think this is it. I just heard India is going into lockdown. 

I am going to pray. For all who believe in Lord Jesus Christ this could well be it. Our time is here. For all who do not, it is indeed too late. 

Well i am excited. I cannot wait to see Jesus and be in heaven with Him forever. 

 

Hi Melinda. I think that beyond all of the assertions and answers that so many people think what is in Pastor Criswell's heart--who believe they know his motives and intentions---your remedy is to pray. Instead of putting it upon you, you are giving it to God. That is a wise teaching---one at least I hope I can learn from. FYI, Pastor Criswell is no longer among us. He went to be with the Lord many, many years ago. And I too share your excitement about one day being with Jesus forever. God bless you sister.

[JustPassingThru]

43 minutes ago, Heleadethme said:

I had someone do exactly what that man in the article did, except he kept repeating (threatening) to come back and haunt me after he died.

Beloved sister, ...ain't no demon so stupid to come back and take on the Holy Spirit living inside of you!

However, ...I've had a witch come on to my property and try to curse me twice, the first time during the day and the second time at night, ...the first time I was working in my cabinet shop and at first didn't really realize what she was doing, ...when it finally did sink in I just said "JESUS!" and she left in stark terror, ...her eyes literally bulging out of her face.

The second time was at night and I awoke to her mumbling incantations at our front gate, I said "Jesus," but not in the force of the first time, ...rather like, "Again Lord?" ...and I heard her running away down the street and actually tripped and fell down, ...I bet that hurt!

Remember dear one, ...Greater is He who is in us, ...than he who is in the world...

Lord bless 

[missmuffet]

3 hours ago, Coliseum said:

One of the devout Sunday school teachers in the church where I was once pastor said, “My husband is getting old and is very ill. I have witnessed to him for the years of our marriage, and he has always said, ‘Not now.’ Would you plead with him to accept the Lord as his Savior?”

I went to the home and to the upstairs bedroom. I talked to that husband and pleaded with him about the Lord. As I pressed the invitation to accept Christ as his Savior, he answered, “Oh, it is too late; it is too late.”

I do not know how demons rule the human spirit, but something happened in that man’s soul, and he could not stop repeating the words, “Oh, it is too late; it is too late.” The crescendo of the rising sound of his voice went higher and higher, “Oh, it is too late; it is too late!” I left the room. I could still hear him say those words as I left the house. He was taken to a mental institution and he died, saying, “Oh, it is too late; it is too late!”

What does that mean? What enters the spirit of a person that shuts him out from the kingdom of God? It is the vastness of judgment into which I cannot enter.

Noah could not open the door of the ark when the people crowded around and the waters began to rise. Why? Because God shut the door, not Noah. God shut the door.

...Pastor Criswell

"Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them." Ecc 12:1

It is never too late. Just like the thief on the cross a person can be saved as long as they have breath. But if they wait until the last minute they will also probably miss out on rewards in heaven. But they will still be in heaven. That is a reward in itself.