Alfred Shropshire
"What hope is there for godless men in the hour when God demands their life?"
Skepticism is a common trait of Homo sapiens, the scientific name for modern mankind, translated as "man the wise". It plays no favorite, as practically everyone is skeptic about something.
This passage about "hope for godless men" brought to my mind two things, (1) the Mormon practice of proxy baptizing the deceased, and (2) death row conversions.
Mormons say that most of those who have lived on earth have not had the opportunity to be baptized by proper authority. Therefore, members of the church may be baptized as proxies for the dead. These deceased ancestors, in the next life, can choose to except or decline what has been done on their behalf.
This practice has its basis in John 3:5, where Jesus tells Nicodemus "no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the spirit." In I Corinthians 15:29, Paul mentions baptism of the dead as a common practice.
One often hears of death row conversions as criminals face their eminent demise. While an air of skepticism often accompanies such declarations, one has to look no further than Good Friday to see the difference that one criminal's timely conversion makes in his eternal life. As he hangs on the cross next to Jesus and says "Rember me, Jesus, when you come as King," Jesus' reply, "I promise you that today you will be in Paradise with me" does offer hope for godless men.
But, then, skepticism steps in and I ask myself. "Are the above examples of truly godless men?" When one thinks of historical persons such as Adolph Hitler, Joseph Stalin, Pol Pot, Idi Amin, etc. or criminals like Charles Manson, of Jeffrey Dahmer, one wonders about what hope each had in his final days.
I know there will always be an element of mystery in God's dealing with us. Chapter 3, verse 9 of 2 Peter reads, "The Lord is not slow to do what he has promised, as some think. Instead, he is patient with you, because he does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants all to turn away from their sins." We need to assept this and remain steadfast in our hope and in our trust.
Prayer: Help me Lord to have a heart like yours. Amen.
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