Grace Period

One day as my colleague was installing a software for our new server and he got this prompt up after installation saying 'The product has not been activated and has been operating without activation for a grace period of seven days.The Grace Period has now expired.' He asked me what to do next when faced with this problem so we managed to get hold of the license key from our counterpart in US and managed to get it solved.

The thing that struck me was this: What if the Grace period given to the whole world to find grace in the Lord Jesus Christ is expired? This thought continued to develop in my mind as I thought of the consequences when the dispensation of grace really expires. What is going to happen? To those who have studied about dispensationalism and second coming of Christ would know what will happen next.

The verse below taken from Luke 4:16- 21 states the fulfillment of the acceptable year of the Lord which would usher in the dispensation of Grace to replace the dispensation of Law.

16 So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read. 17 And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written:
18 “ The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me,
Because He has anointed Me
To preach the gospel to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,^[j]
To proclaim liberty to the captives
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set at liberty those who are oppressed;
19 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD.”^[k]

20 Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him. 21 And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”

The original text for that part of Scripture is from Isaiah 61:1-3

“The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me,
Because the LORD has anointed Me
To preach good tidings to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives,
And the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD,
And the day of vengeance of our God;
To comfort all who mourn,
3 To console those who mourn in Zion,
To give them beauty for ashes,
The oil of joy for mourning,
The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;
That they may be called trees of righteousness,
The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.”

Certainly this prophecy has come to passed in part and the other part is still yet to be fulfilled. Yes, the part where "And the day of vengeance of our God..."and the rest of the written text is not being fulfilled yet. However, it will come to pass when the grace period expires and it definitely doesn't sound nice to see the word 'Vengeance of our God' appear after that.

The point that I want to stress on is that time is running out. The grace period of God which is extended to everyone is now available so it's high time for each of us to start spreading the gospel of Christ before it's too late! And as for those who is reading this and knows about the gospel of Christ, linger no more. If you are curious about this, please speak to this blogger about it. It really matters! Plus it's better to be warned than not informed of such grace extended to you by God. Just as the software's trial period is up, we have to start paying for the license to use it. Similarly with God's period of grace when once the period is over, those who are left behind must pay the price of sin which is everlasting death.

Slowly but surely, a time will come where the throne of mercy will be turned into the throne which 'proceeded lightnings, thunderings, and voices.' (Rev 4:5, Rev 11:19) The description of the judgment of God is described in those verses and it will come!