And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: so Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation” (Heb 9:27-28).1
It seems the older we get, the busier our lives become, and our calendars become filled with appointments. Circumstances may arise that make it necessary to reschedule, but some appointments are just unavoidable. Let’s look more closely at these verses to examine some divinely ordained appointments.
One Sentence
Because of our sin, the sentence of death and eternal judgment has been pronounced by God upon all of humanity. Romans 5:12 says, “Death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.” Apart from the Rapture of believers, we all have an unavoidable appointment with death. There are no do-overs. We will all die once and will not receive another chance at life. If there is one thing that is certain, it is that every day we live is a day nearer to when we leave this earth and pass into eternity. For those who die without trusting Christ, judgment for sin will follow. Are you ready to meet God if that day is today?
One Sacrifice
Thankfully, God graciously appointed a time for His Son to come from heaven to earth and offer a sacrifice for our sins upon the cross. “But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son” (Gal 4:4). The birth and death of Jesus Christ did not occur randomly but at God’s appointed time. It was well over 2000 years ago that “he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself” (Heb 9:26). Prior to His death, He knew that His hour had come and yielded Himself into the hands of wicked men. Upon Calvary’s cross, He was “once offered to bear the sins of many” (v28). Salvation is available to all because of the sacrifice made once by Christ. God was completely satisfied with the death of His Son and raised Him from the dead on the third day. He is highly exalted and sits enthroned in heaven at the right hand of God.
When we meet Him is determined by God. How we meet Him, either as Savior or Judge, is determined by our choice to receive or reject Him. Will you receive Him today?
One Salvation
Despite what man-made religions of the world may teach, there is one Savior and one way of salvation. “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Act 4:12). God has graciously made salvation available to all sinners who are willing to receive Christ as their Savior. His first appearance was with the meekness of a lamb to redeem us from our sin. His next divinely appointed appearance on earth will be with the might and majesty of a lion to reign over mankind. He will come with His saints from heaven to set up His kingdom and they shall serve Him and share in His glory. Trust Him as your Savior today, for tomorrow may be too late.
1 Bible quotations in this article are from the KJV.
