Q:
Since one of the men who was crucified with Jesus turned to Him at the last minute and was saved, why I can't I do the same? I'm having too much fun to be a Christian now, but why can't I turn to Jesus when I'm about to die and still go to heaven?
A:
It’s true; when Jesus was crucified, one of the men executed with Him asked Jesus to save him and take him to heaven, although he was a criminal who deserved only hell. This was an act of deep faith on his part, and Jesus responded by promising to save him. He said, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43).
But another man was also crucified with Jesus, and he refused to believe. Like his fellow criminal, he had only minutes to live, but instead of turning to Christ and asking to be saved, he mocked Jesus and refused to put his trust in Him, and as a result, he was lost.
How do you know which of those two you’d be? The answer is, you don’t. Yes, right now you think you’ll turn to Christ at the last minute, but will you? The further we drift away from God, the harder it is to come back. Sin also has a way of hardening our hearts so much that we’re unable to hear God’s call. This could happen to you.
Don’t gamble with your soul, and don’t be misled into thinking that the life you’re now living will bring you lasting happiness, for it won’t. Instead, face your need of Christ, and discover the peace and new life He alone gives. Don’t delay; the Bible warns, “Now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2).