Time Is Short!

Time Is Short!

"What I mean, brothers, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives, should live as if they had none, those who mourn, as if they did not; those who are happy, as if they were not; those who buy something, as if it were not theirs to keep; those who use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away" (1 Corinthians 7:29-31).

In these words there is:

1. A statement made: "The time is short," and again: "This world in its present form is passing away!" The time to be spent in this world is very short; it is but an inch of time - a short half-hour. In a very little while, it will be all over. All that is here, is changing - the very hills are crumbling down - the loveliest face is withering away - the finest garments rot and decay! "This world in its present form is passing away."

2. A lesson drawn from this: Believers should sit loose to everything here on earth. Believers should look on everything in the light of eternity. Value nothing any more than you will do then. Sit loose to the objects, griefs, joys, occupations of this world - for you must soon change them for eternal realities!

DOCTRINE. The shortness of time should make believers sit loose to all things under the sun.

1. The shortness of time. This is true in two respects.

2. The time a believer has to live in this world is very short.

A. The whole lifetime is very short. From the cradle to the grave is but a short journey: "The length of our days is seventy years - o"r eighty, if we have the strength; yet their span is but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away!" (Psalm 90:10).

The half of men die before the age of twenty. Even when men lived for many hundred years, it was but a short life - a moment compared to eternity. Methuselah lived nine hundred and sixty-nine years, and he died. "All flesh is as grass," and "the grass withers, the flower fades; because the Spirit of the Lord blows upon it." (Isaiah 40:7). "For what is your life? It is even a vapor, that appears for a little time, and then vanishes away!" (James 4:14). 

B. Much of our time is already passed away. Most believers spent their first days in the service of sin.

C. The time of this world's continuance is short. "The end of all things is at hand." A little while, brethren, and the day of grace will be over - preaching, praying will be done. Soon we will give over wrestling with an unbelieving world - soon the number of believers shall be complete, and the sky open over our heads, and Christ shall come! Then we shall see Him "whom having not seen, we loved." A little while, and we shall stand before the great white throne. A little while, and the wicked shall not be - we shall see them going away into everlasting punishment. A little while and the work of eternity will be begin. We shall be like Him - we shall see Him day and night in His temple - we shall sing the new song, without sin and without weariness forever and ever. In a little moment, brethren, all this shall be reality!

2. The believer should learn from this, to sit loose to all things under the sun.

A. Sit loose to the DEAREST objects of this world. "From now on those who have wives, should live as if they had none." Marriage is honorable in all. Husbands should love their wives, even as Christ loved the Church. "So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies." Still it must not be idolatry. A married believer should be, in some respects, as if he were unmarried.

"Honor your father and mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God gives you." You cannot be too kind, too gentle, too loving, to the parents whom God has given you - yet be as though you had none. Parents, love your children, and bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord - yet feel that the time is short. They are only a loan from the Lord. Be not surprised if He takes them. Esteem your ministers highly in love, for their work's sake - yet be as if you had none.  Lean as entirely on Christ as if you had never seen or heard a minister.

Brainerd mentions an instance of one woman, who, after conversion, was resigned to the divine will in the most tender points: "What if God should take away your husband from you - how do you think you would bear that?" Se replied: "He belongs to God, and not to me. He may do with him just what He pleases." When she longed to die, to be free from sin, she was asked what would become of her infant; she answered, "God will take care of it; it belongs to Him - He will take care of it."

Rutherford says: "Do not build your nest upon any earthly tree; for God has sold the forest to death, and every tree whereon we would build, is ready to be cut down, to the end we may flee and mount up, and build upon the Rock, and dwell in the cleft of the Rock."

2. Sit loose to the GRIEFS of this world. "Those who mourn, as if they did not." This world is the valley of tears. There are always mourning. No sooner is the tear dried up on one check - that it trickles down another. Those who are in Christ should weep as though they wept not, "for the time is short." Do you weep over those who died in the Lord? It is right to weep: "Jesus wept." They are not lost, but gone before. The sun, when it sets, is not lost; it is gone to shine in another hemisphere. Just so, have believers gone to shine in a brighter world. It is self-love that makes you mourn for them; for they are blissfully happy. Why do you mourn for them when they are with the sinner's Friend? "They shall hunger no mare, neither thirst any more, neither shall the sun light upon them, nor the heat; for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto fountains of living waters; and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes!"

Do you weep over those that died out of the Lord? Ah! there is deeper cause for weeping here - and yet the time is short, when all this will be explained to you, and you will not be able to shed a tear over the lost. A little while, and you will see Jesus fully glorified, and you will not be able to wish anything different from what has happened. When Aaron lost his two sons, he remained silent. When we get to the presence of Jesus, all our griefs shall look like children's griefs! A day in His presence will make you remember your miseries no more. Therefore, take courage, and run with patience.

3. Sit loose to the ENJOYMENTS of this world. It is quite right for a believer to use the things of this world, and to rejoice in them. Still, he should "rejoice as though he rejoiced not, and use this world as not abusing it;" for "the time is short." In a little while you will be at your Father's table above, drinking the new wine with Christ! You will meet with all your brothers and sisters in Christ. You will have pure joy in God through ceaseless ages! Do not be much taken with the fleeting joys of this poor world.

4. Sit loose to the OCCUPATIONS of the world. It is right for Christians to be diligent in business. I often wonder how unconverted souls can be so busy - how, when you are bustling along, filling up all your time with worldly things, it never occurs to you that there will be none of this in eternity. How can I be so busy for my "body", when my poor soul is unprovided for? But those in Christ may well be diligent. They have a good conscience, and they love their Lord!

C. What the UNCONVERTED should learn from the shortness of time. Learn your folly in having lost the past. God has given you time to save your soul - and you have spent it in ruining your soul. God gave you time to flee to Christ - and you have spent it in fleeing toward hell! Oh! brethren, be wise. "Why do you stand idle all the day?" Your unconverted head is grey - your feet are tottering. You are condemned already - your days are numbered - you are hanging by a  thread over the mouth of hell! And yet you are cutting and slashing at the hand that holds you! In a little moment it will be all over. Throughout the never-ending ages of eternity, you will remember the few days we spent together. Ah! the remembrance will add fuel to the flame, and be a never-dying worm in you poor soul!

~Robert Murray M'Cheyne~

(The End)