The following "Question" was asked by a member of the congregation at Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California, and "Answered" by their pastor, John MacArthur Jr. It was transcribed from the tape, GC 1301-A, titled "Bible Questions and Answers Part 3."  A copy of the tape can be obtained by writing, Word of Grace, P.O. Box 4000, Panorama City, CA 91412 or by dialing toll free 1-800-55-GRACE.  ©1976. All Rights Reserved.

Question

Is there a time, before the rapture when the spirit ceases to deal with a man?

Answer

There is no scripture that says that. The Bible says in Genesis 6:3,“My spirit will not always..." what?, "strive with man.” But there it's talking about generic. And it’s a warning of the flood and it's universal for the whole world. There is no scriptural indication that God will stop speaking to a specific man. I mean it doesn’t just say that. But the implication certainly of the general broad character of Genesis 6:3, and the implication further, of the unpardonable sin of the Jews, and Jesus turning to the Gentiles again to a collective group of people indicates that there comes a time when the patience of God and the Grace of God has extended itself to the limit, and a man has disqualified himself from further information and further wooing of the Holy Spirit, because he has rejected at the point of full revelation. Only God knows when that comes. I think that is why we can say with a sense of seriousness to any sinner, "Do not continue to procrastinate until you come to the place where your hardness is so hard that God no longer woos you. Where you have so convinced yourself of the untruths of Christianity that you are irreconcilable with God." That’s a terrible place to be.

Added to Bible Bulletin Board's "MacArthur’s Questions and Answers" by:

Tony Capoccia
Bible Bulletin Board
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