Three words of great meaning, how lightly thought of and often used by man! Let us look for a moment for the use and import of them in the Bible—that precious Word of the blessed God to man.
"NOW." This is especially God's word, because "now is the accepted time; now is the day of salvation." "Now are we the sons of God." "This day (now) is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears." God always speaks of "now" to man—unveiling the future surely; but He speaks to man of his present state and of God's present resources and mind concerning him. What a wondrous and blessed word this "now" is as used by God, both for sinner and saint! Reader, have you learned its reality and import?
"HEREAFTER." This is man's word: "When I have a convenient season I will call for thee." So spoke the corrupt, money-loving, worldly-minded "noble Felix," in answer to God's "now." Man's word is "hereafter," because he seeks to -put off the moment, put off having to do with God, put off searching himself and his own heart, put off confessing his sins, and seeking in a contrite spirit to own "now" before God what he has done and what he is. Thus man meets Satan halfway, for Satan's word is "NEVER." He hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ should shine unto them. Never, so far as he can prevent it, never shall the grace of God, the love of God, the resources of God reach man in his sins. Only let man go on putting off till hereafter the thought of God and having to do with Him, and man's "hereafter" ends in Satan's "never.”
See the rich man and Lazarus. God's "now" for the rich man was turned into "hereafter" by the good things he enjoyed and set his heart on in this life, and passed into the "never" of Satan in the place of eternal torment.
Reader, let me ask you for the sake of your soul's eternal welfare, How do you stand before God as to His "now"? What would the rich man in the place of torment not have given for one moment, one second, of the "now" he had neglected and lost forever! Deluded by the things of time and sense, pleasure and lust, he left all to the "hereafter,” and awoke to find himself eternally in the grasp of Satan's "never.”
God too has a "hereafter" for man; but it is after this life. "Now is the accepted time; now is the day of salvation." "The grace of God that brings salvation has appeared." "The long-suffering of the Lord is salvation." But His "now" becomes "never" to those who refuse His love and grace, His offer of pardon, mercy, and peace. God's time is "now.”