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In Luke 13:1-5 the message of Jesus is to repent or you will perish. It literally means that you will not have any eternal life. In Luke 13:6-9 the message of Jesus relates to a Christian who has already been planted with “the seed of God” into his or her heart. The wait is on for this believer to bear fruit worthy of his or her eternal life. Fruit worthy of repentance. Jesus indicates that in God’s eyes there is a time limit to HIS patience. Yes, God gets turned off at a certain point in time with those who willfully sin. That is the time when HE simply turns HIS back on you. You might think HE is still with you like Samson did when God left him.

“And she said, ‘The Philistines are upon you, Samson!’ So he awoke from his sleep, and said, ‘I will go out as before, at other times, and shake myself free!’ But he did not know that the LORD had departed from him.” Judges 16:20

There is a point where God will leave you high and dry as the old saying goes. When that is, I have no idea. I only know that God’s Word makes it abundantly clear that HE will put up with only so much from unrepentant sinners. HIS forgiveness is awesome, HIS patience is wonderful and HIS grace is truly without measure. Still, HIS Word makes it abundantly clear that there are limits HE has with us “mere” humans. Then there is this wonderful contrast from Jesus Christ.

Jesus Contrasts A Sinner Who Repents
“The Sinner Who Repents Brings Joy In Heaven!”

Parable of the Lost Sheep

Then all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to him to hear him. And the Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, “This Man receives sinners and eats with them.” So he spoke this parable to them, saying: “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing.”