In people who reckon themselves as Christians, the sin of presumption usually occurs through of sinning deliberately with the idea that such sins are “covered by the blood of Jesus” even before they are committed. Scripture warns, “If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified them, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know him who said, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” and again, “The Lord will judge his people.” It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” Heb 10:26-30

In people who don’t reckon themselves as Christians, the sin of presumption is commonly an intentional delay in surrendering to Jesus to give themselves more time to “enjoy” sinful lifestyles presuming the God’s opportunity and grace toward them will extend indefinitely. God says, “Today is the day of salvation” and “today if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.” Since Scripture says, “Now God commands all people everywhere to repent” it is foolish to presume upon an ongoing opportunity. If you are convicted of your sin and need of a savior, if you know that Jesus rose from the dead and rules at God’s right hand, now is the time to bow the knee and surrender your life to him. We don’t know the day of our death and should not presume that our hearts will be soft or that we’ll even still be alive down the road. As Jesus said, if you don’t repent, you too will perish.

But it’s also a sin to presume we’re past the point of no return. If we hear God’s voice through the Holy Spirit convicting us of our sin and calling us to repentance, then “today” can be the day of salvation for us even if we failed to make best use of past occasions. God is a patient and merciful God that will hear us when we cry out to Jesus in trust and surrender. Let us confess and renounce our sins, and we will find mercy. Let us cry out for gifts of repentance and grace and trust that the blood of Jesus can both bring forgiveness and cleansing so we can prove our repentance through our deeds and love of God for whatever time we have left on earth. But let us not presume upon tomorrow if we refuse the call of the Holy Spirit who beckons us today.