here's the thing ((with me, anyhow))
if the Lord's return were to be contingent on me, it could only mean one thing, as far as i understand: that i was the last of His saints to be redeemed. that He was waiting for me to believe.
see, i believe God is sovereign and that He knows the end from the beginning. i believe He chose us in Christ before the worlds were created. i believe, He knows ever single person who will be saved - each of us intimately, and also the number of us.
i believe there is one thing judgement is waiting for: the completion of His work of redemption through Christ.
i don't believe the number of His saints is random -- i believe He knows it, and it's set. because He is the One who authors and finishes this work, and He is the one who chose us. He knows who He chose, and how many of us He chose.
God is not waiting in the heavens to see who will enter the Gate, only to grow tired of holding open the Door at some point and decide 'that's it! too bad for the rest of you, shoulda believed sooner!'
there will be no one who 'if only Christ had returned 10 minutes later, they might have decided'
i believe God is being patient waiting for all who He has chosen to come to repentance. when all of those He predestined have come to knowledge of Him, and faith in the work of His Son, then there will be nothing more holding back judgement.
so
if judgement is waiting for me, specifically, it means to me that God is waiting for me - because there is no one else. because i am the 100[SUP]th[/SUP] sheep Christ is looking for, with the other 99 in the sheepfold.
and that -- waiting for me to turn, so He can bless me. so He can rejoice at the son who has returned, who was once dead, but now alive.
so to choose to believe -- that is what this odd question is about -- you think that's selfish?
no, i don't guess you would, if i put it this way. right?
but you're thinking that God will return to judge the world too soon, in any case. because you said, if He comes quickly, it is too bad for others. you know dude, with that line of thinking, it will never be just at the right time -- because people are living and dying every day, being born and growing. if He ever returns, it will be before some newly-born people have heard the gospel. it will be before someone you probably think of as 'on the fence' can do some unbiblical thing like 'make a decision' for Him. maybe one day too early, maybe you think. maybe 5 minutes before someone 'has a breakthrough' maybe you think. maybe just seconds before someone gets up to walk down an aisle. too bad. what a shame, if they had maybe not been caught at that stoplight and been there 30 seconds earlier, or if the preacher hadn't made that little anecdotal reference and gotten to the end of the sermon just 2 minutes sooner...
but i don't think this way, and i hope that you are thinking about this, and don't think this way either.
God knows the end from the beginning.
Christ knows His sheep. He knows how many He has. He will know when the 100[SUP]th[/SUP] is found.
if i'm the 100[SUP]th[/SUP] He is holding out mercy towards the world for the sake of, foregoing judgement, then the thing it depends on is my own repentance and acquiescence to the Lord -- and that is not a 'selfish' act He waits to be carried out in me. He is the One who causes us to be reborn.