During World War II, I was visiting a small summer resort. One day I walked into the post office for my mail and, at the same time, an old army colonel with whom I was slightly acquainted came in. Recognizing me, he asked why I was in that part of the country. My answer was: "I am here to preach the gospel of the grace of God." He immediately questioned: "If He is a God of grace, why does He allow such a terrible time of bloodshed and sorrow?”
"That question is easy to answer," I replied. Looking around on the lovely landscape, I said: "Colonel, suppose you owned all the property around here. You had built a beautiful house on it, planted fruit trees, shrubs and flowers. Then suppose you told me that I could have the full use of everything you have provided. You would supply all the food I needed, as well as all the clothing and the fuel necessary to keep me comfortable. You would not charge me any rent. You only ask that I thank you for your kindness, and honor your name.
"I therefore accepted your bounty, and took possession of the estate. But strange to say, I did not feel any responsibility to you whatever. I never gave you thanks; and if anyone mentioned you with a word of praise or a thought for your honor, I asked that the subject be changed. I took your name in vain, and I ridiculed anyone who sought to live in loyal obedience to your wishes.
"One day my boy took sick. In my need I called for you, and, in spite of my broken promises and neglect, you kindly came and helped me. And you continued to aid me and supply me with good things. Yet there was no change in my ways—no desire to comply with your wishes.
"At last you sent your only son, whom you love deeply, to visit me. He brought a large basket of provisions, and tried to make your love known to me in every way. Such kindness and his likeness to you only aroused enmity in my heart. I seized him and put him to death in the cruelest way possible. Colonel, how much longer would you let me live on the property?”
The colonel could easily see that I had drawn a true picture of this world and its attitude toward God and His Son. I well remember how he threw up his hands, saying, "You are doing a good work.”
We cannot brush aside the matter as easily as that. The answer to the colonel's question involves every one of us. This world has cast out and crucified as a criminal the blessed, precious, eternal Son of God. Those who now reject Him are as guilty as the ones who crucified Him, and are held accountable to God for that awful act. Judgment is sure and certain, "because He hath appointed a day, in the which He will judge the world in righteousness by that Man whom He hath ordained; whereof He hath given assurance unto all men, in that He hath raised Him from the dead." Acts 17:3131Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead. (Acts 17:31).
Professing Christendom is rapidly giving up the truth of the Bible. The whole world is falling into infidelity and the exaltation of man. This is foretold in 2 Thess. 2:1-121Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, 2That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. 3Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; 4Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. 5Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? 6And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. 7For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. 8And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: 9Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, 10And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: 12That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. (2 Thessalonians 2:1‑12). The rights of God and His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, in this world are trampled into the dust. All this is hastening on the coming of the Day of Judgment.
The coming of the Lord Jesus Christ to take His redeemed ones to heaven will precede the awful judgments of that time of tribulation. Afterward He will come in power and great glory, and throughout His millennial reign He will judge the world in righteousness. Then "that great and terrible day of the Lord (will) come." Joel 2:3131The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the Lord come. (Joel 2:31).
Now God is waiting in long-suffering patience to save all who will come as lost, guilty sinners and accept His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, as their Savior. He "bare the sins of many" on Calvary's cross that ruined sinners might be saved. Do not delay! "How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation?" Heb. 2:33How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; (Hebrews 2:3).
God will not allow evil to go on in this world forever. He is a God of Light as well as a God of Love. I pray you, accept Christ as your Savior in this day of grace, or you must surely meet Him as your judge.