Let us suppose a ship is sinking at sea. We know it to be exceedingly rotten and so leaky that it is filling fast. It must shortly sink. On shore the utmost effort is made. The lifeboat, with capacity to hold every person in the ship, is launched. The sailors pull alongside the leaking, sinking ship. The captain of the lifeboat begs every person on board immediately to let go of the sinking ship and trust himself to the lifeboat, with the certainty of being brought safely to shore.
The people on board resolutely refuse the invitation. One says, “The old boat is not so bad; she only needs patching!”
Another says, “Away with both you and your lifeboat! We have a carpenter of our own whose business it is to mend the ship. Who do you think is going to leave this fine ship and trust to your odd-looking boat?”
The ship fills and sinks. Now tell me, if every foolhardy soul on board goes down with the ship, who is to blame? Themselves—only themselves. The lifeboat was sent to them, and they refused!
Humanity is that sinking ship-ruined by sin, filling fuller and fuller of sins-until he sinks into perdition. Christ Jesus is the lifeboat. God so loved this poor, ruined, sinking world that He sent the lifeboat, “that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
Did the world believe God? Did they accept Jesus Christ? Oh, no! They rejected even such love, so great salvation. They murdered the Son of God. The death of Jesus was the offering of Himself as the atoning sacrifice for sin. God raised Him from the dead, and the risen Christ becomes the lifeboat for every soul that trusts in Him.
Where are you-in the lifeboat or in the old ship? Are you one of the redeemed? Or are you trusting to the self-righteousness of human nature? Can you say that you “have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins” (Col. 1:1414In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: (Colossians 1:14))? Or are you still in and of that world which is guilty of rejecting and murdering the Son of God?
Are you trusting to outward forms and ceremonies of religion? Now, what good will this outside paint do? The ship is sinking, and if you stay on it you will go down with the very paintbrush in your hand. All the sacraments and ordinances that man can perform will never keep one sinner from sinking into hell. Don’t trust them.
Are you trying—no matter how—to mend the old ship, your failing human nature? Then you may be quite certain if you continue in that condition you will sooner or later go down. Think where! Oh, down to the bottomless pit of despair-and who is to blame?
Give up the vain attempt to mend the old ship. Own yourself a lost and ruined sinner-believe the grace of God in sending you Christ the life boat trust Him with all your heart-confess Him with your lips and life!
You cannot be in both. If you are in the old ship, no matter how self-righteous, you are sinking fast; there is not a moment to be lost. You cannot be in both! But if you have accepted Christ, the lifeboat, you are safe and sure. He never did and never will lose one soul that trusts in Him.