Recently on leaving a street car a person, to whom I had handed a gospel magazine, handed me a paper in return. It was nicely got up in small newspaper form. On looking over it I round that, whilst it contained stories, anecdotes, &c., it had been issued by a leading life insurance company, and its real object was the advertising of the said company, and also trying to induce people to insure their lives; by sundry specious arguments with which most are pretty familiar, so I will not repeat them here. My thoughts, however, took a different channel from that contemplated by the person who had handed me the paper, or who had compiled it. I thought of how man can speak of the uncertainty of life, and how death may invade a family at any time, &c., and use these arguments to try and persuade people to insure their lives, and bring before them the merits of the company of which they are agents. But what is it all at best? Merely a question of this life, or, at farthest, death. But there they stop. But, dear reader, let us go a little further. WHAT, AFTER DEATH?
The word of God tells us that "it is appointed unto men once to' die, but after this THE JUDGMENT " (Heb. 9:2727And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: (Hebrews 9:27)). It also tells us that there is a "second death" (Rev. 2:11; 20:6-1411He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death. (Revelation 2:11)
6Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. 7And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, 8And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. 9And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. 10And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. 11And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. 12And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. 13And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. 14And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. (Revelation 20:6‑14)). The last verse quoted tells us that " the second death is the lake of fire." Now I will ask you, in true love for your soul, have you a policy of insurance that will be a positive guarantee against' those two, viz., " judgment "and the " second death "? If not, may God arouse you to a true sense of the danger that lies before y you. Do you say no man can know it-there is no such thing as being certain as to that? Stay, friend, God says in His word, " If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater; for this is the witness of God which He has testified of His Son. He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself; he that believeth not God hath made Him a liar; (are you doing that?), because he believeth not the record (same word as witness' above) that God gave of His Son. And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life" (1 John 5:9-129If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son. 10He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. 11And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. (1 John 5:9‑12)). If you turn to the gospel by John, 5th chapter, you will see that the Lord there speaks of every soul having to take life or judgment from Him. In verse 24 he says, " Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation," (or " judgment," the same word as in Heb. 9:2727And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: (Hebrews 9:27), above quoted.) But if you take your place (and it is your true place) before God as a poor lost sinner and believe in your heart what God says about the work of His Son, you will have the solid foundation of God's word to rest on. Heaven and earth may pass away but His word will never fail. Now what does God say about His Son?
He tells us that " God commendeth His love towards us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us " (Rom. 5:88But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)). That " the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit, offered Himself without spot to God, purges the conscience (of him who believes) from dead works to serve the living God " (Heb. 9:1414How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? (Hebrews 9:14)). That “the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin " (1 John 1:77But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. (1 John 1:7)). That Jesus " was delivered for our offenses, and was raised again for our justification; therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ " (Rom. 4:25; 5:125Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification. (Romans 4:25)
1Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: (Romans 5:1)).
If, in your heart, you are resting, and resting only, on the work of the Lord Jesus Christ on Calvary's cross for acceptance before God, when Jesus comes for His own, as He has said He will (John 14:33And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. (John 14:3)), then you will be one of those who meet Him in the air (see 1 Thess. 4:13-1713But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. 14For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 15For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 16For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. (1 Thessalonians 4:13‑17)), which is the first resurrection and you will be one of those of whom it is written, " Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power " (Rev. 20:66Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. (Revelation 20:6)).
Dear reader, is not that a policy of insurance worth having, and how miserable are all human policies of insurance alongside of it?
Have you such a policy? If you have, remember what it cost that blessed One that you might have it, without money and without price. Its perfect certainty and security resting on Him. “Because I live, ye shall live also " (John 14:1919Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. (John 14:19)).
Our sins were laid on His sacred head,
The curse by our Lord was borne;
For us a Victim our Savior bled,
And endured that death of scorn;
HIMSELF He gave our poor hearts to win-
(Was ever love, Lord, like Thine!)
From the paths of folly and shame and sin,
And fill them with joys divine.