THE words at the head of this paper were quoted at an outdoor preaching in London. A certain skeptic in the crowd seemed much irritated by the statement, and declared that he could easily prove that it was false.
As his repeated remarks excited considerable interest among the people, the skeptic was challenged to do so.
“Well,” said he, “suppose I were to commit a murder tonight, I should be arrested, proved guilty, and executed; and according to your Bible I should go to hell. Now,” he continued, “the Lord is not there, and so I should never see Him.”
“Wait a moment,” was the reply. “To take your own illustration, if you were to commit the crime of murder, you would be arrested and thrown into jail. But would it therefore follow that you would never see the judge? Of course not! You would be kept in jail until the day of assize, when you would be brought forth, and made to stand before the judge. So hell is but the prison-house where the impenitent sinner will be confined till the day of judgment. On that great assize day he will he brought before the throne, upon which the Lord Jesus Christ―the righteous Judge―will sit to judge the dead, small and great. Then will the sinner experience the truth of Scripture, ‘Every eye shall see him.’”
To this the skeptic was unable to reply, and, elbowing his way out of the crowd, he gave vent to his rage in a volley of oaths.
Now, while the unbeliever hates, and puts far from him, the thought that one day he will behold the Lord Jesus, the believer looks forward to this event with great delight. Listen to the Apostle John, as, in an ecstasy, he says, “We shall see him as he is.” What is the secret of this great difference? The Christian knows Christ as his Saviour, and naturally desires to see the One of whom he can say, “He loved me, and gave Himself for me.”
The unbeliever sees in Christ only a judge, and conscience assures him that a righteous judge can but pass upon the sinner a sentence of condemnation.
Now, though this is true, there is no reason for despair. The Lord Jesus has not yet taken the office of judge, for today He is at God’s right hand, a Prince and a Saviour, to give repentance and forgiveness of sins.
Say not thou, “I am too depraved,” ― for, having Himself borne the stripes due to the sinner, Christ is able to save to the uttermost all that come unto God by Him. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.” The Son of God, whose word shall never pass away, saith: “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; but is passed from death unto life” (John 5:2424Verily, 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; but is passed from death unto life. (John 5:24)).
Knowing that his scarlet sins have been washed away in the precious blood of Christ, the Christian, as he hears the solemn announcement, “Behold, he cometh with clouds, and every eye shall see him,” can calmly say, “Even so, Amen.”
C. H.