IT is not a very difficult thing to be against Christ, indeed, one might go further and assert, without fear of contradiction, that it is terribly and fatally easy. It is only, not to be for Him; when He is despised and rejected of men, to linger comfortably on the outskirts of the crowd; when cruel words wound Him in the house of His friends, to turn to them an ear which is conveniently deaf—in many people’s eyes not a heinous fault by any means. Conscience, perhaps, hardly accuses; love—but that is another matter, we will not mention love just now.
Is this what you are doing, my reader? You, who would be very much offended if any one presumed to doubt the reality of your Christian profession. Have you ever thought how all this will look in the day of Christ’s glory? Then myriads of angels will do His bidding gladly; they do it now unseen; then it will be in full view of assembled worlds. The noble army of martyrs who were for Him, even unto death, will be there rejoicing in His glory. Multitudes of happy saints, in garments of spotless purity, will hasten likewise to fulfill His smallest word. Sorrow will flee before Him, sickness will be healed, tears wiped away, as He rejoices over a redeemed creation, and will you then be against Him? Think not, I pray you, that if you are not for Him now, that by some mysterious process you will then be changed.
Nay, you will be against Him still. Against Him—how can I write it? —forever. Where will you hide your trembling, shivering soul? Nowhere: there will be no hiding-place. It will be manifested that you have always been against Him who died—against Him who sorrowed as none other could sorrow, Him who wept. Oh, let not this be your soul’s history; but rather receive His love, let it fill your heart until you gladly own Him Lord, until you are His and His only, until others shall see that, whatever they may do, you by His grace are His and His forever. May it be thus for His glory, and in that coming day writer and reader will rejoice together before Him.