WILL a Rothschild with his millions―will an Alexander the Great, with his enormous conquests, profit by their gains if they lose their souls, and pass into eternity bankrupt sinners? A thousand times NO. “What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” (Mark 8:3636For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? (Mark 8:36).)
And what about you? Dear, unsaved reader, neither sleep, eat, nor drink till the important question of your soul’s salvation is settled. You are traveling on to the great, grand terminus of life’s highway―ETERNITY. Every beat of your heart, every throb of your pulse, every tick of the clock, all tell the tale that you are traveling. And how soon the terminus may be reached―how soon?
You may love your sins―you may love the life you lead of living as you list―have you counted the cost? Ah! there will be plenty of time in hell to count the cost, for there sins are forever torturing the conscience, lashing it with their leaded thongs of awful remembrance. Your sins cannot comfort you in moments of depression―cannot cheer you on a deathbed.
You, keen business man, count the cost. You, giddy girl, count the cost. You, young man, sowing the wild oats of sin, and shame, and lust, count the cost. You, who are training young lives, you fathers and mothers, by all that is sacred in such relationships, count the cost―treading the broad road yourself, and training little toddling feet to follow you in your awful journey.
And it won’t do to shrug your shoulders and say, “This is a little too extreme.” An infidel may pooh-pooh the thought of JUDGMENT TO COME, but even he cannot deny the existence of DEATH, in view of the churchyards and cemeteries of this weary, weeping world. What havoc has sin wrought? A whole world treading, to the grim march of time, the road to the grave and judgment and the lake of fire. God says, “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)). This is not extreme. It is true to the letter.
But we have grand, good news for you, dear reader, of One who did not count the cost of procuring salvation full and free for poor, vile, hell-deserving sinners. Ponder this magnificent verse which has given peace of soul to thousands upon thousands, and which the noble Luther called “the miniature Bible”― “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:1616For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)). Yes, thank God! His deep, boundless love desired to bless the sinner. He spared His only begotten Son from His side, and during the awful three hours of darkness round Calvary’s central cross, He dealt out the judgment due to sin upon the holy head of Jesus, so “that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus” (Rom. 3:2626To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. (Romans 3:26)). “For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet, peradventure, for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:6-86For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. 8But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:6‑8)).
And now the work of atonement being finished, God offers you, as a free gift, His salvation. If you toss this paper aside, or even lay it aside respectfully, and fail to close in with God’s offered mercy, what a desperate case yours must be. “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).) To ensure our eternal destruction it does not take us openly to reject this salvation, or to outwardly insult the God who offers it in such marvelous love, but simply to NEGLECT. The five foolish virgins only neglected one thing—the oil in their lamps. Outwardly they were all right, and till the testing moment arrived passed muster with the five wise virgins. The Pharisees only neglected the inside. But, alas! how fatal.
And these are the sort who oftenest are the most offended when a serial such as this is put into their hands. It is sadly, solemnly true that thousands are treading religiously the broad road to everlasting despair. Bunyan spoke of Religion walking in her silver slippers. Unknown friend, whether you are an out-and-out sinner or a religious sham, do not put aside this warning. It may be your last warning. “Behold, Now is the accepted time; behold, NOW is the day of salvation” (2 Cor. 6:22(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succored thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.) (2 Corinthians 6:2)). Christ is coming quickly; judgment is looming ahead. Pause in your busy rush of life and ask yourself, “Where shall the end of all these things be?” Oh! now, this moment, ere it be too late, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:3131And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. (Acts 16:31)).
A. J. P.
ROMANS shows how man is brought to God in righteousness. In chapter 3, 4, 5:1-11, we have our sins and iniquities exposed, and then perfectly met by the blood of Jesus and God’s righteousness. He is “just, and the justifier (not the judge) of him that believeth in Jesus.” What I have done is first met; then what I am is dealt with. This is treated of in chapter 5:12-21, where the two heads, Adam and Christ, are seen. I cannot be in both. If in Adam, I am condemned; if in Christ, I have “justification of life.” chapter 6 gives the two masters, sin and God. I cannot serve both; but I am “free from sin” by being “dead with Christ” and “alive with God, in Christ Jesus.” In chapter 7 the two husbands appear, the law and Christ. I cannot belong to both; as a believer, I belong to Him who is alive from the dead. This gives liberty and deliverance.
W. T. P. W.