Some years ago, as I was traveling, the train was very, full, and at every station numbers of passengers crowded in.
As I was looking on that busy, bustling throng, I was saddened at the thought of so many immortal souls traveling on, as with railway speed, to dark damnation; as gay and careless as if there were no God, no judgment, no heaven, no hell. Presently several new passengers came into our car, one of the number being a lady. I offered her a tract, but after looking at it, to my great surprise she gave it back, saying, “I am saved already. Give it to some one else.”
We were together only five minutes, but in that short space we had time to speak together of the peerless worth of Jesus—of the infinite value of His precious blood, and to refresh one another’s heart in that blessed One, our common possession, hope, and joy. Then she left me, bidding me farewell till we meet again in our common home of everlasting rest.
I had never seen her before, and most likely never shall see her again in this world; and yet when we met we were as knit together as if we had been intimate friends.
Shall I tell you why? We were both saved. Each was a happy possessor of eternal life, of a new life in Christ the Savior. (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); Col. 3:44When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. (Colossians 3:4)).
What a wonderful thing for poor ruined creatures to be able to look up to heaven, and, with calm boldness and happy assurance, to say, “Thank God, I am saved. It is all peace, cloudless peace for me up there. Christ has made it, and He is now in the glory of God—the risen, heaven-honored, though earth-rejected Man. The blessed Conqueror over death, Satan and hell; is now adorning the bright courts of glory, and that is the place I belong to.”
Is this what you say, dear young reader? Can you, like the lady, say, without a shadow of doubt, “I am saved already—I already belong to that wonderful company of redeemed ones; some now asleep in Jesus, waiting for the resurrection day; others treading earth’s pathway, as strangers and pilgrim’s. NO longer am I a child of wrath even as others (Eph. 2:33Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. (Ephesians 2:3)), but a child of God (Gal. 3:2626For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:26)); a child of light (1 Thess. 5:55Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. (1 Thessalonians 5:5)). My sins, ‘Which were many, are all forgiven. I am washed in, His blood, redeemed, Cleansed, sanctified, and just ‘waiting to be taken to’ be forever with that blessed One who has done it all. Through Him I am meet (that is, fit) to be a partaker of the inheritance of the saints in light (Col. 1:1212Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: (Colossians 1:12)), and brought into the scene where everything is light and love: the kingdom of the Son of His love”?
Every believer is in present, living association with Christ in heavenly places (Eph. 2:66And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: (Ephesians 2:6)). O, the matchless surpassing grace of God! O, the unbounded, immeasurable, unsearchable love of Christ! Worthy is He of the many crowns that adorn His peerless brow! Worthy to be the theme of the everlasting praise of all His redeemed!
Beloved reader, I ask; Is He your Savior? Are you waiting for Him to come and take you to His Father’s house to be with Him forever?