WITH the above words a young man excused himself, when I called his attention to the question of the salvation of his soul. “I can do nothing towards it, "said he;" so long as it does not please God to work in me, and to give all to me, I must wait.”
“But would you so think and speak," I asked, “if you knew for certain that in four and twenty hours you must die and appear before the judgment seat of Christ?”
He was silent a moment, and then said, “I believe not; at all events, I should be in great trouble and anxiety, and would call on God for grace.” “You would even then, as now, be able to do a little, and to assist in your salvation," I rejoined.
“God then must work and give all?”
“Doubtless," replied he," but the certainty of approaching death, and after that the judgment, would frighten me, and cause me to cry to God.”
“You remain, then, now indifferent, and you don't cry to Him," I added," because the hour of your death is uncertain. One thing is quite certain, that it is appointed unto men once to die, and after this the judgment; but you do not know for certain whether you have still four and twenty hours to live. Should then a criminal sentenced to death neglect to seek grace because the hour of his execution is not yet appointed? Would he not be much more concerned lest his petition came too late, or not into the right hands?
“Again, would not a rich man be daily in fear and anxiety if he knew for certain that sooner or later he would lose all, and be plunged in the greatest poverty? I am convinced that this knowledge would embitter every hour that he enjoyed his wealth. He would not say with calm indifference, ' I can do nothing towards it.' He would think over ways and means, listen to the advice of his friends, in order to escape from this sad plight, and certainly would not tarry to use every possible resource. Surely, then, it applies to those who are exposed to a far greater loss-not to the loss of temporal concerns, not to the loss of earthly goods, nor a few years' poverty and misery here below, but to the loss of their souls' salvation, and the fearful torment of eternal damnation, where the worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched' (Mark 9:43-4843And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: 44Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. 45And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: 46Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. 47And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire: 48Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. (Mark 9:43‑48)), “Can it be possible that a man can be indifferent, in the face of such a loss and of such a prospect, and that because he is not sure about the moment when eternity will come upon him? What folly And at the same time that you excuse yourself you accuse God. You say, I can do nothing towards it; God must work and give all.' If you come into the awful judgment of God, then, it is His fault, and not yours; for you could not do anything towards it, and He hasn't done it, although He could. Do you think you will dare to excuse yourself in this way before the judgment seat of Christ? Have you a ray of hope to escape the condemnation with your excuses, in the presence of Him whose eyes are as a flame of fire, who will demand a strict account from each, even of every secret thought, word, and work, and to whom none can answer one in a thousand? Surely not. There will it be fully manifested that you wouldn't, and not God, that He is just and you guilty in all, and that you loved the darkness better than the light. There will it be fully manifested that the excuses, with which you sought to still conscience, had a far deeper source than uncertainty as to the hour of your death.
“Yes, it is love to the world, and to your lusts, as well as, even though unperceived, an inward enmity and aversion against God, and all that's godly. You would like to be spared from eternal punishment, and would therefore be in trouble and anxiety when the last hour approaches; yet now, since you believe that your death and the coming of Christ are far off, you seek with an empty excuse to put away all that reminds you of it, until it will be too late. When you say, ' Only God can do it,' you are right; only add thereto, that God has already done everything for the salvation of the sinner. He has given His only begotten and well-beloved Son in the sinner's place; He spared Him not, that He might spare us. Christ died for the sinner, went under judgment for him, glorified God for him, and 'obtained for him an eternal redemption. He offered Himself upon the cross to God, the one sacrifice for sinners, and His precious blood is ever under the eye of God. Now every sinner is invited by God Himself, through faith in the sacrifice of Christ and the blood of reconciliation, to draw nigh and to receive grace. On God's side is no more hindrance, and everyone who comes with sincere confession of his guilt—of what he is, with all his sins—is welcome.
“All is done. God has set forth a mercy-seat in Christ, and now invites lost sinners to believe and receive all freely, and to rejoice in His love. He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life, and does not come into judgment (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)). Is it not now an inexcusable indifference, if, instead of coming and finding an eternal salvation, and enjoying with thankful heart this love of God in Christ Jesus, you answer simply, I can do nothing towards it'? It is nothing more nor less than pushing away this incompatible grace and love, and making God responsible for it. What a heart such a sentiment betrays!”
He was silent, and we separated. Oh, that these words may have brought earnest consideration and led him to Jesus Yet is it 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)), but soon will the fearful day of judgment follow. Reader, "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).)
K. B.