So said a young man, when I asked him how long he had known the Lord. And I am afraid he is by no means the only one who would give a similar answer to the same question.
It is indeed a great privilege to be brought up under Christian influence, with the word of God before the eyes. Such persons are thereby kept from much open wickedness and many snares of Satan, to which others are often exposed. But be it known there is something more needed. The Lord once told a respectable religious teacher, "Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
There must be a time in our life's history when we "pass from death unto life." We are found in this world in a state of spiritual death; but God has made known His love towards us, "because He sent His only begotten Son into the world that we might live through Him." Through His death we may have life. He was "lifted up" on the cross, and the scripture saith, "Whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
It is by no means enough to bear a Christian name without having living faith in Christ: it would be simply a mask which must be removed in a day near at hand.
Then again there is the question of sins; for however moral and religious the life may have been, yet God brings all up on one common platform, and declares that "all have sinned and come short of His glory." Had we to stand on our own ground before God about our sins, He, being righteous, must send us to the lake of fire as our punishment.
But He is love as well as light, and has proved it by sending His own Son to be the propitiation for our sins. The Son of God was the only One Who could become such a sacrifice as would satisfy the justice of God about sin. This He has done, praise His Name; and as a result God now sends the good news of a free pardon to every creature under heaven.
His only conditions are, that there be repentance toward Himself and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. This is a matter no pretending priest can settle for us; it must be real work of conscience between ourselves and God.
Dear reader, are you one who has felt the guilt of sins, and in true repentance acknowledged them before God, trusting His Son as the only One to meet your need? To such God is saying, "Your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake." And such are entitled to say, "in whom [Christ Jesus] we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins."
Let no one think it is enough to be brought up among Christians; to become a minister of a church or chapel, or a Sunday school teacher; or to partake of the Lord's Supper, or whatever else might be added; for none of these things bring us into God's family. It is like the foolish virgins who took their lamps, but no oil. They had to prove their folly—when it was too late. All such will find they have been like the man at the wedding feast without a "wedding garment." The father had "the best robe" ready to put on the poor returning prodigal, when he owned his guilt; so God has a robe wherein to clothe every returning sinner, and that robe is Christ Himself.