HAVING learned of Mrs. N—'s illness, and fearing it might terminate fatally, I made haste to call upon her, for I had my misgivings as to her being prepared to die.
I tried to impress upon her the importance of being prepared to meet God, whether her life in this world promised to be long or short. She made answer that she had always taken comfort in the thought that she had never done anyone any harm, and seemed to think that her blameless life would commend her to God.
I told her I was glad to hear she had harmed no one, as men speak, and I did not question her statement in the least, but that she must not depend upon this to save her, or even help to save her.
I tried to show her that according to the Scriptures salvation was not to be obtained through any merits of our own, and sought to warn her as faithfully as I could against resting on so flimsy a foundation.
I tried to awaken within her a sense of her need, and to show her that we were all sinners in the sight of God, and if we were ever saved at all, it must be by some means outside ourselves, and that means were Christ and faith in His blood shed upon the cross.
I besought her to own herself a sinner, and to accept the Lord Jesus Christ as her Savior. She seemed somewhat interested, and I left her with the hope and prayer, that the seed sown would bring forth fruit in her soul.
I visited her once more at her home, and again after she had been removed to the hospital, but there was little response to my words, as I again warned her of the importance of being ready. Her mind seemed to be engrossed with the thought of getting well I was hindered from giving her any further attention, when two weeks later I heard of her sudden death.
The news came to me as a great shock. It seemed so terrible for one to be ushered into the presence of God with nothing more to her credit than that she had "never done any harm." She passed away in the hospital with no loved one near, and so far as I know, no change in her spiritual attitude. Eternity alone will reveal whether or not the truth she had heard took any effect in the last days or hours of her life.
How futile is this plan of seeking to make ourselves pleasing to God by our own good works, and yet it is one of the most common of errors, and is taught even to little children. If you are good you will go to heaven, and if you are bad you will be lost, is often put before the youthful mind. Oh! what a travesty of truth is this! It is far from being the language of the Scripture—it is diametically opposed to it.
We learn there that it is "not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us" (Titus 3-5). "But to him that worketh not, but believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness" (Rom. 4:5, 65But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. 6Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, (Romans 4:5‑6)). "By grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God; not of works, lest any man should boast." (Eph. 2:8-98For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9Not of works, lest any man should boast. (Ephesians 2:8‑9)).
In conclusion I would ask—upon what are you resting for your soul's salvation? This is a most vital question, for in it is involved your eternal gain, or your eternal loss. Do not be deceived, and plume yourself on the merits of a blameless life, which from a human standpoint is most commendable, but God cannot accept it as payment for salvation, either wholly or in part.
It is with Him you have to do, and He sees the inmost heart. If you are resting upon anything apart from Christ, you will share the fate of the man who built his house upon the sand. When the storm came his house fell, its foundations were insecure, so the flood of God's judgment will come and sweep away every foundation but that of Christ and His finished work. But if you build upon Christ and faith in His finished work, it will be as a solid rock, that will endure to all eternity. Oh! be wise in time—wake up from your self-satisfied lethargy and flee to Christ.
He is pleading for you to come, He is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to Him and be saved.
Dear reader, turn away from all else, and come to Him now.
Can we, who believe on Christ, not say:—
“It is the voice of Jesus that I hear,
His are the hands outstretched to draw me near,
And Ills the blood that can for all atone,
And set me faultless there before His throne.
Naught can I bring Thee, Lord, for all I owe,
Yet let my full heart what it can bestow;
Myself my gift, let my devotion prove,
Forgiven greatly, how I greatly love.”
A. A GOFFIN.