The first and most important question with all who have reached the period of responsibility, is surely the salvation of the soul. Compared with this, all other questions sink into utter insignificance.
“For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” Mark 8:36, 37.
One human soul, according to the Lord’s estimate, is of more value in His sight than the whole world; and were we to look at things from His point of view, our estimate would be the same. He gives us heaven’s estimate of such things. The one is matter, the other is spirit; the one will pass away as if it had never been—the earth, with all its precious metals, and the works that are therein, shall be burned up; the other will survive the wreck of all matter, the dissolution of all earthly things, and live on, and on, through all changes, either in happiness or misery, forever and ever. The soul being immortal, must surpass in value the whole material universe.
Were Christian parents sufficiently alive to this solemn fact, they would make the conversion of their children in their early years, the first object in their instruction and training. God only, we know, can plant the impulse of divine life in the child of nature, but that should not make us careless or indifferent to the need and importance of the new birth. Rather, it should make us more dependent upon God, and more diligent in pleading His needed grace.
The main point here is, have we fully realized the importance of the soul’s salvation, as far above and beyond all other considerations? If so, the heart will find relief in constantly pouring out its deep and uppermost desires to our God and Father. The bare thought crossing the mind of such a one being lost will quicken our zeal into a burning flame. And, if the heart be rightly balanced as to this question, the means will be used with an earnestness as if all depends on them; and yet, all the while, cherishing the deepest convictions that, without the operations of God’s Holy Spirit, there will be no results. But there will be deep reality and burning earnestness everywhere—before God in prayer, and before the children in a living example of the spirit of Christ, and with suitable care to win the heart for Him.
There is no reason why Christian parents should not reckon upon God for the conversion of their children before they leave the family roof for schools or trades.
It is the happy privilege of every Christian parent to lay hold of the precious promise, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.” Acts 16:31.
If love for souls is the best gift of the evangelist there is no better preparation for the work than this deep heart exercise about those we love, especially our own children. Whatever the special gift may be in the speaker, there will be earnest pleading, even to agony, and appeals which must be felt to come from the heart, even though the hearse remain unconverted.
The Lord is holding everything in His own hand, and waiting His time, but He is thereby deepening in the soul of His servant the sense of the great reality of these things. Only, the pleading one must take care that his faith fail not; that he holds fast by the truth of God, and that he calmly counts on Him who will surely satisfy the desires He has created. We may have no direct promise to plead, but we can always say, “He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” Romans 8:32. God will never disown the faith that trusts in Him as He has revealed Himself in the Person and work of His beloved Son.
It is also of unspeakable importance, when the soul is converted, to have the whole question of salvation fully settled. This is often left with a measure of uncertainty, or with nothing more than a hope that it is so, though sometimes accompanied with a fear that it may not be so after all. As long as this is the case, the young believer will be occupied with himself, and can make no progress in the divine life. This, alas! is the state of many; and even where there is a measure of certainty of salvation, it is often with so little intelligence, that the soul is not perfectly free and happy.
The first question, then, to be settled is, the absolute certainty of salvation, according to the full efficacy of the work of Christ, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, as the seal of that work.
“In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise.” Ephesians 1:13. Here we have the divine process. The gospel of salvation is heard, Christ is trusted, the full truth is believed, and the soul is sealed with the Holy Spirit.
(To be continued.)