WHEN preaching the Word of God some years since in the town of B―, in Devonshire, I was urgently requested by a Christian lady to visit a young man, evidently dying, but, she feared, not yet converted. The time at my disposal only permitted a visit just before a gospel meeting, on the afternoon of the Lord’s Day, and, the hour having been fixed, the young man was awaiting my arrival, it having been arranged that I should see him alone. He had been some months ill, and often confined to bed; but when I knocked at the door of the clean, and exquisitely tidy little house in which he lived, he himself opened it, and bade me welcome.
One glance at the pallid face, with its sunken, yet bright, unnaturally bright, eye, the heaving nostril, and high cheek-bone, combined with the emaciation that had left him little more than skin and bones, told me that his time was short, and that ere long he would be hurried into eternity by the ruthless ravages of consumption. He told me his history, the date of his illness, the illusive hopes of recovery, the failure of all treatment, the wasting of his strength, &c.; but that, hearing I was a doctor, he thought he would like to know my opinion of his case. It was needless, but I examined his chest, only to find evidences of the most extensive lung-destruction compatible with life.
When I had done, he said very quietly, “Well, sir, what do you think of my case?”
“Has not your own medical man told you?” I replied.
“No, sir; I could never get any one to tell me my true state, but I want very much to know.”
I could only reply to him, “You are very ill, my dear fellow.”
“Do you think I shall get better, sir?”
“I cannot hold out any hopes of recovery,” I gently rejoined.
“But do you think I am near death?”
“It is quite impossible,” I replied, “for me to say positively, but I fear you cannot last very long.”
“Thank you, sir, for telling me so plainly,” was his immediate reply, while I noticed that he was quite unmoved or startled; “I always thought it was so, but I could get no one to tell me the truth.”
His queries were all over, and now I felt my turn had come, so I passed on with, “You do not seem to be at all distressed by my opinion of your approaching end; may I ask, Are you prepared to die?”
“Oh, yes, thank you, sir; my mind is quite made up on that point.”
“That is very nice,” I said; “and what is the ground of your confidence?”
“Oh, I have thought a good deal on these things, and when I was able, of course, I went to church, and I have read my Bible, and prayed; and I am all right, thank you, sir.”
“All that you have spoken of is very good in its way,” I rejoined, “but still it will not avail before God. You have need, as a sinner, to be washed in the precious blood of Christ. Do you think you have known the blessedness of that yet?”
“Thank you, sir,” he politely replied; “I think I’m all right on that score, and I’m not afraid to die.” “But have you been converted?” I persisted.
“Oh, I’m all right, sir.”
“Then you are quite sure you ARE saved?” I replied.
“Thank you very much, sir, for your interest in my soul’s welfare, but I think I may say, I’m all right;” and again the glib “all right” fell from his lips. But the more he strove to persuade me he was “all right,” the more deep became the conviction in my mind that he was all wrong, as the issue will show, for in all his replies you will notice there was not one word about Jesus, and the soul that is not “right” about Him is all wrong, depend upon it.
My time was gone, and I had to leave, feeling that, like a skillful swordsman, he had effectually parried every one of my thrusts, and it was with real sadness I now, on rising, took his hand and bade him good-bye. Again he thanked me for my visit; so, still holding his hand, I said, “I never expect to see you again on earth, shall I see you in heaven?”
“I hope so,” was the faltering reply.
“Well,” I answered, “I am sure, through grace, I shall be there, because of that which the Lord Jesus has done for me; why then are you saying, ‘I hope’? If you know Him, you may be certain of it, even as I am.”
He made no reply; so, looking him full in the face, I said, “I have but one more question to ask, will you answer it?”
“I will if I can, sir.”
“Tell me, then, do you know the Lord?”
“I―I beg pardon, sir, I don’t quite understand you.”
“You don’t understand my question?”
“No, sir, I don’t quite know what you mean.”
“Oh,” I replied, “I mean, do you really, truly know the Lord Jesus?”
Again he replied that he did not comprehend my query.
“Why, it is very simple,” I added; “I will explain myself, however. It is one thing to know about, or of a person, and another thing to know that person, is it not?”
“Quite so,” was his answer.
“For instance,” I went on, “Miss M― (naming the lady who brought us together) told you about me, and told me about you; thus we each knew of each other, but could not say we knew each other.”
“Certainly not, sir.”
“But now, having met, seen, and conversed with each other, if any one asked you tomorrow if you knew me, what would you say?”
“I should, of course, say that I knew you,” was the firm reply.
“Well, then, my dear friend, that is what I meant by my question, for it is the most real thing possible to meet, by faith to see; and to converse with the Lord Jesus Christ. This only is eternal life, as He Himself said, ‘And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent’ (John 17:33And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. (John 17:3)). And now I ask again, DO YOU KNOW THE LORD?”
He paused a moment, and then, with evident perturbation of spirit, rejoined, “I cannot reply to that question, sir, but I promise you I will think of it.”
“Farewell,” I cried, as I wrung his hand and hurried off to the meeting, lifting my heart to God that this last query might be an arrow of conviction as to his true state, for to me it was clear he was unsaved, and knew it not, standing on the verge of a Christless eternity; for if Christ be not known here, how can one know Him there?
I saw him no more. Three weeks after my visit he died, and soon afterward I received, through Miss M―, the message he sent from his deathbed to me. It was to the effect that my last question, “Do you know the Lord?” had gone like an arrow to his heart. He weighed it in the solemn silence of the night, and found he did not know Him. He knew many things about Him, but Jesus, the Lord Himself, he did not know. Terrible was the discovery. The foundations of his peace and rest were all broken up. He saw he had been resting on self, on what he himself had been doing for salvation. This discovery was followed by ten days of deep anxiety, as he realized his ruined, lost state. Then the Lord had revealed Himself to his troubled heart. He trusted Jesus simply. He could now say he knew Him, not merely knew of Him. Another ten days of peace and joy in Christ followed, and then he passed away to be forever with the Lord, giving a bright testimony for Jesus and His finished work, as the sole resting-place of his soul, ere he departed.
And now, dear reader, “DO YOU KNOW THE LORD?” It will be an easy matter for you to give a decided answer on the spot, for you will fully comprehend its import. Oh, how much hangs on the reply! Heaven or hell, and that for eternity. If, like Paul, you can say, “I know whom I have believed” (2 Tim. 1:1212For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day. (2 Timothy 1:12)), happy is your case. Forgiven, cleansed, washed, justified, a child of God, a joint-heir with Christ, you stand now at peace with God, in all the favor of. His love, just waiting for translation to that scene of brightest glory into which Jesus will usher you when He comes to gather up “his own” to be forever with Himself. But if, alas, like Pharaoh, you have to reply, “I know not the Lord” (Exod. v. 2), terrible is your case. Uncleansed, unforgiven, unwashed, guilty, Christless, LOST! you stand in a position of imminent danger, for the Word of God hath declared, “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him” (John 3:3636He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. (John 3:36)). Lose no time, I beseech thee, in coming to the Lord. Oh, list the word that says, “Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace; thereby good shall come unto thee” (Job 22:2121Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee. (Job 22:21)). You can never have peace till you acquaint yourself with God. Fear not to cast yourself upon Him, He is “the God of peace.” Doubtless you know much about Him, and, belike, in this you have rested until now. My friend, this is not eternal life. To know Him alone is that. Eternal life it is thou needest; this He gives to all who will take it from His hands by faith in Jesus, His beloved Son. “The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Rom. 6:2323For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23)). Be simple, cast away all thought of self, good or bad; come straight to God through faith in Jesus, taste His grace, believe His love, receive His gift, eternal life; know Himself, and henceforth let thy whole life be a witness for that blessed God, who “so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish; but have everlasting life” (John 3:1616For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)).
“How happy the man whose heart is set free,
The people, O God, that are joyful in Thee!
Their joy is to walk in the light of Thy face,
Forever to talk of Thy mercy and grace.”
W. T. P. W.