IN the autumn of 1885 G. A. S. and two of his companions were walking in one of the London parks, when their attention was arrested by a crowd of people gathered round a professed infidel, who was trying to prove that the Bible was not the Word of God, and that things stated therein were not true. Having drawn near to listen, they became much aroused by what they heard, and earnestly discussed it together as they walked home. Just as they turned away, a book was put into their hands, which was written to endeavor to prove that there is no such place as hell.
This so wrought upon G. A. S. that he could not rest until he had searched the Scriptures for himself, and finding it to be a solemn reality, revealed by God, he became intensely miserable. The Spirit of God had overruled the infidel’s folly, to awaken a poor perishing sinner to the awful danger in which he stood with death, judgment, and the lake of fire before him. What had hitherto been looked at in a vague way as an uncertain and distant future, now became a solemn and dreaded reality. God had spoken to his soul, and made foolish the natural wisdom of the poor devil-duped and blinded infidel. The Word of God― God, who cannot lie, ―told him there is a hell, the abode of everlasting woe; and of all who go there, that their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched (Jude 7,137Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. (Jude 7)
13Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever. (Jude 13); Mark 9:44, 46, 4844Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. (Mark 9:44)
46Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. (Mark 9:46)
48Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. (Mark 9:48)).
G. A. S. continued in a state of deep exercise of soul for about a fortnight, his sins weighing upon his conscience, and their fearful and eternal consequences staring him in the face, when he took a severe cold, and was obliged to leave his employment and go home to be nursed. Laid aside thus from the busy scenes of this life, he was brought to see the vanity of his own efforts to meet the claims of God’s holiness, and obtain the pardon of his sins. God presented Christ to his soul as the Saviour of sinners; he believed on Him, and rejoiced in the knowledge of forgiveness. The fear of judgment and hell departed, assurance of salvation took its place, and his soul was happy and free.
Beloved reader, how is it with you? Have you ever been aroused to eternal realities, and learned that if you had your just desert as a sinner guilty and lost, God would shut you out of His blessed and holy presence in hell? If so, we would present Christ to you also as the Saviour you need. He alone can deliver you from that awful doom. “If ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins” (John 8:2424I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins. (John 8:24)). But, “To him give all the prophets witness, that, through his name, whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins” (Acts 10:4343To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins. (Acts 10:43)).
The infidel may delude himself, and seek to persuade you, that there is no such thing as judgment and no such place as hell. But God has said, “It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment” (Heb. 9:2727And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: (Hebrews 9:27)); and, “Whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire” (Rev. 20:1515And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:15)). No infidel ever denied sin’s wages, death; and the same passage of Scripture that tells of this appointment unto men, tells of judgment after. And it is the word of Him who cannot lie, that also tells of the eternal woe of the impenitent (Heb. 9:2727And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: (Hebrews 9:27); Rev. 21:88But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. (Revelation 21:8)).
But how blessed to know that God has no pleasure in the death of the sinner; that judgment is His strange work; and that the desire of His heart is that all should be saved, and come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Tim. 2:44Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. (1 Timothy 2:4)). This was the object of the gift of Christ; His death upon the cross is the fruit of God’s wondrous love. “For 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 3:1616For 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)). The infidel may deny the whole thing; it in no way alters the truth of it. You may try to escape the consequences of sin by fleshly efforts to please God; but all is utterly vain. None but Christ can save you from hell, and none but Christ can save you for glory. God’s word is, that “whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” It is very simple. Will you be simple about it, and take Him at His word? Christ is the Saviour; His work meets the sinner’s need. Unsaved one, you are the sinner that needs salvation. Now is the time to be saved. Tomorrow may be too late. Believe in Him is the way to be saved. And if you believe in Him you are.
How much wiser the infidel would be if, instead of exposing his folly by vainly trying to overthrow and escape facts, he would accept God’s provision in grace, and escape the fruits of sin in God’s own way. What folly for a prisoner, who is offered freedom, to vainly endeavor to persuade himself that there are no judge, no prison, no fetters, no punishment! How true is the Word of God, that the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness, but unto us which are saved, it is the power of God (1 Cor. 1:1818For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. (1 Corinthians 1:18)). E. H. C.