Several years ago in a large mid-western city in the United States, a Christian lawyer received a telephone call from a client who had been charged with a very serious crime. The client was insisting that something unlawful be done in his upcoming trial. The attorney was upset even with the suggestion, and he refused to continue counseling in the case if the client insisted on the plan. Finally, when he realized that nothing could make the attorney change his mind, the client became quite angry.
He shouted, “I will get a different attorney, and I will do it my way and I will beat the charge.”
The attorney warned him, “You will never get away with it—never!”
But the client shouted back, “I’ll bet my life against yours that I will!”
What a solemn thing to say! The attorney was shocked and concerned for the soul of that man. He told his client, “My life is not mine to gale—it belongs to Christ.”
With that the client became very angry and quickly replied, “My life belongs to the Devil.”
The attorney answered, “You had better change masters quickly—bore it is forever too late.” But the client just laughed and hung up.
Men often make light of their Creator, and completely ignore His rightful claims upon them and their lives. But to boldly defy God is a fearful thing to do. Though this is the day of grace, God does not permit men to do everything they choose. This man was planning to lie during his upcoming trial, and he even boasted of belonging to the Devil! The Bible says, “Be not deceived; God is not mocked.” Galatians 6:77Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. (Galatians 6:7). And, “Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker.” Isaiah 45:99Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou? or thy work, He hath no hands? (Isaiah 45:9).
That lawyer never heard from his client after that telephone call. But God did not give that man the opportunity to carry out his boast. Within thirty days of that telephone conversation the attorney read in the daily newspaper the obituary of his former client. He had died very suddenly of a heart attack—at the age of forty-six. “How dieth the wise man? as the fool.” Ecclesiastes 2:1616For there is no remembrance of the wise more than of the fool for ever; seeing that which now is in the days to come shall all be forgotten. And how dieth the wise man? as the fool. (Ecclesiastes 2:16).
When the client said that his life belonged to the Devil, he was correct. Such is the situation of everyone who has not accepted God’s offer of salvation through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Do not continue a moment longer as a slave of Satan: your eternity depends upon your acceptance or rejection of Jesus Christ. “Because there is wrath, beware lest He take thee away with His stroke: then a great ransom cannot deliver thee.” Job 36:1818Because there is wrath, beware lest he take thee away with his stroke: then a great ransom cannot deliver thee. (Job 36:18).
ML-06/29/1980