NOTHING to lose but everything to gain. Such were the words which fell on my ears in passing a lady and gentleman in earnest conversation. What had been said previously, or said after, I know not; but from what I saw and heard (and I trust my judgment was correct), the lady was seeking to press upon the young man his need of Christ and His salvation. But be that as it may, it is of that I would now desire to have a few words with you, dear reader.
Have you ever seriously considered your position and your future prospect, if you should be called suddenly to leave this scene? Have you made preparation for Eternity? Do not turn away or evade the question, it is of the greatest importance that you should give such a matter your whole-hearted and undivided attention. You have everything to gain and nothing to lose thereby. How many after accepting the salvation of God have had to regret that they had put it off so long. Indeed we cannot make our choice too soon. “Now is the accepted time.” Have you ever thought how soon that point of time passes from you? Even while it is upon your lips it is gone, and the day that was now is the yesterday of the past beyond recall. But still God’s loving invitation abides, waiting over you in patient love and grace, pleading, beseeching, imploring you to come and accept freely without money and without price, that wonderful and glorious salvation. In accepting such a gift, you will find eternal life, you have nothing to lose but everything to gain. You have got nothing to do, you have nothing to pay, Christ Himself has done all the mighty work for your everlasting salvation, and Christ Himself has paid all the ransom price by which He has procured eternal redemption.
One of the martyrs in the days of Queen Mary wrote, and how true are the words! — “He (Christ) has made all, bought all, and dearly paid for all. With His own immaculate body He discharged your bodies from sin, death, and hell, and with His most precious blood paid your ransom price once and for all. He was indeed and is very God and very man in One person. All depends on this; the death of the cross would he nothing without it, as all would be nothing without that death.”
Hallelujah, what a Saviour! And it is through that finished work, the perfect work of His own dear Son, that God now offers to thee, dear reader, His free gift, eternal life. A. E.