A CHRISTIAN MAN went to see another young man who was ill and dying. The sick man had often thought he should take God’s offer of salvation but had just as often rejected it. Now his Christian visitor asked what his hope was for eternity, so soon to dawn upon him.
“I’m too bad to be saved now,” he answered, “so I will just take my chance with the rest.”
Before replying, the Christian lifted up his heart in silent prayer to God, asking that he might know what to say. Then he asked, “Whom did Jesus come to save?”
“Sinners,” was the ready response. “Are you a sinner?”
“Ah! I am a sinner of the deepest dye. But,” he added, “I know all you are going to say to me about salvation. It is of no use. Christ, by the Holy Spirit, strove with me over and over again. But I rejected Him once too often. Just once too often.
“I might have been saved,” he went on, “I might have been saved. But I don’t blame God that I’m not saved. God is a loving God and He is a just God. I might have been saved, but now, but now....”
These were the last words he spoke. He lapsed into unconsciousness and after lying in that condition for several days, he passed away.
Oh, reader, take warning. Do not trifle with God’s warnings about coming judgment. Reject Christ once more and it may be once too often! Take Christ as your Saviour now and be safe for all eternity.
“They that were ready went in with him...: and the door was shut. Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But He answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. Watch therefore; for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.” Matthew 25:10-1310And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. 11Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. 12But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. 13Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh. (Matthew 25:10‑13).
ML-03/29/1964