Getting into the train one evening on my way home from a meeting, a young man accosted me, making some remark about the unusually mild winter we were experiencing.
Gathering from this that the Lord might have me respond, by speaking to him of matters of eternal importance, I was soon led to say that the great thing for any of us was to be all right for the next world while we were journeying on through this; to be ready to leave this at any moment we might be called away; and as this life was uncertain, how important it was to see to it at once.
He acknowledged the force of this, and seemed very open to hear more, saying he would try to be ready.
We were on our way to L. which he hoped to reach very soon.
“Now,” I answered, “if you have to be in L. by such a time, would all your trying ever get you there?”
“No,” he replied.
“Well, then, how do you get to L.?”
“By the train,” said he.
“And what did you do?”
“I got into it, and sat down, trusting it to take me there,” was the substance of his reply.
“And what readiness did you require?”
“I got in, just as I am.”
“Well, now,” I said, “listen to me. You want to get to heaven when you leave this world. Christ is like the train; He can take you there, and He is the only One who can. You are welcome to Him, just as you are, only trust Him; salvation is by ‘faith that is in Him’ (Acts 26:18). Your trying will not help you or fit you—
‘No hard works He bids thee do;
All the fitness He requireth,
Is to feel your need of Him.’
And why? Because He did all the necessary work once for all; finishing it upon the cross, and dying there for our sins (1 Cor. 15:3). Rising again from the dead, He has thrown open the door wide to all. And, just as you entered the train, Christ stands and says, ‘I am the door: by Me if any man enter in, he shall be saved.’
“Now,” I added, “do you hope you are in the train?”
“No,” he replied, “I know I am.”
“And,” I answered, “I know I am in Christ, and so may you. Only trust Him, as simply as you do the train, and without delay.”
“Well,” he still answered again, but earnestly, “I will try.”
“That will not do,” I said.
“Well,” he said, “I do hope to be right.”
“That will not do.”
“Well,” said he, “what is it then?”
The answer was, “Believe in Christ, only believe.”
“Well,” he replied, “I will believe, I will believe;” and he shook my hand warmly.
My parting word was, “Then, do believe in Him.”
God knows whether this was a decisive moment for that young man. He said,
“I wish you were going further with me.”
However, dear reader, think over this little incident. May it lead you to take your place before God, just as you are, trusting Christ, the only way to heaven, to find out the efficacy of His shed blood as that which cleanseth you from all sin. He says, “I am the way;” “I am the door.” Do enter in; only believe,