I HAVE traveled considerably on both sides of the Atlantic, but I never met a man who wished to go to the lake of fire, there to endure the “eternal judgment” of God. All hoped to be saved some day, and to escape that dreadful doom.
There is a story told of a young man coming to a good old professor of a college (a Christian), and asking him how long before death he thought a man ought to be ready for it. The professor’s answer was, “A few minutes.” The youth, glad of this reply, determined to have his fling, sow his wild oats, see life in all its aspects, and then, a few moments before death should close his selfish career, ask God to have mercy upon him!
“But,” asked the professor, “when are you going to die?” The youth replied, “I cannot tell.” “Then,” said the dear old man, “GET READY NOW, for you may only have a few moments to live.”
There are many persons who would like to be saved, but they say they are waiting God’s time. Surely God knows the best and proper time for a man to be saved, and He says it is NOW.
There is no promise in God’s word that a man shall be saved next week, month, or year, or when he comes to a deathbed, or at the eleventh hour, as some people foolishly and unscripturally say.
God pledges His word to save a man when he believes on the Lord Jesus Christ; not when he says he believes, but when he does believe. His word is, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.” (Acts 16:3131And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. (Acts 16:31).)
“The time is short,” eternity is near, the dark clouds of judgment are gathering and are about to burst upon a Christless, guilty world, in all their crushing and grinding power. But ere this takes place, the word of God rings clearly out: “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”
There is a verse in Isaiah 50:18 which is unequaled in Scripture for tender graciousness. “Come Now, and let us reason together, saith, the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” God’s word is “COME;” but He says when you are to come; it is “Now.” And He says how you are to come; it is “JUST AS YOU ARE.” And then He concludes the magnificent verse with the promise of cleansing you from all your sins, and making you like His Son. (Daniel 7:99I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. (Daniel 7:9); Rev. 1:1414His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; (Revelation 1:14).)
There is another strikingly earnest verse in Job 22:2121Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee. (Job 22:21), which says, “Acquaint NOW thyself with Him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee.” Again the word “Now” confronts us, and tells us, that THIS IS THE MOMENT to make the acquaintance of God by Christ Jesus, to be at peace with God through Christ, having made peace for us with His precious blood, and that then and thus good shall come to us in Christ Jesus.
The invitation of Jesus is, “Come; for all things are NOW ready.” (Luke 14:1717And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready. (Luke 14:17).) There is nothing left for the poor, helpless sinner to do in the matter of the soul’s salvation but to believe. Christ did all that the glory of God required to be done on the cross, and then said, “It is finished;” and lie is in glory today as the proof that it is finished, and that God is satisfied, and can now make known to you by the Holy Ghost through the Scriptures His present salvation for all lost sinners.
A touching story is told of a miner who attended a gospel meeting in Cornwall. At the close of the meeting he remained for some personal conversation with the preacher. The miner, though anxious to be saved, was anxious to put it off to a future time; but God’s word being quoted to him, “Behold, NOW is the accepted time; behold, NOW is the day of salvation,” he bowed to God’s word and time, and accepted salvation from God as His gift to faith, and went home praising Him for it.
Early in the morning he went to his work in the mine, but he had not been long at his work when a large portion of the roof fell in and buried him. Loving hearts and willing bands soon removed the rubbish, and brought him to the mine’s mouth, when his lips were seen moving. An ear was bent to catch the dying man’s last words, which were, “THANK GOD I WAS SAVED LAST NIGHT.” He accepted the “present salvation” of God, and in less than twelve hours after he was absent from the body, and present with the Lord.
Dear reader, do thou “Take salvation, Take it now and happy be.”
The devil tempts people to put off the salvation of the soul until tomorrow; but tomorrow is too late, for tomorrow is death, the grave, the lake of fire, the eternal wail of a damned soul. God would not say “now” so frequently in His word if He did not mean it, or if there was not awful danger in delaying, or if tomorrow would do. It may be now or never with you. God grant that it may be now.
“Salvation now, this moment;
You may not see tomorrow,
Then why, oh, why delay?
Now is salvation’s day.”