I was in a railway train recently, taking a short journey. There were only six of us in the coach I felt in my pocket for some gospel tracts, and found that I had just four. These I handed to my fellow passengers, and then settled down to read a little book.
A man was sitting opposite me. He had received very courteously one of the tracts. Taking out his gold pencil case, he read down a few lines. Coming to the word "Satan," he marked a dash under it, and wrote in the margin, "I don't believe in a devil." He then handed the tract back to me.
I said nothing; but took a piece of India rubber from my pocket and erased his writing. Then I put the tract back into my pocket and continued my reading.
This was too much for the gentleman! He leaped up, exclaiming with a loud voice, "I don't believe there is any devil." He poured out torrents of abuse against those who believed in an evil spirit. "Sir," he cried, "I challenge you before these people”(who looked upon him with astonishment), "I challenge you to prove that there is a devil. Where would you begin?”
"Nothing is easier, sir," I said, looking up from my book; "nothing easier. I begin with you. From your passionate language, ungentlemanly and unchristian conduct, you prove that you are energized by a living, personal devil.”
"Well, well, I was rather hot," said my opponent. He sat down but continued his abuse of the idea of an evil spirit.
"If there is no devil, what stirs you up to be so angry?" I said.
"That is the evil principle in me. You cannot prove that there is any other devil.”
Drawing my Bible out of my pocket, I said: "Now, sir, if you please, take that Book into your hand.”
He was constrained unwillingly to do so, and I continued: "With that Bible in your hand I demand of you: Do you believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God?”
"I do; most certainly I do.”
"Do you believe that Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of the eternal God?”
"No, I don't," he replied, emphatically. "Show me where it says so.”
I then pointed him to some passages in the Word of God.
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. All things were made by Him; and without Him was not anything made that was made. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us." John 1:1, 3, 141In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (John 1:1)
3All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. (John 1:3)
14And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. (John 1:14). "Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am." John 8:5858Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am. (John 8:58).
"Then saith He (Jesus) to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold My hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into My side; and be not faithless, but believing. And Thomas answered and said unto Him, My Lord and my God." John 20:27, 2827Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. 28And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. (John 20:27‑28).
"And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory."
And then I added: "I see that you, sir, are a Unitarian. Thus you cut yourself off from the only hope of being saved, through Jesus and His blood. Tell me, what sort of person is your Jesus?”
"The most lovely of men," he replied.
"Oh no, sir; your Jesus, according to your own belief, is either a sinner or is false; my Jesus, the eternal Son of the eternal God, is the `chiefest among ten thousand, the altogether lovely.' "Turning to the fourth chapter of Matthew, I read," 'Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.' Was that an evil spirit within Him, or the veritable person of the evil one?”
For a moment the unhappy opposers mouth was shut. I continued: "You have no blood in your religion! You hate the blood, sir; you hate the atoning blood.”
"I thank God that I have not a drop of blood in my religion. I do hate it," he answered.
"Yes, I know that you denied the blessed Person and work of the Son of God. But listen to what God says about the blood.
" The BLOOD shall be to you for a token;... and when I see the BLOOD, I will pass over you.'
“’He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the BLOOD of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?'" Heb. 10:28, 2928He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: 29Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? (Hebrews 10:28‑29).
The train stopped, and I had to leave. Will we meet again in His holy presence whose Person and work alone avail for the present and everlasting salvation of any and every poor believing sinner?