A Christian worker was asked to visit an old man who was very ill, and to speak to him about his soul. He was well received by the sick man who listened patiently and attentively to what he had to say. In the end he acknowledged the love of God toward him and received Christ as his Savior.
While the newly-converted sick man and his visitor were rejoicing together, the wife, full of her own righteousness, broke into the conversation.
"You talk about 'after death the judgment.' I have no idea of going to that place of destruction. I have always lived a good life, and I have believed in Jesus ever since I was a child. What more could I do? I believe if people do the best they can, they will go to heaven. That's always been my creed; it's what I have been taught, and what I shall stick to. Indeed, my curate says, and I believe him:
`Man's ingress to this world is naked and bare;
His progress through this world is trouble and care;
His egress from the world is—nobody knows where;
If you do well here, you will do well there;
I can tell you no more if I preach for a year!"
Instead of arguing with the poor old formalist, the visitor read God's description of man in his natural state, as set forth in Romans 3. She would not, however, believe it. "Why," she exclaimed, "I have listened to bishops, and canons, and deans, and ministers of all sorts, and to some of the most celebrated preachers of this time, and I never heard any speak like you. Numbers of good and learned men have approved of my curate's verse, and you are the first I ever heard find fault with it."
And yet, after all, the theology of the curate's rhyme is widely believed by multitudes of professors of religion. One could not well find fault with the first lines, and we would not dispute the correctness of the last one, "I can tell you no more if I preach for a year." The curate was evidently a "stranger to grace and to God," and was utterly ignorant of the gospel of God's grace.
"Man's egress from the world is, nobody knows where." What a contradiction to the words of Scripture! "The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God." Psa. 9:1717The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God. (Psalm 9:17).
"The rich man also died, and was buried; and in, hell he lifted up his eyes, being in torments." Luke 16:22, 2322And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; 23And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. (Luke 16:22‑23).
Of those who have accepted Christ as their Savior, we read: "To depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better." Phil. 1:2323For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: (Philippians 1:23). Thus Scripture reveals the eternal destiny of the saved and the lost—the converted and unconverted.
The fourth line reveals man's way of salvation as opposed to God's: "If you do well here, you will do well there." Scripture shows that the "whole world" is "guilty" before God. "If you do well here!" Who has done this? "There is none righteous, no, not one." Rom. 3:1010As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: (Romans 3:10).
Men talk about doing their duty, and assert like the old woman, that "if people do the best they can, they will go to heaven"; but who has done his "best"? "Whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is GUILTY OF ALL." Jas. 2:1010For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. (James 2:10).
Friend, it is not a question of how many times you have broken the law of God, but have you broken it at all? All have done so, and you among the rest; and if salvation is only to be had by our doings, no one can be saved. God has declared that men are saved by grace through faith; "not of works, lest any man should boast." Eph. 2:8, 98For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9Not of works, lest any man should boast. (Ephesians 2:8‑9).
"Your fairest pretensions must wholly be waived,
Your best resolutions be crossed:
Nor can you expect to be perfectly saved,
Till you find yourself utterly lost."