Among my early acquaintances in my Christian course was a young man, who was very zealous for the honor of God upon earth, and also for the salvation of souls. But after a time, the interest of a young family, and his success in the world as a man of business, gradually drew his attention from eternal things to the cares of this life: and often, when those with whom he usually met in Christian fellowship were assembled together for worship, and speaking to each other of the things of God, he was to be found at home with his ledger, attending to his accounts, and arranging what must be done on the morrow.
This went on for several years, not, however without many warnings from the Lord, and admonitions from his brethren, till he was nearly forty years of age, when consumption set in, and gradually he was reduced to almost a skeleton. Still his business absorbed his attention as long as he was able to be about. But the time came when he was laid aside entirely, and then he saw his sin and folly; and more than once when I have been with him in his last hours he has spoken to me in language as follows:”O, how unwise and wicked I have been to do as I have done, to neglect the things of God for the cares of this life, and to prefer what I thought was my duty to my family, to the society and communion of His people. Although my conduct before men has been blameless, yet the last twelve years of my life are lost, quite lost. It would have been better for me had they never been given me, because I have used them for myself, and not for the Lord. I have been careful about my own things, and not the things which are Jesus Christ’s. I shall blush when I see His face (1 John 2:2828And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming. (1 John 2:28)). I shall hold down my head as I go into His presence, for I have deprived Him of the joy He would have had in saying to me, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant;’ For how can He do so, when I have been so unfaithful?”
“I know He has forgiven me, but O, what a loser I have been in my own soul! and I shall also be a greater loser, in that day of glory when the Lord Jesus will give to every one according to his works (Rev. 22:1212And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. (Revelation 22:12)). I shall see others come forward in that happy day and take their crowns of reward, and their positions in the glory, for faithful service done to Him while they were upon earth; but I shall have none to receive, because I have allowed this present world to rob me of them. I shall rejoice to see others receive that which I have forever lost through my unfaithfulness” (Rev. 3:1111Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. (Revelation 3:11); 1 Cor. 3:1515If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. (1 Corinthians 3:15); 2 John 88Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward. (2 John 8)).
“I am thankful that I know I am saved through His death. The blood of Jesus Christ, God’s Son, cleanseth from all sin, and I know I shall form a part of that favored company which will surround His throne in the glory, and join in singing that happy song, saying, `Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof, for Thou wast slain. and hast redeemed us to God by Thy blood, out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation, and hast made us unto our God kings and priests, and we shall reign on the earth.’ But where will be my honors of reward for faithful service done to the Lord in this world?” (John 12:2626If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honor. (John 12:26); 1 Thess. 2:1919For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming? (1 Thessalonians 2:19)). I shall have none; I have lost my crown.
“O, how foolish I have been to make such an exchange, to neglect that which is eternal for the things of this world, which are perishing with the using, and which I must now leave forever.”
“How I have dishonored Him who bought me with His own blood; and made me His forever. How unlike in my walk have I been to the Apostle Paul, who, when speaking of the things which were gain to him, those he counted loss for Christ, and said, ‘Yea, doubtless, and I count all things but loss, for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ.’” (Phil. 3:7-87But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. 8Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, (Philippians 3:7‑8)).
“But how very different to this have I been, and because I have been so unlike him in my walk through life, I am unlike him now in my last moments: When he was about to leave this world, he could say, ‘I have fought the good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith; henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me in that day” (2 Tim. 4:6-86For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. 7I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: 8Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing. (2 Timothy 4:6‑8)).
“But with me it has been just the opposite to this: for instead of my having fought the good fight, I have been gathering of this world’s goods, and seeking to enrich my family, and make myself comfortable and at home in this scene, which has crucified my Lord and Master. And therefore instead of finishing my course with joy, I am cut off in the midst of my days, and am full of sorrow and regret. Neither have I kept the faith, for I have been very unfaithful, and have not obeyed the voice of the Lord Jesus, when He said, ‘If any man serve Me, let him follow Me.’ This I have not done; I have not followed Christ through this world, therefore I know there is no crown of righteousness laid up for me, as there was for Paul. I have not loved His appearing; and the time for service which was given me is past, it is gone forever. The Lord in His great mercy is now taking me away from the earth, because He knows the longer I am left here, the more I shall be taken up with the things of this world, I own His goodness and love, and bow with thankfulness because it is His own hand which is doing it.”
“O, dear Mr.- let my loss be your gain, and let me entreat you to use faithfully every moment of time which is given you in this word and everything you possess, for Christ, and I shall have the delight of seeing you in that day, have an abundant entrance into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. It will please me very much to see you receive from His hands your crown and place of honor in the glory, while I shall take a much lower position, because I have lived to myself and not to Him who died for me and rose again.”
To this I could make no reply, because I knew he had lived to himself; he had attended the meetings of God’s people on the Lord’s day, but in a cold, formal way, with but little enjoyment in his own soul, or help to others; and I was glad to hear him make such a full and beautiful confession before he left the world; and it has not been without its good effect upon my own soul; for when I have felt disposed to absent myself from the meetings of those who love and follow Christ, or to turn aside from the path of separation from the world, I have remembered the lost crown, and it has helped me to break the snare.
But the night in which he died was still more solemn. There were two or three Christians in the room with him, when he asked them why they had put out the light, they told him they had not done so, the candle was burning as usual. He then knew his sight was gone, and therefore his end was very near. Then after lying quiet for a short time, he all of a sudden raised himself up in the bed with great amazement and delight, and lifting up both his hands, said, “O! O! there is something going to take place. The Lord Jesus is just about to leave His Father’s throne, and come in the clouds to call His saints up to meet Him in the air. DON’T SLUMBER, NOR SLEEP.” He then laid himself back on the pillow, and breathed his last.
This is the dying testimony of one who belonged to Christ and it is very solemn, not only as it regards the near approach of the Lord Jesus to gather up His saints to meet Him in the air; but also as to our faithfulness to Him during His absence. It also shows the great desire this dying brother had, that we should not do as he had done, but that we should be watchful and sober; and though I know that this is not the time for revelations, but believing the written Word of God, yet many times since, when I have felt my eyes begin to grow drowsy and myself tired of watching, I have remembered his dying words, and they have helped to quicken my step onwards, to run with patience the race set before me, looking unto Jesus; and surely whatever will help to do this in such days as these is very valuable, when everything around us is so calculated to make us grow weary and faint in our minds, and hide that day of glory from our view; and when so many whom we believe to have eternal life through believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, yet like this young man, are allowing themselves to be deceived by present things, thinking they can make the best of both worlds, as if the Lord Jesus had not been down here, rejected and crucified.
Not that our salvation depends on our doings, but on what the Son of God has done for us, and those who are saved must hate iniquity; it cannot be otherwise. But Scripture tells very plainly that believers are saved by grace, through faith, and that not of themselves, it is the gift of God, “not of works, lest any man should boast, for we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them” (Eph. 2:9-109Not of works, lest any man should boast. 10For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:9‑10)). And we are also told that God “hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began. But it is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel” (2 Tim. 1:9-109Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, 10But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel: (2 Timothy 1:9‑10)). But it is also very clearly revealed in Scripture that those who are thus saved may, through carelessness of walk, become blind and not see afar off, and forget that they were “purged from their old sins” (2 Peter 1:99But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. (2 Peter 1:9)). They are not able to look back to the cross, or on to the glory, with clearness and certainty, therefore they are not living in the enjoyment of that which is really true of them, and are great losers, both here and in that coming day (1 Cor. 3:13-1513Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. 14If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. 15If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. (1 Corinthians 3:13‑15); Phil. 4:44Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice. (Philippians 4:4)).
They who have sown sparingly shall reap also sparingly, and they who have sown bountifully shall reap also bountifully (2 Cor. 9:66But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. (2 Corinthians 9:6)). We read of some having that which they have been building, burnt up, but they themselves saved, yet so as by fire (2 Cor. 3:1515But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart. (2 Corinthians 3:15)). Others again will have an abundant entrance into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1:1111For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 1:11)). The white stone, the new name, the hidden manna, are all marks of special favor for those who have been faithful to the Lord Jesus upon earth during His rejection. And O, how solemn the thought, that we who are linked up there with Him at God’s right hand, should seek to please ourselves down here in this world where He is still despised and rejected; knowing too that He is coming soon, coming in a moment, in the twinkling of an eve, and before another twinkle we may see His face, and hear His voice, and be with Him forever. How very important therefore, it is, that God’s people should ever remember that beautiful exhortation, “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord; forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Cor. 15:5858Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. (1 Corinthians 15:58)).