Passing through a town one day, I saw a man who looked desperately ill leaning against a counter in a shop. In fact, it seemed he must soon pass out of time into eternity. I could not but enter the shop, hoping the Lord would be pleased to give me a word from Himself which might prove a blessing to this man's soul.
Engaging him in friendly conversation, I remarked how poorly he looked. He admitted that he was in very bad shape. I told him that although his body might die, yet he had a never-dying soul which would live forever; but where?
He listened courteously, and eventually asked me if I would answer two questions. I said I would do my best. He asked: "Do you preach that all men are sinners by nature?”
"But," the poor man said, "you also preach that God is almighty?”
"Yes," I said, "that is quite true also.”
He replied, "If God is almighty, why did He permit sin to come into the world?”
I told him that one should not question God's purposes or plans, but I would seek to answer his doubts in another way.
"Suppose," said I, "you were called up in the night and were told that your house was on fire; what would you do?”
He replied, "I would try to escape.”
"But would you not first try to find out where and how the fire started?”
"Not me," he said.
"My friend," I replied, "your never-dying soul is far more important than your body, yet you are waiting to seek God after you find out how sin came into the world. You see the results of sin in your poor body and in all creation. You accept the fact of sin. Why not accept its cure?”
I then showed him God's remedy for sin and exhorted him to flee to Christ, the only refuge for poor sinners.
Trusting the Lord to bless this feeble effort to win a soul from death, I gave him my card, hardly knowing at the time why I did so. A few days later his son invited me to come to see his father. He was greatly distressed about his sins. How thankful I was to find him in that condition! Now he was ready for God's remedy, His sure cure for sin.
I asked him: "Do you believe the Bible to be the Word of God?”
He said, "Yes.”
"Then," I said, "I have a message from God to you. `This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.' 1 Tim. 1:1515This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. (1 Timothy 1:15). Do you believe that?”
He appeared to receive the message; and after referring to other scriptures, I left him. In a few days he passed away, trusting in Jesus.
"Oh sinner, seek His face, whose wrath thou canst not bear; Fly to the shelter of His cross, and find salvation there.”