IN the face of the testimony of the whole word of God, how many there are who persist in believing that, because their outward acts are not immoral, they are better than others in God’s sight; that they “are not as other men are,” although partakers of the same corrupt nature; and that a course of religious duties, self-imposed, and for the most part invented by men, with the addition of what they call “good deeds,” will win for them, or at the very least result in, eternal salvation! If, added to this, they possess a knowledge of Gospel truths, into which they have been educated from childhood, and which they believe in the same way as men commonly believe historical facts, they conceive themselves to be assuredly on the right road to everlasting life, and go on from year to year “making progress,” as they fondly hope, “in the right direction.”
A lady, whom we will call Miss E., was one of this class. In her case this view of her own state was so rooted, that nothing seemed sufficient to convince her even that she was a sinner. Who would suppose that so simple a thing as a paper-knife, made of the wood of the pine in the mountains of Switzerland, and purchased from some peasants there, would become the instrument of convincing one so deeply rooted in self-righteousness of her lost condition? Yet such was the fact. A Christian friend who had brought this paper-knife from its native mountains to England, was one day in conversation with her on the subject of salvation. He had been acquainted with her from boyhood, and in later years had often tried to show her the state of ruin she was in, and that the way she walked in could not possibly end in everlasting life. He had tried in vain hitherto but on the occasion referred to be took up the Swiss paper-knife lying at hand, and with it drew two imaginary lines, diverging from one point, and forming the two sides of a triangle, asking her at the same time whether it was possible for those lines ever to meet, even though continued to infinity? The one line was intended to indicate “the narrow way which leadeth unto life,” the other, “the broad road that leadeth to destruction.”
She did not appear at the time to take much notice of the figure, but the Spirit of God had applied it in power; and, some weeks afterward, when her mind was undergoing a change, she reminded that friend of the figure he had employed, and said she intended to keep the paper-knife as a memorial; for that the moment in which it was used to illustrate her condition, was the first in her life in which she had had a doubt as to being right in the course she had been pursuing. A little while afterward she found peace through a knowledge of Christ and faith in his precious blood.
Till shortly before her death, the knife was kept as a pleasing memento of the greatest event in her life — namely, her change from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God.; and was then returned to the friend who had been the honored instrument of her conversion, with the date of the event written with her own hand on the paper-knife, “March, 1828.”
This little incident is related in the hope that it may open the eyes of some to see the terrible mistake they are making. You, reader, desire to go to heaven, do you not? But which road are you in? There is but one way. Christ himself declares, “I AM THE WAY.” Have you ever really been to Christ, and had to do with him personally about your sins? If not, you are yet in “the broad road that leadeth to destruction;” for Christ declares again, “I am the Door;” and if you have never yet entered by him, you are most assuredly not in “the narrow way” —therefore, in the other. And, whatever your thoughts about yourself, depend upon it the road you are in will never meet the one you seek.
The friend who used the paper-knife, as related above, had a brother who occupied a religious post. Yet, sad to say, although he had so much to do with Gospel truth, he was entirely ignorant of his own need as a lost sinner; had never, indeed, felt that he was one, nor knew that “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Writing to his Christian brother on one occasion, he complained that he never inquired “what progress he was making” —that is, towards salvation. In reply to this, his brother sketched on a sheet of paper the simple figure which had been so remarkably used to Miss E., drawing, as before, two lines, writing “HEAVEN” at the end of one, and “HELL” at the end of the other. He then asked, “How is it possible to be making progress towards salvation, or in the way to heaven, while yet traveling on the broad road to hell? “To you, reader, if you are yet ignorant of Christ, the question is repeated. Observe, it is a question of the way you are in. You may be a very amiable person, leading what men would consider a blameless life you may have made much progress even in religious knowledge; you may have discontinued the practice of much that you saw to be wrong, and added on much that you see to be right; all this and more is quite possible; but what has all this to do with the road you are in? If that be wrong, the end must be destruction — everlasting misery, aggravated by the reflection that you were warned — solemnly, kindly warned, and would not turn. Again do we repeat that, unless you have had to do with Christ himself about your sins, you are yet on the wrong road. That road never can by any possibility reach the destination you no doubt aim at reaching. May God give you “repentance unto life,” and lead you to HIM who is alone “the Way, the Truth, and the Life;” whose precious blood alone can cleanse you from all sin; whose death upon the cross for sinners proves the terrible character of sin in God’s sight, and the fearful danger you are in if you persist in trying to reach heaven without that cleansing blood, without passing through the “Door,” without Christ; for in the road you are on, He is not.
The year is fast closing in. Its last month has come; its last hour will soon strike. Let not its closing moments find you on the road you have traveled so long. “Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my Spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.” Let not this most gracious invitation meet your eye in vain. Turn while you may; turn sow. Should the perusal of the above incident lead, by God’s grace, to your doing so, you will have occasion, like her whose conversion it relates, to bless Him for THE SWISS PAPER-KNIFE.