I feel sure there are many of my dear readers who, though they have heard of the wondrous love of Jesus in giving His life a ransom for poor sinners, and have believed in His name, yet are not always quite certain that they have eternal life and shall never come into judgment; but are, alas! often filled with doubts and fears instead of being filled with joy and peace in believing. May the following little incident be used through God's grace to help any such.
A young man was led to go and hear a servant of God preach the Gospel, and during the preaching he came by faith to Jesus, and went home feeling very happy. But after a week or two the happy feelings began to get less and less and he felt afraid to tell his old companions about Jesus. About this time he went to see his brother, who was associated with a little mission. It so happened that they were then having special meetings. Of course, they both went.
After the preacher had delivered his message, and was about to close with prayer, he asked those present who wished to be specially prayed for to hold up their right hand. The young man's heart began to beat quickly, and there was quite a struggle going on within him. While he hesitated, he kept repeating to himself,
"Lord, Thou knowest I love Thee; Lord, Thou knowest I love Thee," until the preacher had closed with prayer. Still the young man felt undecided, and as he passed out and shook the preacher's hand, he said,
"You meant me, sir, didn't you, when you asked any to hold up their hand?"
"Are you not saved?" asked the preacher. "Yes, sir, I am saved, but-" "Have you got a Bible?"
"Yes, sir."
"Well, when you get home turn to the Gospel of John 5th chapter, 24th verse, and there you will find THREE DIVINE CERTAINTIES. When you have found them, come and see me again, will you?" The young man replied that he would, and they bade each other goodnight.
"Three divine certainties in John 5:24," our friend kept saying to himself until he reached home; and then going straight up to his bedroom, he took down his Bible, and before very long was eagerly reading John 5:24, carefully weighing each word,
"Verily—verily—I say unto you" ("that means me"), "He—that—heareth—My—Word" ("that is what I have heard tonight"), "and—believeth—on—Him—that—sent—Me" ("I believe on Him"), "HATH —everlasting—life." Hath! Hath!! He could scarcely believe his own eyes; "Hath everlasting life." "Have it; have it now!" and throwing himself on his knees he could do nothing but thank God for this wondrous gift.
But after a while he remembered that the preacher had told him of three things, and this was but the first one, blessed as it was. So he again went to this wondrous verse. Presently he came to the words, "And—shall—not—come— into— Judgment."
"What! No judgment? O praise the Lord! Have everlasting life; shall not come into judgment; and now, what else can there be? What is the third blessing? Ah! passed—out—of—death—into—life.' Now, at the present time. Praise the Lord! I have eternal life; I shall not come into judgment, and I am passed out of death into life."
The young man was so full of joy that he could do nothing but praise God for His wondrous and unspeakable gift.
May it be your portion, my dear reader, now and for all eternity.