Not very long ago eight men found they had been riding through a large city without knowing where they were going. Their one idea had been to escape from a certain place and to get to a place of safety. For their purpose they took seats in the first bus that came along.
A young detective had just witnessed the attack and robbery of a foreign medical student by these men. Unobserved by them, the detective climbed up beside the bus driver and ordered him to drive directly to a police station. There he signaled for help, and the eight hoodlums were quickly taken into custody. In due course they were brought before the magistrate, found guilty, and sentenced. One was sent to jail for a year, two for three months, three were "put under probation," and two were "bound over."
Perhaps this true story of a recent event has its counterpart in the case of a reader of these pages. Friend, you can't deny that you are traveling. Along life's highroad you are journeying, and the days as they hurry by are but milestones along the way. Going, quickly going, you most surely are!
Then can you answer as to whither you are bound? Those eight men meant to go to a certain place; they thought they were on their way there. In fact, they were being conveyed to a very different destination—one that they would never have chosen! You, perhaps, take it for granted that you are headed in the right direction—that by this route you will reach Heaven some day. Are you sure that you have turned to God and that your feet are treading the narrow road that leads to glory and to life eternal?
Ask yourself: what have you been doing? The eight thieves were caught in an attempt to rob a fellow-man. Have you not robbed God? He gave you this earthly existence that you might glorify Him. Have you used the life He gave you for your own selfish purposes? Have you not followed your own will and refused His? Have you not sinned against Him in thought, and word, and deed? YOU HAVE BEEN ROBBING GOD!
God's eye has been upon you just as the detective's eye was on those men. But there is this difference: God is not a detective! He already knows all about you. His heart is full of love for you and it gives Him no pleasure to witness your sin. But He is holy and cannot tolerate evil. How serious for you that He knows even the thoughts and intents of the heart!
Friend, YOU HAVE SINNED. God's blessed Word says: "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God." Rom. 3:2323For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (Romans 3:23).
An offense against a fellow-man may be met by imprisonment for a few months, or by penal servitude for a term of years. But God is a Being of infinite holiness and majesty. An offense against Him is immeasurable—infinitely grave.
Yet God is absolutely just. He will not visit all with the same intensity of punishment. There are those that will be "beaten with few stripes," and those that will be "beaten with many stripes." Poor, human creatures could never sustain punishment infinite in intensity. But even so, they are capable of committing sins of infinite enormity, since they are committed against a Person of infinite dignity and holiness. Therefore, if you spurn and reject the atonement of such infinite value which He made in Christ for your sins, most surely punishment infinite in duration must be your eternal portion. Of this we are solemnly assured in many plain passages of Scripture: "These shall go away into everlasting punishment." Matt. 25:4646And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal. (Matthew 25:46). "The fire that never shall be quenched." Mark 9:4343And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: (Mark 9:43).
Sin must be punished. But, sinner friend, you need not suffer either "the few" or "the many" stripes. There is One of infinite greatness and worth which made it possible for Him to give Himself a ransom for all.
He hung on the Cross, the Sin-bearer, dying to make atonement for the sins of men. Because of this, you can be saved. Because of Christ's atoning sacrifice on Calvary's cross, you may enjoy the eternal favor and blessing of God. But for this infinite privilege and joy, you must definitely accept the Lord Jesus as your own Savior. You must put your soul's confidence in Him. Then you can say: "With His stripes I am healed." Isa. 53:33He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. (Isaiah 53:3).