While traveling by train once I began to distribute some gospel books among my fellow-passengers. A tall, stout man sitting opposite me was reading the one I had given him. Suddenly he shouted aloud: "And he was quite right.”
I asked the man what he meant. Holding up the book in his hand he replied: "The man spoken of here was asked if his sins were forgiven. He replied that no one could be sure of that; I believe he was right.”
"Sir," I answered, "that was only his opinion. He might be wrong.”
"Oh, but," said he, "no man living knows that he is saved! I don't care how good he is, he cannot be certain of it on this side of the grave.”
"Surely you don't believe God's Word," was my answer, to which he replied: "Oh, yes, I believe every verse of it, from Genesis to Revelation.”
"You say, 'No one can know,' and God plainly says in His Word, 'Ye may know.' Whom should I believe-you or God?”
Immediately my fellow-traveler burst out saying: "I don't care what you say. We can never be certain about it till we die; we must do all the good we can, and hope for the best.”
"Friend," I replied, "you don't believe what God has said. Does K-N-O-W read H-O-P-E in your version?”
To this he made no remark except to say that no one could know, and that it was "great presumption” in any one to go the length of saying he was saved. My answer was that if what he said was correct, he should with a pair of scissors cut out these scriptures:
My fellow-traveler listened to the scriptures, but firmly declared that he would still hold to his opinion that "No one could be certain.”
Friend, have you hitherto imagined that no one could be sure of his sins being forgiven while on earth? If so, lay aside your "thoughts" and "opinions." Believe God's Word.