AN old man was walking through a churchyard, and came to a tombstone with this verse engraven on it, “For God so loved the, world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” The old man read, and, read it through and through, puzzling over the word “whosoever.” He supposed it meant something or somebody, but could not comprehend it. At last a little boy comes by, so he hails the boy, and finding he can read, gets him to read the verse to him. The boy reads it, but even then, he does not understand; so he asks the boy. “Why, it means whosoever.” “Well, what does that mean―whosoever? I don’t know, can’t ye tell me?” says the old man. “Yes, to be sure I can; it means whosoever; it means, you, if you like, or anybody.” Wherewith the light broke in upon the old man’s mind, and by the grace of God he became a converted man.
My dear reader, there are two “whosoevers” in Scripture; in which are YOU?
One says, “Whosoever believeth on Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life;” the other solemnly says, “Whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”
Believe me, however many, classes and distinctions man may make, God sees but two whether rich or poor, that makes no difference in His eyes; His word plainly declares there are two, and only two, converted or unconverted, saints or sinners, “dead in trespasses and sins,” or those that “have passed from death unto life;” “those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.” Oh, dear reader, I want you to make this a personal matter with your soul. I speak plainly, heaven or hell is before you; I warn you, escape for your life, while Jesus still tarries, lest He come suddenly, and find you still unwashed in His blood, unforgiven: “When once the Master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door,” then, O then it will be too late. “Now is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation.” Today is God’s word, tomorrow is Satan’s. Listen to that gracious invitation of our Lord’s, “Come unto me;” simply take God at His word, set to your seal that God is true and when you have found rest and peace for you poor sin burdened soul, in the finished work of Christ, as “the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world,” then, and not till then, will you be a child of God. Then, heaven and all its glories will be open to you; and, accepted it Christ, you will then know the meaning of that “peace which passeth all understanding,” a peace that the world cannot give nor take away, because Christ is your peace, the Lamb slain, the sinner’s Substitute; and, inasmuch as His wort is a finished, perfected work, His blood once shed, is shed forever,―the basis of your peace remains unalterably the same. Your thoughts and feelings may change about the blood having met your guilt, but the fact of your being His child remains ever the same. Your name once written in the Lamb’s book will never be effaced. Christ has the keys of death and, hell; He gives you everlasting life. And what does everlasting mean? why it means forever; and surely it would not be everlasting if there were a possibility of its being taken from you.
Entering into this, dear reader, you will seek when converted, to live for Christ, to bring forth fruit to Him; not to gain eternal life, but (oh, how different!) eternal life known and possessed will be your starting post, and you will seek to show your love to that precious Master who loved you, and gave Himself for you.