Some time ago a number of young men were bathing in a river which at some parts is very deep. It was, suggested by one of the number, who was himself a strong swimmer, that he would swim across the river carrying another young man on his back. Accordingly the two young men entered the water, the one on the back of the other, and started for the other side. When about mid-stream the young man, who had his arms around the neck of the one who carried him, evidently became timid, and began to cling to the other rather tightly, with the result that the swimmer began to struggle for freedom, the one on his, back clinging the more tenaciously to his neck.
A third young man who was on the bank of the river saw the danger, and swam to the rescue. Reaching the drowning men, he cried to the one who was clinging so desperately to the other, "Let go, Jamie, and I'll save you!" but to no purpose. Jamie would not let go, but clung with firmer grip to his drowning comrade, with the sad result that both sank and were drowned.
Like that young man, many young folks are clinging to something with the vain hope that it may be the means of saving them. Some are clinging to their moral standard of character; others are clinging to the hope that God will be merciful at the end, and look over the sins and failures of a past life; and yet, as we read the Scriptures, we learn that any so believing are just as hopeless, so far as getting saved is concerned, as was that young man clinging to his drowning comrade.
The saddest part of our incident is that there was one who stood by ready to save if he would only let go. There is today no need that any sinner should perish. A Savior, "mighty to save," has come to the rescue.
What He asks the perishing one to do is to cease clinging to anything and everything of human merit, and cling implicitly to Him. He gives His word that the sinner who trusts Him shall "never perish." (John 10:2828And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. (John 10:28)).
Regarding that young man who swam to the rescue of the drowning men, he was willing to save; yet his ability to do so might have been questioned. Not so with the Savior Christ Jesus. He is both willing and able to save every one who will trust Him, no matter how vile.
If unsaved, turn your eyes away from anything of your own doing, and fix your gaze by faith on Him who "suffered, the Just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God" (1 Peter 3:1818For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: (1 Peter 3:18)). Look and live now!