AT the railway station of W―, a man presented himself at the booking-office for a ticket.
“Where for?” asked the clerk.
“I am not decided,” replied the man.
“Then you had better decide at once,” was the prompt rejoinder of the clerk.
Now I am sure, my reader, you will agree with me that this man was very stupid, and that the booking-clerk’s advice was, the best that could be given.
But, while you laugh at his folly, I will put a question to you. You are here today. But you are going. And as you, pass with rapid flight across the sands of time, I too would ask you,
“WHERE FOR?”
Passing on to some grand goal you are. The end of your journey may be reached before another sunrise. It would be ETERNITY then.
You are aware of this, but have you thought that eternity, with its unending ages, must be spent either in God’s bright glory-home, or the darkness of eternal gloom?
To which of these destinies is time carrying you? YOU DON’T KNOW!
Then surely your folly is infinitely greater than that of the undecided man at the booking-office. And I would in all earnestness echo the words of the clerk, and say to you, “Then you had better decide at once.”
Do you see that long line of human beings stretched as far as eye can see? “Eyes front!” cries the commander; “forward!” and, at double-quick, every Christless soul marches over the love of God, and the precious cleansing blood of Christ, onward to doom and damnation.
Unsaved reader, YOU are in that regiment. The devil is at the head. The fluttering fold of death’s dark flag is the standard, but the end of the march is the raging tempest of the lake of fire.
You may laugh at our warnings. But that does not alter the truth that destruction is ahead of you. Soon the hoarse and angry roar of judgment’s flood will fall upon your ear.
And when launched into a Christless eternity, WHAT THEN? Shall we drop the curtain lest some be horrified? Must we hush the truth, perchance we offend the ears of the polite? Nay! we will utter God’s Word for the sake of your precious soul, unsaved reader, which is in danger of eternal loss.
Death is busy. His icy fingers may soon be laid on your throbbing heart. Then the sad farewells. The sorrowing friends. The open grave. But, oh! WHAT THEN? Remember, hell is an intense reality. Its blasting tempest is the portion of every Christ-rejecter. Its awful gloom settles on all, who turn away from the sunlight of the Saviour’s love.
Nor is this all. Hell will not hide you from God’s frown. Unsaved reader, your body may be lovingly laid beneath the cold sod by sorrowing friends, but it will be ruthlessly torn from thence by the hand of judgment, and amid the crashing of worlds you will appear at God’s bar. Woe then to your hapless soul, as your guilty life-story is rehearsed in your hearing, which will only be followed by that hope-blasting, soul-crushing word― “DEPART!”
You may be religious, amiable, generous, respected, and loved by everybody, but, if you are CHRISTLESS, this is the DESTINY to which you are traveling.
We raise the warning. Your sacrament-taking and psalm-singing, your alms-giving and moral living, can never ward of the stroke of righteous judgment. They will not admit you to heaven. Christ’s blood is the sinner’s only plea.
YOUR WAY may seem right to you, for God says, “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” And again, “The way of the fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise.” Listen to God’s counsel. Awake to the interests of your soul.
But you say, I don’t mean to be lost forever. Then you had better decide at once for Christ. One day’s delay may mean hell forever. Oh! let not this world’s tinsel or pleasure rob you of eternal joys. The novel, the theater, the gambling-table will give no solace in hell. Short is mercy’s day. Hesitate no longer, lest this awful doom be your destiny. For the sake of your precious soul, “Flee from the wrath to come.”
Thank God! there is a way of escape, and a very different destiny awaits many. You are anxious to be amongst the number. Then let me point you the way.
In one of the Yorkshire towns, the other day, a great show was being held. On the walls all over the town pointers were posted, and also these words, “This way to the show.” Now, no one in their senses could possibly make a mistake after reading one of these. And if any one had asked me on that day the way to the show, I would simply have told them to follow the directions on the walls. So GOD’S POINTERS are so plain and simple that you need make no mistake about them, and to these I wish to direct you.
In answer to the inquiry of Thomas as to the way, Jesus replied, “I AM THE WAY” (John 14:6). Don’t make any mistake here. Jesus did not say “a way,” but “the way.”
“Oh! but,” says one, “we are all aiming at the same place, and it matters little which way we take.” Possibly you are aiming at the SAME PLACE, but it is salvation you need, and apart from that the place you are aiming at will have no room for you.
For salvation you are shut up to Christ Jesus. “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). This is decisive. This is God’s truth in contrast to your opinion, and if you are wise you will cease to seek salvation in other ways, and flee to Christ at once.
God has linked the salvation of sinners with the glory of His worthy Son, and NEVER will one sinner be saved apart from Him.
“But must not something be done,” you ask, “before the guilty can be saved?” YES. God’s righteousness must be vindicated. Sin’s judgment must be borne. Redemption’s work must be accomplished. In short, God must be satisfied about the whole question of your sin before you can be saved.
You are not so presumptuous as to think that you could do this, or even help to do it, are you? No. None but Jesus could accomplish this work, and He has done it perfectly.
When, as the dying victor, He rang out those three glorious words, “IT IS FINISHED!” everything was done to God’s entire satisfaction, and God has set His seal upon the work by raising Jesus from the dead. “He was raised again for our justification. “The cross tells us of the love, which led Him to bear God’s righteous judgment in our stead. Can you say, He was there for me? The empty grave speaks loudly to us of death destroyed, and of sin’s captives released. Are you one of them? And Jesus fills the throne in heaven now, a proof beyond doubt how satisfied God is FOR EVER with the work He accomplished at Calvary. And from the place of power and glory He offers to you, not only salvation, but the knowledge of it.
“Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: and by him all that believe are justified from all things” (Acts 13:38, 39).
Here is a solid foundation upon which you may rest without any doubt or uncertainty. These precious words tell of salvation offered to you, because a work has been done outside of you, and apart from you.
“Let me look at that verse; I never saw it like that before,” said a young man at the close of one of our gospel meetings in Canada. Slowly he read the words over, and then rubbing his eyes as the light broke into his soul, he said, “Praise God! I’m justified.” Take God at His word, beloved reader, and the peace, which follows, will be yours.
But you say, “I’m such a sinner.” Well, that only proves your title to claim Jesus as your “Saviour. You may be the worst sinner out of hell. It would still be true that” the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from ALL sin” (1 John, 1:7); and that “all that believe are justified from all things.” The moment you accept the Lord Jesus by simple faith, your destiny will be THE LAMB’s BRIGHT GLORY. You will be able to sing truthfully—
“I have a home above,
From sin and sorrow free;
A mansion which eternal love
Designed and formed for me.”
The One, who loved us even unto death, will be there as the center of heaven’s worship, and the theme of our eternal praise.
What a prospect for us! We wait for His personal return to take us away from this world to His own glory-home. “Then he shall change our vile bodies, that they may be fashioned like unto his own glorious body” (Phil. 3:21), “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye” (1 Cor. 15:52). He has tarried long, but we believe He will soon be here. Three times over, in the last chapter of the inspired page, He tells us― “I COME QUICKLY.” Are you ready?
Once more I put my question to you—Where are you going? Is your destiny to be HEAVEN, or HELL?
J. T. M.