Some years ago I went with my parents to live in a small village where my father had bought a farm that had belonged to a man who had much property in the neighborhood.
The last tenant of this farm had died about a year before, and the people still talked of his tragic death. He was a well-to-do farmer, fond of laying out his money in buildings and in improvements on the farm. Thus he gave employment to a good many laborers, and spent his time amongst them six days of the week. Sunday was his day of making plans and arranging the work for the following week, for he was openly opposed to anything of a religious character. He was always ready to talk about the improvements he had made, and to show them to others.
About a year before he died a neighbor asked him how soon the work on his place would be finished, and if he expected to be satisfied with the outlay of money. He answered that it would take at least another year, and then "damnation death" might come and take him.
Just a year later, while out on his farm, he suffered a stroke. Paralyzed, he was carried home, and died almost immediately.
Dear reader, are there not many today like this godless farmer, trying to improve the world, and make it a comfortable place, without Christ? It is plain from his own words that the thought of death and judgment disturbed his conscience, however much he may have tried to silence such thoughts with the things of this life. No doubt the Lord's words to His disciples, "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be damned" were known to this busy farmer. Alas! He openly refused this offer of salvation and put himself among the "fearful and unbelieving,” who have "their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death." Rev. 21:88But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. (Revelation 21:8).
Perhaps, dear reader, you do not look upon yourself as an unbeliever. Can you think of the scripture, "It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment,” without feeling afraid as to your future state in eternity? You say there are so many opinions that you get bewildered when thinking of these things. God's Word alone is the divine authority as to what we should believe. God says, "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.”
Can you say from your heart that Jesus died for you, a sinner―that God laid all your sins upon Jesus when He hung on the accursed tree? If so, you are saved, for God says in the gospel, "He that heareth My word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death unto life." And you are not only saved, but made a child of God, "through faith in Christ Jesus." Instead of feeling afraid of eternity you have now "boldness in the Day of Judgment." You are already clothed in divine righteousness, and you stand before God in all the perfectness of the work of Christ on the cross, and in all the preciousness of His person―"accepted in the Beloved." And when Jesus comes "we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is.”