THIS question was first heard upon Golgotha's hill, and sounded forth from the lips of one malefactor into the ears of the other one beyond the person of the Son of God, who hung bleeding and dying between them; and now it is put to you—
“DOST NOT THOU FEAR GOD?”
seeing thou art in the same condemnation with this Christ-rejecting world,—that same condemnation spoken of by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself when He said, " He that believeth not is condemned already " (John 3:1818He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. (John 3:18)).
These two who were being put to death with Jesus—the one on the right hand, and the other on the left—were but receiving the due reward of their deeds,—sinners, of course, and needed a Savior. But a far greater condemnation rests upon every unbeliever now. Theirs was a question of breaking the law, and getting the penalty of death. The one from whose lips this question came had learned not only that “the wages of sin is death," but that there is also" after this the judgment." This it was which brought forth that cry, and prepared him to receive another important truth, that the " gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
The issue now is a far more important one, for this world has not only broken every one of God's laws, but worse than that. Look at that person hanging upon that middle cross. It is none other than the Son of God.
Yes, this world has denied and crucified the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer instead.
It has “killed the Prince of Life, whom God hath raised from the dead." This world, of which every unbeliever is a part, is guilty of the blood of Jesus Christ, God's only-begotten Son; and now in the face of this, the question is again asked,—
“DOST NOT THOU FEAR GOD?”
Is there no reason why you should fear God?
Know ye not that God is holy, and only such as have clean hands and a pure heart can stand in His holy place?
Yes, dear reader, there is every reason why you should fear God—
“For God must visit sin
With His displeasure sore,
For He is holy, just, and true,
And righteous ever more.”
Do you think God has forgotten that scene upon Calvary's hill, when both Jew and Gentile, energized by the power of Satan, cried out from their evil hearts, "Away with him crucify him!”
You may say you were not here in the world then; you may say you had no part with that God-hating, Christ-rejecting mob of two thousand years ago, but it will avail you nothing. If you are found linked with this world in the day of the Lord, or should you die in your sins, “know thou that for all these things God will bring you into judgment "(Eccl. 11:99Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment. (Ecclesiastes 11:9))." Know you not that the friendship of this world is enmity with God?”
These are solemn facts, dear reader; and if you have not yet learned that you are a guilty sinner, May God in His mercy carry these words in power to your heart and conscience, and give you that fear of Him which is the beginning of wisdom. Being born of the seed of Adam, you are a child of wrath even as others (Eph. 2:33Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. (Ephesians 2:3)). By practice God has proven all to be under sin, and the whole world guilty before Him, having broken all His commandments and come entirely short of His glory. (Read Rom. 3:9-239What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; 10As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: 11There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. 12They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. 13Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: 14Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: 15Their feet are swift to shed blood: 16Destruction and misery are in their ways: 17And the way of peace have they not known: 18There is no fear of God before their eyes. 19Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. 20Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. 21But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; 22Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: 23For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (Romans 3:9‑23).) But above everything else stands the crowning sin of the rejection and murder of the Son of God.
And now, dear unsaved reader, if you have been brought to see yourself in the same condemnation with this world, let me point you to that same wondrous, blessed person who filled the eyes of that dying thief on the cross. The One whom God declared to be His Son, in whom He found all His delight; the One of whom Pilate could only say, “I have found no cause of death in him;" the One of whom the thief could say, “This man hath done nothing amiss." Yes, let me point you to that One who " hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God,” and tell you, as God has already told you, that “through THIS MAN (Christ Jesus) is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins, and that by HIM all that believe are justified from all things " (Acts 3:38, 39), Here is manifested the rich mercy and grace of God; for instead of permitting just judgment to fall upon this earth at that time, He ushered in a day of grace by proclaiming salvation to every guilty sinner through faith in that precious blood shed by wicked hands upon Calvary's cross. By faith that guilty thief found perfect cleansing in Jesus' blood; and so may you, by taking your place before God as a guilty sinner, and owning Jesus as your Lord and Savior, as did the thief.
God declares that “the blood of Jesus Christ, his Son, cleanseth us from all sin," and this cleansing you may have, but not by works, for " by grace are ye saved, through faith, and that not of yourself; it is the gift of God" (Eph. 2:88For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: (Ephesians 2:8)).
It was too late for the dying thief to work, but faith in that One who was then finishing all the work for salvation upon that middle cross brought forth those gracious words from the lips of Jesus, “Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.”
Faith in Him, dear reader, will bring you peace, forgiveness of sins, and will give you an entrance into the glory with Christ at His coming.
For nearly two thousand years God has been long-suffering, and not willing that any should perish but His day of grace will soon give place to His day of judgment; and so " Today, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your heart," for “how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation? "
C. H. B.