I WAS staying some years ago at the house of a friend in one of the watering-places of the south of England, and one day the conversation turned upon building, the strides that it, had been making of late in the neighborhood, and the rapidity with which the town was extending in all directions.
This soon led to a talk upon the fact that the issues of a man’s eternal destiny were settled here, and now, and that the whole building of that “house not made with hands eternal in the heavens” rested upon one foundation, Jesus Christ our Lord: and my friend, who, I need not say, was a true Christian, said to me, “If you would care to go, I will take you this afternoon to see a very instructive specimen of man’s ingenuity in the building way.”
I readily assented, and we soon found ourselves walking along the sea-shore in a westerly direction.
During our walk I learned the following facts. Sometime previously a well-to-do but eccentric individual had come to the vicinity, and, desirous of seclusion and complete quietude, had conceived the idea of building a house upon the sand at the foot of the cliffs some distance from the town. Soon workmen were upon the scene, and with great diligence were occupied with its construction. Many were the opinions expressed by one and another amongst both visitors and townspeople as to the possibility of carrying out the plan. But the gentleman himself seemed quite persuaded that it could be successfully accomplished. Large quantities of cement were put down to preserve, if possible, the foundation from shifting, and for a time all seemed to progress favorably, until one night as the wintry weather was commencing to set in there was a heavy sea breaking in upon the shore; and when the structure, which had been left the night before about half complete, was seen in the morning light, how great was the change! What havoc had been wrought in a single night! Again the trial was made, but only again to have the same ill-success await it, until at length it had been abandoned, and the house stood a mass of ruins.
By this time we had reached the ill-fated building, and what a suggestive sight it was! The huge masses of concrete strewing the beach around, and the barrier of the same material erected to keep out the sea, told the story of the futility of the effort but too plainly. All had been to no purpose, because the foundation was bad. I entered the building all incomplete and ruinous as it was, and the thought came to me, “What a powerful illustration of the parable that fell from the lips of the Lord Himself!” (Matt. 7:24-2724Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: 25And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. 26And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: 27And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it. (Matthew 7:24‑27)). Just before I left the place I espied, written in pencil upon the plaster of one of the rooms, the following lines: ―
“On Christ the solid Rock I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand.”
Reader, on what ground are you building the edifice of your eternity? For building you are most certainly, whether you realize it or not. “Other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 3:1111For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 3:11)).
How vain to buoy yourself up with the hope that your good works, your prayers even, or works of righteousness which you may have done, are, in themselves, any surer foundation than the sand of which we have been speaking! Take heed, then, for a time is coming when the flood will descend and beat upon the fabric which you are rearing. What will stand in that day? Nothing whatsoever, saving that which has been built upon the Rock, which is Christ. What saith the Scripture? “Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste. Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place” (Isa. 28:16, 1716Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste. 17Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place. (Isaiah 28:16‑17)). The believer, who has built upon Christ alone, and has believed God’s record concerning Him, has the blessed assurance that he will “not come into judgment”; but that he “is passed from death unto life” (John 5:2424Verily, verily, I say unto you, 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. (John 5:24)). The Saviour, the same sure foundation, is offered to you for your acceptance once again, may be for the last time.
Oh! trifle not, for the time is at hand when the now widely open door will be closed forever, and at that day all that sand, that refuge of lies, that Satan persuades you will stand, will be utterly swept away, and the Christ-rejecting sinner will stand in all the nakedness of His sins before the great white throne, and Him who sits thereon, to be judged according to His works. The issue of that judgment is not uncertain, and is final.
God grant that you may listen rather to the appeals of His grace. “Today if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts” (Heb. 3:7:8).
F. L.