God even now gives us in His Word His estimate of the different classes of men that make up the human family. So that even before we reach the place where every knee has to bow, and every tongue has to confess, we may know how we stand before Him. And this He does, that our consciences may be reached, and, in His goodness, led to repentance; or our souls, already feeling their need, may find peace in believing on the Lord Jesus Christ.
We will briefly look at a few of these classes.
1st. The Atheist.—An atheist is one who denies the existence of God; the testimony of God in creation, in government, in redemption, is all deliberately rejected, which leaves the individual to the workings of his own mind and the conceit of his own heart. A man that closes his eyes to everything, as a natural consequence, can see nothing.
“The owlet atheism,
Sailing on obscene wings athwart the noon,
Drops his blue fringed lids, and holds them close,
And hooting at the glorious sun in heaven,
Cries out, Where is it.”
God specially designates that man a fool. “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God" (Psa. 14:11<<To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.>> The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good. (Psalm 14:1)) 2nd. The Infidel.—An infidel is one who, though he may believe in the existence of a God, does not believe that anything can be known of Him, or that He has revealed His mind to us in any way.
He is to such the unknown, and the unknowable. Atheism is Satan's attack upon the Being of God; while in infidelity, the chief point of attack is the Word as the revelation of God to us.
Thus all the past acts of God, as stated in the Scriptures, are denied, such as creation, the flood, and His dealings with Israel; while the incarnation, death, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, are ridiculed. But as there can be no honest atheists, neither can there be any honest infidels.
Of the former, it is written, “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse" (Rom. 1:2020For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: (Romans 1:20)). Of the latter it is written, " For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: but the heavens and the earth which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men" (2 Peter 3:4-74And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. 5For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: 6Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: 7But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. (2 Peter 3:4‑7)).
“A glory gilds the sacred page,
Majestic as the sun;
It gives a light to every age,
It gives, but borrows none.”
3rd. The Covetous.— ’Woe unto them that join house to house, that lay field to field, till there be no place, that they may be placed alone in the midst of the earth "(Isa. 5:88Woe unto them that join house to house, that lay field to field, till there be no place, that they may be placed alone in the midst of the earth! (Isaiah 5:8))." I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years: take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool I this night thy soul shall be required of thee; then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?" (Luke 12:19, 2019And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. 20But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? (Luke 12:19‑20).) “For this ye know, that no covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God “(Eph. 5:55For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. (Ephesians 5:5)).
4th. The Loose Liver.—" Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink; that continue until night, till wine inflame them And the harp and the viol, the tabret and pipe, and wine, are in their feasts (Isa. 5:11, 1211Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink; that continue until night, till wine inflame them! 12And the harp, and the viol, the tabret, and pipe, and wine, are in their feasts: but they regard not the work of the Lord, neither consider the operation of his hands. (Isaiah 5:11‑12)).
5th. The Unconverted Church-Member.—" If the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch” (Matt. 15:1414Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch. (Matthew 15:14)). “Except a man be born again (from above), he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:33Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. (John 3:3)). "Remember Lot's wife" (Luke 17:3232Remember Lot's wife. (Luke 17:32)). Dear friend, let no such delusion, as joining a church, lead you to suppose that you are all right.
“Ye must be born again" of God, in order to see and enter the kingdom of God. Let no blind leader lead you blindly to hell. There are thousands today who are going religiously to hell.
Beware Remember that Lot's wife had an outward religion, and was connected with a saint of God, but perished with the Sodomites.
6th. The Self-Righteous.-The following verse will describe the awful consequence of a sinner refusing the salvation of God through Christ, and trusting to his own righteousness. “And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding-garment; and he said unto him, Friend, how earnest thou in hither, not having a wedding-garment?
7th. The Doubting Christian.—Hear ye the word of the Lord: " Verily, 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 (or judgment); but 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)).
Friend, do you hear this word of the Son of God? Is it not enough to scatter to the winds all your doubts and fears, and give you blessed peace with God, and assurance that you are saved? Look at the blessed consequence of hearing and believing: 1st,"Hath everlasting life;" 2nd, “shall not come into judgment "3rd," but is passed from death unto life.”
Do you believe what the Son of God says? You say you saw yourself a sinner years ago, and looked away to Jesus for salvation, but all along you have lacked the peace and assurance that some have.
Your cry is, "I find myself just as bad as ever.”
Yes, dear friend, and I can answer, “You will never find self any better." You have yet to learn that faith is an outward, and not an inward, look.
It looks to Christ, and trusts Him, who died, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God.
It believes His blessed word, and rests assured of pardon, and present and eternal acceptance in Christ. God looks at the blood of Jesus, and sees our sins washed away; He looks at Christ, and sees us accepted in Him, “made the righteousness of God in Him,"—in Him, where there is no condemnation, and from whom there is no separation.
"Christ is all!" Christ who became incarnate, who died, and in death made atonement for sin, and in doing so accomplished our redemption; Christ risen again from the dead, and glorified at the right hand of God. I repeat, it is not the improvement of self, or works of righteousness, that save, but this blessed Christ. Faith in Him secures all the 'blessed results of His death. "Accepted in the Beloved: in whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace" (Eph. 1:6, 76To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. 7In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; (Ephesians 1:6‑7)).
To His blessed worthy name be all the praise!
E. A.