“I INTEND to be a Christian,” is no doubt the sincere utterance of many a heart. Few perhaps really intend to go to hell, and be in eternal burnings; but most do intend to try to reach heaven in a way of their own, and when convenient to themselves, instead of in God’s way, and today, and because He commands them to repent and to believe the gospel. To put it off, as another said, “to a more convenient season,” seems now to be the fashionable way of avoiding the keen edge of the gospel of the grace of God. “It is all true,” say some, “but I cannot come to the Lord Jesus just yet.” “I like to hear it,” say others, “but my business, my family, my circumstances, my engagements stand in the way just now.” A man, when pressed by the writer to receive the Lord Jesus Christ as his Saviour, replied, “I have not time.” “Not time!” said the writer; “how much time is required to believe on Him whom God hath sent?” Dear reader, do think of this. How long did it take the poor, bitten, dying Israelite to look to the serpent of brass and live? The writer added, “It was seeing that I was on the brink of eternal damnation that compelled me to flee at once to the outstretched arms of the loving Saviour, and thus find eternal life through faith in His name.” Oh, it is marvelous what weak and foolish reasons men will plead for rejecting the love of Jesus, who so delights to welcome and save every sinner that comes to Him! But when He says, “Come unto me,” He means, “Come now”— today, not tomorrow; and delay not.
“Make haste and come down; for today I must abide at thy house;” and when one sinner did come down and receive the Lord Jesus, He could most truly add, “This day is salvation come to this house.” It is, then, coming to Jesus now, just as you are, just now, with all your sins, and guilt, and ruin—utterly unclean, utterly undone, now; for “behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”
And again, “Today, if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts”— not tomorrow, but today. For your life is but as a vapor; eternity is at hand; the Saviour is quickly coming.
Alas! how many have been suddenly surprised to find themselves in outer darkness, shut out from the presence of the Lord Jesus, and that forever. They intended to be saved; they intended to be Christians by and by; they intended not to be in hell-fire; but Satan deceived them, sin deceived them, their own hearts deceived them. They heard of the precious sinner-loving Saviour, and refused. He said, “Come now,” and they kept back. He shouted by His servants in their hearing, “He that believeth not shall be damned,” but they heeded it not. They neglected His great salvation. They loved not the voice of the Good Shepherd.
They despised the precious story of His cross, His bitterest agonies, blood-shedding, and death for the ungodly. They preferred the present gratification of the pleasures of sin. They chose to side with the murderers of Christ, rather than bow to Him as their Saviour and Lord. They trifled with sin, death, judgment, eternity. They overrated things of time and sense, because they willingly undervalued the atoning work of the Son of God to save sinners. Deaf to His loving entreaty — “Come!” clinging to the sandy foundation of misplaced confidence, deceived by false religiousness, puffed up with the flattery of those around, ensnared by carnal confidence, relying on uncertain intentions, they have not a ‘suspicion that all this time they are rejecting the Saviour’s “Come now,” and practically saying, “No,” “not now,” but “tomorrow,” or “a more convenient season;” and thus trifling, unbelieving, their sin-loving hearts go on, till the summons from Him “in whom we live and move and have oar being,” “who has fixed the bounds of our habitation that we cannot pass,” reads to them the solemn sentence, “This night thy soul shall be required of thee.” Thus hurled from time into eternity, the remorseful utterance of the heart is, “The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and I am not saved.” No wonder it is said of such, “There shall be wailing, and gnashing of teeth.”
Let the reader consider that God is now publishing the glad tidings of His love, as manifested in the accomplished work of His beloved Son; that He commands these glad tidings to be preached to every creature; and that He saves, and delights to save, and saves forever, every sinner that comes to Him through the Lord Jesus. Can you refuse this love? Can you any longer neglect this great salvation? Can you think of Jesus and all His sufferings, blood-shedding, and death? Can you think of Him now in heaven at God’s right hand, crowned with glory and honor, thus welcoming you to His pierced bosom, and ready to embrace you with His pierced hands? And can you any longer hold back? Is not the earnest utterance of your heart, while looking up to Him—
Just as I am, and waiting not,
To rid my soul of one dark blot,
To Thee, whose blood can cleanse each spot,
O Lamb of God, I come!
Once more beware of trifling. Shun every thought of further delay. Let the word of God warn you. Let the fatal experience of others arrest you, and awaken deepest concern in your soul. A lady, now with the Lord, said, on one occasion, “I was told a circumstance that occurred sometime since, which I believe to be true ... There was a family of three daughters; the two eldest were converted, but the youngest was gay and thoughtless. Often did her sisters talk to her on religious matters, and entreat her to become a Christian; but she replied that she intended to become a Christian when she had enjoyed a little more of the pleasures of this world. One morning, when she came down to breakfast, her sisters observed that there was something amiss, and inquired if she were ill. ‘Oh,’ said Annie, ‘there is nothing wrong! I have bad a dream; but it is only a dream!’ Her sister said, ‘Will you tell it to me?’ Annie replied, ‘I will; but it is only a dream! I dreamed that I had died, and was carried away to a beautiful place, such a place as I had never seen before. There was a great white throne, and He who sat on it had a smiling countenance. Around the throne was an innumerable company, clothed in white robes, and they danced and sung; but I did not know the step, neither did I understand the music. I had not been there long before the Bing left the throne and came towards me, with His features lighted up with smiles, and asked me why I did not join in the dance and music. I replied that I had not learned the step, neither did I know the music they were singing. In a moment His countenance changed from smiles to frowns, and in a loud voice he cried to those who were standing by, “Bind her hand and foot, and take her away! Take her away! Take her away where there is weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth!” And as they were taking me away I awoke. But it was only a dream! Her sister then lovingly urged her to cast the world aside, and follow Christ. Annie replied, ‘Well, I shall go to the ball tonight; but it shall be the last!’ ‘Oh, Annie, do take this warning from God!’ said her sister. ‘Oh,’ she replied, ‘it was only a dream! I have made an engagement. I cannot break my word; but it shall be the last. Tomorrow I will become a Christian.’ In the evening she went to the ball, and joined in the giddy dance, when all of a sudden there was a cry that ‘Annie — had fainted.’ The usual restoratives were applied, but all in vain. She never spoke more; she was dead. Oh, sinner, dear sinner, do not put it off till tomorrow; learn the step now, learn the music of heaven now, and you shall join the ransomed host in bliss!”