A person is dying of a deadly infection. The only antibiotic known to cure his illness is prescribed and brought to his room. He does not refuse to take it, but he puts it off—neglects to take it—and dies. Whose fault is it?
A house is on fire, its occupants are aroused and a ladder is rushed to one of the windows where escape is still possible. A man is seen looking out of the window. He does not refuse the ladder, but he hesitates—he neglects it—and as the floor beneath him gives way, he falls with it into the flames below and is burned to death. Whose fault is it?
A man has fallen overboard. He is unable to swim, but a lifebuoy is thrown to him. He refuses it, thinking he can reach the ship by his own strength. He neglects the lifebuoy and is drowned. Who is to blame?
If you are a dying sinner, God offers the only remedy: salvation through Jesus Christ. You are not in a burning building, but you are exposed to the everlasting flames of the lake of fire. You may be overboard, struggling and sinking in a surging sea, but God has a lifebuoy for you, and that is still His salvation.
Do you receive it or refuse it?
“I do neither,” you say.
He does not say, “How shall we escape if we steal or get drunk or tell lies or don’t go to church?” No! Neglecting God’s salvation is the great sin of today. It is the God-dishonoring, heaven-forfeiting, soul-damning and hell-filling sin of this privileged moment in which we are living. Look where you will, the words “NO ESCAPE” stare you in the face. There will be no way of escape in eternity, for there is no redemption in hell—no Saviour pleads with souls there—no salvation is offered there.
But, thank God, NOW there is a way of escape. It is called “so great salvation” because it is the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. Jesus is the salvation of God.
When the elderly man Simeon held the child Jesus in his arms, he exultingly exclaimed, “Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace, according to Thy word: for mine eyes have seen Thy salvation” (Luke 2:29-3029Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: 30For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, (Luke 2:29‑30)). When Jesus walked into Zaccheus’s house, He did so saying, “This day is salvation come to this house” (Luke 19:99And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham. (Luke 19:9)).
“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”
Have you neglected this “so great salvation” for long weeks, months, years—even all your life? Oh, do so no longer! Receive Him now in all the love of His heart, in all the power of His arm and in all His finished work. Yes, receive Him just where you are, just as you are and just now, by simply believing in Him. “As many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name” (John 1:1212But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: (John 1:12)).