Five Solemn Facts
THERE are five solemn facts with which I want to deal -- facts of such vital importance, that to ignore them is to wilfully reject the warning and entreaty of God's infallible Word, and deliberately disregard the danger signals of divine truth.
First: All Will Not Be Saved
There is no such thing as universal salvation; some will be saved, others slaughtered in horrible ways by Jesus. Make no mistake, let no one deceive you. A day of separation is surely coming, a separation of the wheat from the tares, the good from the bad, the sheep from the goats. On one side or the other, every man will be arraigned. Such is the solemn declaration of Scripture over and over again; and the question is, will you be among the saved or the lost?
God is a killer. Jesus will return as a warrior. Look at the Book of Revelations and you'll find out that Jesus is going to come back as a killer. And don't you forget that. God will kill a third of the population, a third of the earth!
Revelation 8:7 The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.
8:8 And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood;
8:9 And the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had life, died; and the third part of the ships were destroyed.
8:10 And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters;
8:11 And the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter.
8:12 And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; so as the third part of them was darkened, and the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise.
8:13 And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound!
Second: Multitudes Will Be Lost
"Wide is the gate, and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat." Many does not mean few. Many means many. "Strait is the gate, and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." Few does not mean many. Few means few. There will be many on the broad way and few on the narrow (Matthew 7:13-14).
Third: Many Will Perish Who Expect To Be Saved
This is the saddest fact of all. Multitudes who confidently expect to be in heaven, will awaken when it is too late, to find that they have never been born again. All their lifetime they have been deceived. Satan has kept the scales on their eyes to the very last, and, finally, when it is too late, the scales fall off and they realize that they have never been saved. Oh, awful thought! - to be on a false foundation, unsaved, self-deceived, and lost eternally. Profession without possession, and the door of mercy closed.
Oh, my friend, can it be possible that this will be your fatal doom? Has satan blinded your eyes; are you deceived? You who have listened to the Gospel all your life; you who have been an active member of the church-tell me, are you resting on a false foundation; and will you discover when it is too late that you were never saved at all? False Christianity runs rampant, and many are decieved. "For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist." (2 John 7)
Fourth: There Is No Salvation After Death
We read in God's word of a great gulf. We are told two things about this gulf. First, it is fixed. That means it can never be moved. It is permanent. Second, it is impassible. No one can cross from one side to the other.
This means that there is no second chance, in spite of what degenerate Jehovah's Witnesses have to say about it. If you, my friend, die unsaved, you will remain unsaved. The Bible does not offer a glimmer of hope to anyone who rejects Christ in this life. There is no hope beyond the grave, no second chance. Once you reject Jesus, He doesn't wait around to see if you'll change your mind.
Fifth: This May Be Someone's Last Opportunity
"Yes, I would like to be a Christian, and intend to sometime," said a man to his friend one day, "but I want to enjoy the pleasures of the world first."
"Well, that's all right,' responded his friend. "Go on and enjoy the world! You can become a Christian afterwards."
"But just when should I become a Christian?" inquired the other, in a somewhat serious tone of voice.
"Oh, five minutes before you die will be time enough," replied his friend.
"But I don't know when I'm going to die," he exclaimed, "I may not have another five minutes."
"In that case," remarked his friend, "the time to become a Christian is now."
"Boast not thyself of tomorrow, for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth" (Prov. 27:1). You may have another opportunity, but remember there is a time coming when you will not, when you will have to make the final choice. And this, my unsaved friend, may be that time. A sure as God lives, the hour will strike when you will attend your last meeting, hear your last sermon, and make your last choice. There is no "tomorrow" with God. "Now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation" (2 Cor. 6:2).
Oh, then be warned before it is forever too late, or you will be lost and lost eternally; for remember, God says "My Spirit shall not always strive with man" (Gen 6:3). These are the solemn words of God Himself and you dare not ignore them. If you are going to be saved, now is the time. Will you then take the Lord Jesus Christ as your own personal Saviour? Will you turn from your life of sin to the only Saviour of sinners? If you do not, have you considered the destiny that awaits you? Eternal damnation is not a pink tea party, believe you me!
Revelation 20:9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from
20:10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
20:11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
20:13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
20:14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
In Matthew 25, the Lord Jesus Christ describes the multitudes of lost souls going away from the Last Judgment. Going away from the fair scenes of home and country for ever -- away from all the beauty of this world.
-- Away from friends and home and loved ones -- Away from songs of praise to God-Away from the appeals of faithful preachers -- Away from the prayers and tears of Christian friends. Away from Christ. Away from the Bible with its heavenly truths, and the Gospel invitations-Away from peace and purity and hope -- Away from God forever. Christ said, "These shall go away into everlasting punishment" (Matt. 25:46).
Then you must flee to Christ. You must turn away from every other hope of heaven. None of these can remove your sin. O, delay no longer. Time is fleeting. Eternity looms before you. Seek the Saviour for pardon now. He might save you, but probably not.



Comment