“HEAVEN and earth shall pass away, but My words shall not pass away.” How often one meets with persons, who may have believed on the Lord Jesus as their Saviour, who yet may not be so assured of it as to be proof against the insinuations of Satan, that is, they have not yet rested on the absolute statements of the truth in the Word of God.
The writer met with one such some time ago, while journeying homewards from the city of G― on a car-top in company with a friend. At one of the stations an elderly man boarded the car and sat down beside us. The ordinary casual remarks that passed between us very soon led to something of vital importance, and we learned that he had heard statements made about the possibility of a child of God being ultimately lost. We were led to say a few words, which seemed to help him, and he asked: “Then you are not of those who believe that one may be saved today and lost tomorrow?”
“Certainly not,” we said, and quoted, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me: and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish” (John 10:27, 2827My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 28And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. (John 10:27‑28)). We just got so far in our quotation when our friend stood up before us, on the crowded car-top, and, oblivious of everything else, said, “Praise God for that! “brimming over with the joy that belief in the Lord’s own words brings. When we arrived at our destination he got down, and walking between us he began to sing: “We are strangers in a foreign land,” but could not continue, saying, “Ah! I have got no voice, but I shall have one by-and-by.” What could we do but rejoice at his overflowing heart? The time will soon come when our voices — perfectly attuned by the Spirit of God — will join with the redeemed host, singing, “Thou art worthy... for Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by Thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation” (Rev. 5:99And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; (Revelation 5:9)).
What, may I ask, made the difference in this man? He seemed at one time to have had a knowledge of his safety as a believer in the Lord Jesus, yet he afterwards heard statements that cast a doubt upon it. This brought trouble and distress; but when he heard the voice of the Good Shepherd, who gave His life for the sheep, stating with absolute certainty that he should never perish, his distress gave place to joy, and his doubts fled away like the darkness before the rising sun.
Dear reader, are you one who has never yet believed on the Lord Jesus? If so, let me entreat you to do so now. Hear His blessed life-giving voice, and hearing, live. Or are you one who may have believed, and is assailed by doubts and fears? Turn from everything and every one, yourself included, to the Lord Himself — the Good Shepherd―
“Whose love to the utmost was tried,
But firmly endured as a rock.”
Just allow the Spirit of God who is here to take of Christ’s things and show them unto us, to fix the vision of your soul upon Himself. “He is enough the mind and heart to fill,” and peace and joy in believing will be yours.