The Blood of the Lamb # 4

The Blood of the Lamb # 4

A day is still to come when sadness shall flee away, and God Himself will say 'Refrain from weeping, for the former things are passed away.' There shall be no sadness in heaven, for there shall be no sin! The days of our tribulation shall be forgotten! We shall be able at last to love our God without coldness, to reverence His holiness without torment, to trust Him without despair, to serve Him without weariness, without interruption, without distraction. The days of weakness and corruption will be past, and we shall be like our Lord in holiness as well as happiness; in purity as well as immortality. 

And now, beloved, let me ask you what is the purpose for which the Church has been established upon earth, and ministers have been appointed to watch for your souls? What is the object of Bibles and ordinances, and prayer and preaching? Is it not simply this - that you may be numbered with the saints in glory everlasting, that you may enjoy those blessings you have heard described?

Then search and see what SOLEMN QUESTIONS spring out of my text. Have you taken up the cross? are you denying yourself? do you know anything of this spiritual tribulation? Be very sure, that unless you will declare yourself decidedly on the Lord's side, and fight His battle with the ungodly world, and the lusts of the flesh, and the wiles of the devil; you will never stand before the throne in robes of white, and carry the palm of victory in your hand!

That carelessness about sin, that trifling with temptation, that earnestness about the things of time, that forgetfulness about eternity, that readiness to swim with the tide of religion, that unwillingness to become more serious than your neighbors, that fear of being thought righteous overmuch, that love of the world's good opinion - is this what you call coming out of great tribulation? Is this living in the Spirit? Is this striving and laboring after eternal life? Oh, look to your foundations, set your house in order. No empty "trust in God's mercy" will ever save you. You were not baptized unto idleness and indifference. Without a real hatred of sin, and a real forsaking of sin, Christ can profit you nothing. You never can be made white with the blood of the Lamb - unless you desire to have this earth's defilements really washed away!

And then consider, lastly, O unhappy worldling - could you be happy in heaven? Do you think that men who count it a great trouble to come to church, and find the services a weariness and rejoice when they are over - do you think that such would be ready to serve God day and night? Will those who take no pleasure in drawing near to Jesus in prayer - delight to be forever in His presence and dwell with Him? Are you who never hunger and thirst after righteousness - are you to be satisfied with the living fountains of water? Are you who never grieve over the wickedness of this world - are you likely to understand the privilege of that holy rest, when God shall wipe away all tears? Oh, no, it cannot be, it cannot be!

Whatever a man sows - he shall also reap! Whatever we love in time - we shall love in eternity! You must be born again - or heaven itself would be a miserable abode! There is no place in heaven for the worldly-minded and profane. You must be renewed in the spirit. You must become new creatures! How long will you insult your Redeemer by putting it off? Oh! pray to the Lord Jesus Christ, to send His Holy Spirit upon you! Go to the fountain while the door of mercy is yet open!

But blessed are all you who mourn for your sin - for you shall be comforted. Blessed are you who are persecuted for righteousness sake - for great is your reward in heaven. It is a single step, and you shall be forever with the Lord, where the wicked cease from troubling, and the weary are at rest! 

The saints whose faith and patience you have so often admired; the holy men and women of whom you have so often said, "Oh, that I were like them"; the ministers who have shown you the way of life, and implored you to be steadfast and unmovable; the friends who have advised you to come out of the world - all are waiting to receive you! There shall be no more parting, no weeping, no separation again! And you, even you, this vile body being changed, shall sing the song of the redeemed: "Unto Him who loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and has made us kings and priests unto God and His Father - to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever! In this world you may have tribulation - but be of good cheer - your Lord and Saviour has overcome the world!

~J. C. Ryle~

(The End)