REPENTANCE IN VIEW OF THE JUDGMENT.
By Orlando Soule
“For we must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ, that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men.” 2 Cor. 5:10, 11. Here the apostle urges the terrors of the Judgment as a reason why men should repent, and also speaks of them as that which nerved his arm to labor and persuade men. The prophets had frequent views of the Judgment; let us hear their testimony concerning that great event. “Our God shall come and shall not keep silence; a fire shall devour before him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about him. He shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth, that he may judge his people.” Ps. 50:3, 4. “A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him; thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. The Judgment was set, and the books were opened.” Dan. 7:10. “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. 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. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” Rev. 20:11-15. Oh, dread tribunal before which all must stand! and to the ungodly how terrible! Here the strong man disdains to humble himself; but there “the mighty man shall cry bitterly.” Zeph. 1:14. Here the proud may trample down the humble and exalt themselves among the honored of earth; but there they shall “be stubble; and the day that cometh shall burn them up.” Mal. 4:1. But how different the scene with the righteous. “And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us.” Isa. 25:9. Why such a contrast between the two classes? Simply on account of the difference in the preparation made by the individuals; for all may be saved. “Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth.” Isa. 45:22. A careful study of the prophecies, to which the New Testament bids us take heed, 2 Pet. 1:19, will satisfy the minds of the candid that we are now living in the last generation. With the facts before us that we are so near the end, and that so much depends upon our personal preparation, with what intense interest the question should be pressed, “What must I do to be saved?” The answer is explicit: “Repent ye therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.” Acts. 3:19. “Draw nigh to God and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning; and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.” Jas. 4:8-10. ORLANDO SOULE.