Earth or Heaven, Which?
By Chas. B. Reynolds
What shall we do that we may have eternal life, share the glories of the promised inheritance, the Heaven of the saints? We can only gain this prize by becoming members of the family of Abraham. “For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” “And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” Gal. 3:27, 29. Faith is essential,—belief in God, in his love, in his word. We must have faith in Christ, and in the atonement made by him for the transgression of God’s law; that perfect law given for the conversion of the soul, our violations of which justly place us under condemnation of eternal death. Real faith produces real love; real love, real obedience. Faith does not dispense with works, but is the incentive. If we love God, it must result in good works. “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments; and his commandments are not grievous.” 1 John 5:3. Real faith in Christ’s atonement insures earnest, self-sacrificing obedience to every command of God. Not the mere flight of feeling,—the emotional, pharisaical utterance, or calling on his name, but doing the will of the Father. Matt. 7:21. Christ’s own answer to our question is, “If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.” Matt. 19:17. We desire to share the promised inheritance with Abraham. Can we receive it, unless, like Abraham, we comply with the conditions? Why was the promise made to Abraham? “Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.” Gen. 26:5. God spoke the ten commandments, and he has declared that he will not alter the thing that is gone out of his lips (Ps. 89:34); yet we are sometimes told that God’s law was only given to and for the Jews. But Abraham was not a Jew. Jew is a name derived from that of Judah, and it was first applied to one belonging to the tribe or country of Judah, a subject of the separate kingdom of Judah. Not until after the return to Jerusalem from the Babylonish captivity, B. C. 536, was the term Jew applied to all descendants of Abraham. Abraham believed God, and proved his faith by his works. Abraham offered Isaac; he proved his willingness to obey God at any and every sacrifice. He gave not alone his worldly possessions, but his only son Isaac, his dearest treasure; and this gift included his good name, his hope, his ambition, his happiness, his peace; not alone all that made life dear, but all that made life endurable. Instead of weighing the requirements of God in the cold scales of selfish policy to see if he could afford it, if it was worth while to make so great a sacrifice, if there was no way to avoid it or offer some substitute,—instead of delaying till some future or more convenient time, Abraham hastened to obey, and God counted it to him for righteousness and blessed him, and Christ has declared that he shall have part in the first resurrection. “Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.” James 2:24. Let us now turn to another rich and favored one. Mark 10:17–21. He was rich, respected, learned, a devout, worldly religionist, a rigid observer of all outward forms. He desired eternal life; he claimed to believe; he had faith; he did good works; he kept the commandments as far as they brought no actual cross or great sacrifice. He could not receive laudations and stand high in the world’s esteem were he guilty of overt violations of the law. He obeyed because it was to his profit, his advantage, his interest; and doubtless he really rejoiced in doing so, really desiring to be on the side of right. Jesus showed him that he had never obeyed even the first commandment; that he loved the gift far more than the giver; that he loved self, the world, fame, creature comforts, far more than he loved God. Christ put his profession of goodness to the test: “Sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in Heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow me.” The young man was sorrowful. He weighed the matter, and concluded it cost too much. Oh, indeed, indeed! he did desire eternal life, but he could not afford it at that price. To resign his high and enviable position in the popular synagogue, and harder yet, to part with his wealth—oh! he was grieved; he was troubled; but he turned away from the blessed Jesus, turned away from the blessing of God, turned away from eternal life. If any one had asked that young man that morning if there was any duty to God required, any cross or burden to bear, or any sacrifice that he would refuse, he would have been insulted at the mere question. No, indeed; had he not done great things for God and his cause? Yet when the Lord made duty plain, he turned away; for he had great possessions. Abraham showed faith by works; he truly believed, was truly obedient. Isaac was dear to him; but God, the giver of the gift, was dearer still. The young ruler claimed to have faith and obedience; but, brought to the test, it proved to be only in outward seeming. He could talk for God, have good desires, was full of good intentions; but he was not willing to trust God, not willing to part with his prized wealth, not willing to do what the Lord required. It cost too much. One was all for God, had no god before God. It was God first, cost what it may, result as it may. The other clasped to his selfish heart his worldly possessions, and turned again to the hollow platitudes of this world, rather than follow Christ in self-sacrifice, and thus secure eternal life. Jesus loved him, invited him, in tender, pitying love entreated him; but it cost too much. He turned away. What a noble and glorious example of sublime faith is the one! What a fearful warning of the unutterable infamy and blind folly to which selfishness may lead is the other! Reader, where do you stand? Soon, very soon, the Lord will leave the sanctuary; and he will say, “Gather my saints together unto me, those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice.” Will you be of that number? The Lord loves you, calls you, in pitying tenderness entreats you. What are you doing for the cause? Are not the calls for means as real, your duty to help as clear and plain, as though the blessed Jesus came in person, and said to you, “My brother, my sister, I know you long for my coming; for the end of sin, misery, sickness, and death; for the establishment of my kingdom of joy, peace, rest, and love. But look around; there are dear, honest hearts who have not yet received the glorious light of the last message. I would that they too should be saved. We cannot have them lost. Won’t you help in this work? There is much to be done; the time is short. Do you not wish to share with me the joy of saving these poor souls? Will you help? Will you give of your means? Will you do it now? “‘I gave, I gave my life for thee;
What hast thou given for me?’” Shall we hug our possessions, and turn sorrowfully away? God forbid. God help us to respond, to act, to sacrifice for Jesus’s sake, to do now as we shall wish we had done in the soon-coming Judgment day.