Great Consolation In Christ Upon Our Death-bed

"Behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth." -Joshua 23:14 [KJV]

Though fully assured of his near dissolution, yet with what calm composure doth Joshua utter these words! Though you are a sinner, and must fall under the sentence of death for sin, yet you need not be under bondage all your life time through fear of death. Why should you? Has not the sinner’s Friend gained a complete and everlasting victory over death, the sinner’s enemy? 

Consider what Christ hath done for us sinners. For sinners we are, and shall be, though redeemed by the blood, and sanctified by the Spirit of Christ. When the messenger of death kills the body, and calls the soul to glory, then honour thy Lord’s work by the faith of thy heart. So fear and terror shall flee thy soul. By His death, He has appeased divine Justice. As Jonah, His type, being cast into the sea, quelled the storm; so Christ, being cast into the furnace of divine wrath, quenched the flames. God is just, while He justifies ungodly sinners who believe in Jesus (Romans 3:26.) 

He hath silenced all the accusations of the law. He hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us (Galatians 3:13.) Upon this, follows the removal of guilt. “He took away our sins by the sacrifice of Himself” (Hebrews 9:26.) “We have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of our sins” (Ephesians 1:7.) He has wrought out and brought in an everlasting righteousness for us: we are made the righteousness of God in Him (see II Corinthians 5:21.) “He hath conquered Satan: by His death, He hath destroyed him who had the power of death, that is, the devil” (Hebrews 2:14.)  

He hath opened heaven to us. We have lost a paradise by sin. We gain heaven by the cross of Christ. It is our purchased possession (see Ephesians 1:14.) Lastly, He hath obtained a victory over sin and death, so that we may joyfully cry out, “Thanks be to God, Who giveth us the victory, through our Lord Jesus Christ” (I Corinthians 15:57.) Now, if Christ has appeased justice, silenced the law, taken away the guilt of sin, is made righteousness to us, conquered Satan, opened heaven, overcome death, and obtained victory for us, what have we to fear? Why should we not triumph in the views of death? 

We cannot without the work of the Spirit in us. But if He has made the work of Christ glorious in our eyes; if He has given us to see our need of it: to believe in, and rely upon Christ’s life and death as our title to heaven and glory: by the faith of this, He hath sanctified our souls, as vessels of honour, to the glory of Christ. It is our privilege to rejoice in Him: to look upon His victories as our own; to triumph over every enemy, and death, as the last enemy. For though he is an enemy to the flesh, he is the best friend to the soul. 

 

Prepare us, Lord, for Thy right hand— 

Then come the joyful day: 

Come death, and some celestial band, 

To bear our souls away.

 

-preacher Wm. Mason (1724-1797 A.D.)

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