tomobiles, or any other means, to get there except the blood of Jesus Christ.” She resented that. “That’s your interpretation,” she insisted. But you see, this is what God says. He doesn’t have two ways of saving men. There is only one Saviour for all mankind; Jesus Christ is the uni versal Saviour. There is one Book for all the world, the Bible. “Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is none other name under heaven, given among men, whereby we must be saved.” The entire Bible is full of salvation. Have you ever been saved? The only reason you are not saved is be cause you haven’t trusted the Sav iour. There are many people who say, “Well, I don’t believe in hell. A lov ing God will never send anyone there.” This is correct. God will not send anyone there. He is a righteous and a just God. God didn’t create hell for men. He created it for the devil and his angels. If you end up in hell, it is because you chose to go there. God is able to save you and is able to save you now. He said, “Him that cometh unto me, I will in no wise cast out.” God won’t turn you away. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.” PROGRESS Until I learned to trust, I did not learn to pray, And I did not learn to fully trust Till sorrows came my way. Until I felt my weakness, His strength I never knew, Nor dreamed till I was stricken That He would see me through. Who deepest drinks of sorrow Drinks deepest too of grace; He sends the storm so He Himself, Can be our hiding place. His heart that seeks our highest good Knows well when things annoy. We would not long for heaven If earth held only joy.
“Who then can be saved?” (Mark 10:26). Jesus answered assuredly, “With men it is impossible, but not with God. For with God all things are possible.” When a man is born again, it is not by the will of man, but of God (John 1.13). It is impos sible for any man to be saved by his own means and methods. At the same time it is impossible for God not to save a man if he will come through Jesus Christ. The trouble is too many people want salvation on their own terms. Many years ago I pastored a church in Pennsylvania. One Monday morning I went into a drugstore for a tube of toothpaste. The woman be hind the counter was taking care of the customers. Her husband was mix ing prescriptions. She greeted me, “Good morning, Reverend. I under stand you were very dogmatic in your sermon last night.” “Well,” I said, “were you in church?” “No,” she re plied sheepishly, “but a customer was in this morning who told me about it. From .your message last night, I understand there is only one way to heaven.” I quoted John 14:6 for her. She responded rather starch ily, “Oh, that’s just your interpreta tion of the Bible.” I asked, “What’s your interpretation?” She began to illustrate, “Suppose the Jewish peo ple in our community want to go to Philadelphia. They decide to do it by automobile. Suppose the Christian Scientists want to go to Philadelphia. They decide to make the trip by train. If the Jehovah Witnesses want to go to Philadelphia they might ride bicy cles. There are many ways to get there. Now any one can readily see that we all got to Philadelphia; we simply went by different routes.” I listened intently to her words, and then as kindly as possible suggested, “There’s one thing wrong with your illustration. When men die, they aren’t going to Philadelphia. They will be going to heaven or hell. You won’t use boats, planes, bicycles, au- 10
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