Most young men are filled with an ambition to "see life." This is a most laudable ambition, but, unhappily, their idea of what constitutes life is so far from the reality that few ever see life indeed.
Christianity is by them considered dull and "hokey." The one who becomes a follower of Jesus is thought to have thrown his life away. To "see life" it is supposed that one must indulge in dissipation, and must visit places of amusement where, to say the least, he would not feel comfortable with his mother as company.
In fact, the stage is quite generally regarded as affording the real opportunity to see life. But here, let it not be forgotten, the idea of "realism," real life, is always associated with the representation of what is most corrupt and vicious, thus indicating that the popular idea of life is wickedness. What a sad revelation this is as to what constitutes the "life" of the majority of mankind.
But what are the facts in the case? Is it real life, is it life at all, that people see on the stage, or in the most popular places of resort, or as a general thing on the public highways? Far from it. The Word of God makes the real facts very plain, and everyone can for himself prove the truthfulness of what it says. "This is the record, that God has given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He that has the Son has life." (1 John 5:11-12) "And He that believes not the Son shall not see life." (John 3:36) "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; (for the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and show unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us); That which we have seen and heard we declare unto you." (1 John 1:1-3) "There is a way that seems right unto a man; but the end thereof are the ways of death." (Proverbs 16:35)
How sad it is to think of men rushing to death, while they think that they are enjoying the very fullness of life. They go the way of her who says, "Stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant; But he knows not that the dead are there; and that her guests are in the depths of hell." (Proverbs 9:15-16)
This way which seems right to a man, but which ends in death, is one's own way. "We have all turned, everyone to his own way." (Isaiah 53:6)
And this way we would fain persuade ourselves is life. Reproofs of instruction, which are "the way of life," (Proverbs 6:23) come to us, but we do not relish them; and the result to all who persist in rejecting the way of the Lord is that: "They shall eat of the fruit of their own way," (Proverbs 1:31) which is death; "For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them." (Proverbs 1:32)
Wisdom, which is the fear of the Lord, and departure from evil, (Job 28:28) calls to us all, saying, "Whoso finds me finds life ... But he that sins against me wrongs his own soul; all they that hate me love death." (Proverbs 8:35-36)
What! is it possible that anybody should love death? Yes, it is; and, strange to say, those who talk the most about "seeing life" in this world, are the very ones who are most in love with death. All those who love that which leads to death, love death itself.
Death entered into the world by sin; (Romans 5:12) all sin contains the poison of death concealed in it. To love sin, then, which is the transgression of God's law, is to love death. How horrible the thought, that one will clasp a skeleton, or what is worse, a putrid corpse, to his bosom, imagining that it is the embodiment of life. It would not matter how beautifully a body of death were decked out, no one would feel any attraction for it if he could perceive that it was but a decaying carcass.
If then people would but stop to consider the difference between life and death, they would not make the terrible mistake that they do, of pursuing death instead of life. This difference is so very plain that none need have any difficulty is discerning it. The difference, in short, is this:
Life is eternal existence, while death is eternal destruction. Whatever endures has real life in it. Now all know that those things which the world calls pleasures and "real life" cannot exist long, and that is the reason why men are so fierce in pursuit of them. One says, "Life cannot last long, and I mean to enjoy it while I can."
He means that the things that he calls life cannot last long. But that very fact shows that they are not life, but death; for life, real life, is eternal. That which is not eternal is not life.
Life is strength, it is freshness, and fullness of joy. One does not grow weary of life; for the characteristic of eternal life, which is the only life, is that it is continually new. One can no more grow tired of it than he can of the morning dew drop or the clear light of the rising sun.
But men who are wholly devoted to what the world calls the pleasures of life, soon grow weary and disgusted, and often show by committing suicide that death is what they have been after. A Christian cannot commit suicide; he loves life too well. The more he has of it, the better he likes it. "What man is he that desires life, and loves many days, that he may see good? Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking guile. Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it." (Psalm 34:12-14) "I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your seed may live; That you may love the Lord your God, and that you may obey His voice, that you may cleave unto Him, for He is your life, and the length of your days." (Deuteronomy 30:19-20)--Present Truth, August 25, 1898--continued in next article.