824. 1PE 4:3. THE LIFE OF SIN LONG ENOUGH
1Pe_4:3. The Life of Sin Long Enough
"For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries."’971Pe_4:3.
The Apostle Peter is showing in the text, that a life of iniquity had not been abandoned too early’97that the time spent in ungodliness had been sufficiently long; and, therefore, that a wiser and better course could not begin too soon. Now this simple, clear, and powerful process of reasoning, I wish to apply to all, in order to show the great importance of immediately seeking saving religion. What thoughtful mind will not agree with the apostle, that the time past may well be sufficient to have wrought the will of the Gentiles? By the will of the Gentiles, we understand an irreligious life’97a life of ungodliness’97a life of sin and rebellion against God.
And I ask, in reference to such a life,
I. Did you not live in that state sufficiently long, when you reflect on the rebellion, and ingratitude, that life involved?
Every day and hour was a life in opposition to God. Sin, daring, open sin,’97of aggravated evil, positive evil’97of ingratitude to God. You sinned against your heavenly Father, your Divine Benefactor, your continual Preserver’97against a patient, longsuffering Friend. How base then the sinfulness of that state! how evil the whole life! And, therefore, surely it could not terminate too soon. How merciful on the part of God, that it was not ended, so far as your probation was concerned, by the stroke of his righteous wrath, and severe displeasure. A life involving every element of folly and baseness, could not be brought to a conclusion too early. Did you not live in that state long enough, when you reflect,
II. On the prostitution and continued perversion of your own powers?
From the course pursued, let us glance at the character and condition you occupied as God’s accountable creatures. Let it be observed that you were men, and not brutes’97rational intellectual men, possessing an understanding, a judgment, a will, and moral affections formed for high and noble purposes and objects’97destined to be wise and holy’97to be in rank, only a little lower than the angels. Yet how low did you sink in the scale of excellency’97how debased and degraded was your condition. The lord had become a vassal, a menial, a slave! The child, a wretched wanderer and outcast! The heir of immortality, a criminal, exposed to endless infamy and death! Surely, in that state, you had lived long enough.
How true the text,
III. When you remember the enjoyments of which you deprived yourselves.
A life of sin is evil; but it is also bitter. For it not to be bitter, the conscience must be destroyed; or at least, so seared, as to be utterly obdurate. Think of the self-accusation you felt’97of the self-loathing endured’97of the mental pain you experienced’97of the remorse you had to bear; you might have had peace, comfort, calm, sunshine, hope! but your soul was like the agitated lake’97the restless sea; and you had within the gnawing worm. Oh, surely, this state was long enough.
But it was so, when you reflect,
IV. On the pernicious influence your conduct exerted on others.
We do not, and cannot live and stand alone; nor sin, nor fall, nor perish alone. When you wrought the will of the Gentiles, you had kindred, perhaps children’97a wife and relatives. What did you teach them’97what example present before them’97what influence exert upon them? Do you know the mischief you did? Where are all your evil associates now? How many in the grave’97how many perhaps in perdition! If they could address you’97what would they say’97allured, fascinated, destroyed, and by you! How true the declaration,’97One sinner destroyeth much good. So it was with you, when you wrought the will of the Gentiles. These evils you cannot now fully repair. But at any rate, is it not certain that the time of such a course ought to suffice, yea, even be more than sufficient? Would you not now rejoice if your career of vice had ended long before; and if, instead of being a ringleader in sin, you had been an instrument to warn souls of the error of their ways?
But the text is true, when you think of the,
V. Talents, influence, and blessings of which it deprived you.
How different might have been your Christian character, if you had served God earlier’97had you begun in youth. How improved would have been your talents’97how telling your influence. The weakness sin has left, perhaps will never be entirely removed. The hours of the short day of life were worse than wasted. Talents worse than idle. Opportunities most precious, are now forever gone. And all that rich series of blessings connected with those favorable seasons, have fled with them. The seed-time of spring, and the glowing beams of summer have passed away, and to you will never more return. Then the retrospect, so dark and so dreary’97must establish the truth of the text,’97that the life of iniquity was vastly too long.
If one year of accountable existence is spent in wrong-doing, in debasing sensuality, in "lascivious lusts," which sink men to a level with brutes; in "excess of wine," which induces drunkenness; wherein man descends to a state lower than beastly degradation,’97"revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries," by which the intellect and moral powers become utterly polluted. Surely to that solitary year, the true and forcible language of the text may be applied,’97"That the time past of your life may well suffice, wherein you wrought the will of Gentiles." Then, if the text is so manifestly true, should you not learn,
(1.) That the present time ought to be highly valued. How needful to estimate the period still allotted to you as increasing in value, from the time that has been so fearfully wasted. In reality you only have begun to live, since you abandoned the former course of your sinful being. You only entered on the happier, holier period of your moral existence, when you began to glorify God with your body and soul, which are his. When you gave to him a confiding heart, and an obedient subjection to his will.
(2.) Your deliverance should be gratefully remembered. Bless God that at length he saved you,’97that his mercy and longsuffering endured so long,’97that his patience waited for your repentance and penitential return. That rescue, you must never forget. It was the bright spot in your history. The crisis of your immortal being; and on which was suspended all real blessedness here, and all hope in reference to the future world. It was then, that you were brought out of the mire and clay, and your feet set upon a rock, and that a new song of praise to God was put into your mouths. Never forget the hand that raised you’97never cease to exult in the grace that delivered you.
"The theme demands an angel’s song,
And an eternal day."
(3.) Your time and powers should be most fully occupied in God’s service. You should make up in some measure, if possible, for past folly, by doing good in God’s work. Activity, diligence, devotedness to the divine glory, should now absorb your whole being. Oh, yes! are you not under the most solemn of all obligations to do all you can for Christ’97for souls’97for the church’97for the world at large? Yes; ask how you can best exhibit a devoted heart, and employ a sanctified life, to the praise of God and the good of men. And let your religion be one bright flame of Christian philanthropy and usefulness.
Finally,’97Let the subject influence the young to decision. Now is the best time for commencing a religious course. Perhaps the only time you may have. Besides, it is now much easier for you to begin. Evil habits are not yet established. The fetters of iniquity are not forged so fast and firm around your moral powers. The roots of the evil tree are not so deeply imbedded in depravity and guilt. Oh, how all-important to avoid the destructive evils which abound in the world! To rise, at once, in life and holiness. To grow up from youth in God’s fear, that the whole man may be his.
But one word, in conclusion, to the mature in life, and to the aged. To you we say, no longer delay. Should not the time past more than suffice? And in reference to sin, what have you gained by it’97what are the benefits you really derived’97what can you expect to reap in the great harvest? Must not the end be death, everlasting death! And to that state of woe and ruin you are rapidly approaching. The Judge may be at the door. Perhaps only a few days, or weeks, will be allotted you for consideration, repentance, and for fleeing from the wrath to come to the Lord Jesus, the only Saviour of the wretched and the lost. Be wise, then, and hesitate not for a moment, but flee for safety to the shelter of Christ’s cross. And do it now, today, while the Holy Spirit strives with you; lest the door of mercy be closed, and you perish without remedy and without hope.
Autor: JABEZ BURNS