The mail man failed to bring a check this month from The United States Steel Corporation. This really isn’t unusual since we have no connection with U. S. Steel either as an employee or as an investor. This being true, we have no right to expect a check from them, in fact we would be more surprised if we did receive a check since we have done nothing to warrant one.

When we transfer this principle to things divine we suddenly’ find millions who expect to reap where they have not sown. These have completely filled their lives with the temporal things which have no lasting value thereby crowding God and His Word out of their thoughts. This has happened before, since Christ told us that ”as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of Man. They did eat, they drank, they married wives they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.” Now none of these things in themselves are sins unless they so dominate our lives that the things of God are pushed aside. This is the warning of the Lord Jesus, a warning that is going unheeded today just as it was when Noah preached and when Christ walked along the shores of Galilee. People were just too busy to turn to God. After all, one must work for a living and all work and no play makes Jack dull, so ample time must be allowed for relaxation and where is the time left for God? Unfortunately there just wasn’t any left, but ”never mind, it’s all right, God will save you anyhow,” they hear from the pulpit and they deposit a few shekels and go away again in the pursuit of happiness.

It just isn’t reasonable, but then when intelligent men consider religion all the wisdom and logic they use to accumulate weath is cast aside and they willingly accept ”false teachers” who, says Peter, ”bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord... and many shall follow their pernicious ways.” When it comes to business, these same ”intelligent” men refuse to believe a report unless supported by indisputable facts because, after all, their wealth is at stake. When it comes to religion, they will accept another’s teaching because they haven’t time to ”search the scriptures” for themselves.

It is a pleasant thought that we can ignore God and spend our time in a mad search for happiness and God will save us anyway, but not only is it not logical but it also is not true. James issues a scorching rebuke to those who have shut God out of their lives saying, ”Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. Your riches are corrupted and your garments are motheaten... Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth. and been wanton.”

We do reap that which we sow. If we want wealth and prestige in this life and are willing to devote our efforts to this end, then we can attain it, but do not expect to be saved as a by-product. If we want to be accepted of Christ at His coming, now is the time to prepare for that coming. We cannot receive a dividend from U. S. Steel unless we have made a deposit and we cannot receive the approval of Christ at his coming unless we are his. May we be among those who can say in that day, ”Lo, this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He will save us: this is the Lord; we have waited for Him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.”