Christ is coming; we are talking about it; it will be
for us. He is coming in flaming fire, he comes as a consuming fire; but
I want to know what is the use of talking about his coming unless we are
ready to meet him in this consuming fire? It is all deception for any
man to pass along carelessly when that is the eternal truth.
Do you not remember that the Word not only says that
we shall see him, but see him as he is ? that is, we shall see him as a
consuming fire,—and I am glad of it. Thank the Lord! Here is a
description of him when John saw him as he is,—saw him as we
shall see him,—and what of it? Just a few points: "His eyes were
as a flame of fire." "His feet like unto fine brass, as
if they burned in a furnace; and "His countenance was as the
sun shineth in his strength." His-raiment was "white as
snow, so as no fuller on earth can white them," "as white as
the light"— the whiteness of piercing, consuming brightness. That
is he. And that is he as he is when he comes; and without
holiness no man shall see him. Without separation from sin, no man shall
stand.
Then the question with you and with me today, and all
the time is, How shall we be so separated from sin that we may meet him
in flaming fire! How, how, how!
Look at yourself and your record, and I will look at
myself and my record. We will look at the evil traits that are in us, at
the struggles we have made, and the longing we have had to overcome
these besetments, and to separate ourselves from all the evil, that we
might indeed be ready. Where is there time to get ourselves ready? In
the short time that intervenes between now and that day,—is there
time? and if so, when shall be that time when you and I shall have
that thing so accomplished, shall have so separated ourselves from sin
that we shall be ready to meet him in flaming fire? The answer is,
Never. That time will never, never come.
Now is the time to be
separated from sin.