. As the tree falls, so must it
lie. By J. R. Miller. Let him who
does wrong, continue to do wrong. Let him who is vile, continue
to be vile. Revelation 22 11. The character with which men
reach the final judgment will be their permanent character
forever. The man who lives in sin until
the end is making his own destiny. Habits of sin make the whole
life sinful. It is this that gives such solemnity
to life. The seeds of our future eternity
lie in our present. Out of our little acts, habits
grow. From our habits, character springs,
and our character fixes our destiny. Everyone goes to his own place,
that is, the place for which he is fitted by his life on the
earth. He who has always sinned here
on earth will continue to sin forever. Eternal death is simply
eternal sin along with the punishments and consequences thereof. The
punishment of the wicked will not be an arbitrary punishment,
but the result of their own choices and acts in this life. As the
tree falls, so must it lie. As the man lives, so must he
die. As a man dies, such must he be,
all through the ages of eternity. It makes a great difference,
therefore, how we live in this world. There is a false impression
in some people's minds that they can live in sin all their days
and then by a few tears of penitence and a few cries of mercy in a
dying hour can change all the course of their life and spend
eternity in heaven. This verse does not favor such
a view. The future life is but the harvest
of this present life. Men will be judged by their deeds.
The New Testament everywhere teaches the same solemn truth. This does not mean that salvation
is by works, we are saved by grace. But grace changes the
life and makes us holy. To die is gain only to those
who can sincerely say, to me to live is Christ.