A Dark Christless Grave — E.A. Johnston

I don't like roller coasters, and I made the mistake when I was a young man of getting on Space Mountain at Disneyland in California, not realizing what I was getting myself into. It was dark in there, as I was turned upside down and hurled around on that dark, scary ride, but that roller coaster ride eventually came to an end, and I was able to get off on my shaky legs.

The Endless Darkness and Torment of Hell

But there is a dark region that has no end to it, for hell is a bottomless pit, a region of outer darkness, and a trip to hell has no end. It is a perpetual falling into darkness, where the only light comes from the twist and flames of a smoke and furnace.

A Christless Life Leads Toward Destruction

Hell is like being stuck forever in a dark, descending cave that is burning on fire. Your journey to hell begins by a step, a step of living a Christless life, for a life lived for self, but not lived for God, ends up in hell.

A Christless life is a deluded life, lived in spiritual darkness. A Christless life is a dark life, lived in a kingdom of darkness. All is dark in regard to spiritual things, and all is in bondage to that dark way, which is a perilous way.

Jeremiah 23 .12 speaks of this, wherefore, their way shall be unto them as slippery ways in the darkness. They shall be driven on and fall therein, for I will bring evil upon them, even the year of their visitation, saith the Lord.

The Dark Christless Grave and Eternity

A Christless life is a dark life that leads to a dark Christless grave. A grave is a dark, lonely thing. A graveyard is a lonely, forlorn place. Go take a walk through a graveyard, friend, and you will sense the isolation and darkness of the grave.

As a Christless life is lived in the dark, and as death lies in wait at the edge of a dark Christless grave, so too a dark Christless eternity follows a Christless grave. Jesus spoke of hell as a region of outer darkness.

A day will come, friend, when death visits you, and your corpse will be placed in a dark coffin and lowered into a dark grave. Your soul will go out into eternity, into a prison of the darkness of hell, for nothing but a dark eternity awaits all those who die outside of Christ's blood.

The dead in hell scream and wail at this hour as they are held in chains in pitch-black darkness. A dark Christless grave awaits every man, every woman, who dies in a natural condition apart from Christ.

Jesus Christ as the Only Way to the Father

Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, and the life, and no man cometh unto the Father but by me. For it is here that Jesus answers the three greatest questions of the human heart. How can I be saved? Jesus says, I am the way.

How can I be sure? Jesus says, I am the truth. How can I be satisfied? Jesus says, I am the life. And in John 6 .35, Jesus declared, I am the bread of life. He that cometh to me shall never hunger, and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.

The Gospel Invitation to Come and Believe

The gospel is for the hungry, the weary, and the thirsty. Let me ask you, friend, are you hungry for God? Are you weary of your sins? Are you thirsty for Christ? Christ is the bread of life. He invites poor sinners to come to him and believe on him.

The duty required is to come, and he has a pure gospel promised to all who come. And him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. Repent, friend, and believe on him before it's too late.