The Scriptures teach us that, “Man is like a breath, his days are like a passing shadow” (Ps. 144:4). God’s Word reminds us over and over of the temporary nature of this earthly life. Yet, we will be somewhere for all eternity. It is true for all of us. Those who have repented of their sin and received Christ as Lord will be saved (Rom. 10:9, 13; John 1:11-12). All who have trusted in the finished work of Christ will spend eternity with him in heaven. Those who have not repented of their sin and have not received Christ as Lord will not be saved (John 3:18, 36; 1 John 5:11-12). All who reject the finished work of Christ will spend eternity apart from him in hell. All human beings will be in one place or the other. What a person does with the Lord Jesus Christ determines his or her eternal destination (John 14:6; Acts 4:12).

There have been numerous times when I have been present with individuals as they were nearing the end of life. Some had struggled with longstanding health challenges. Others had experienced a sudden downturn in health. Being present when a believer is nearing the end of life is a unique experience. A born-again believer has peace with God and the indwelling Holy Spirit. Believers are looking forward to being in the presence of the Lord (2 Cor. 5:6-8; Phil. 1:23). The thought of being with the Lord, the One whom these brothers and sisters have trusted and served for so long, is the fulfillment of the desire of their hearts.

Being present with someone who does not know the Lord is entirely different. The person has had time to think, to contemplate what happens next. But, sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ with someone on his or her deathbed is not always as you might think. You would assume a person who is about to enter eternity apart from the Lord would want to change that reality. We have to remember what the Scriptures teach. Unbelievers are dead in their sin and they do not seek after God apart from his divine intervention in their lives (Rom. 3:10-18). Our prayer in such circumstances is for God to bring repentance and faith (cf. Acts 20:21). But, the key questions are: Repentance from what? Faith in what? These individuals must hear the gospel (Rom. 10:17; 1 Cor. 15:1-4). They do not need to hear that things will be better soon, if they do not know Jesus Christ. If they do not know Christ, things will certainly be worse (Matt. 13:49-50; 25:41, 46; Rev. 20:11-15). Scripture clearly states, “Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God… Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him” (John 3:18, 36). And here, “And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life” (1 John 5:11–12). These are non-negotiables. It does not matter how good someone thinks he or she is. We are all sinners (Rom. 3:23) and there is no way anyone can save himself.

No one gets to the end of his or her life and stands justified before God, except through Jesus Christ. Romans reads, “But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus” (Rom. 3:21–26). We need the salvation that Christ provides. We need the righteousness available through him and him alone.

Charles Spurgeon once preached, “You remember the story of Whitfield’s once saying that there would be some in heaven who were ‘the devil’s castaways;’ some that the devil would hardly think good enough for him, and yet whom Christ would save. Lady Huntingdon once gently hinted that such language was not quite proper. But just at the time there happened to be heard come a ring at the bell and Whitfield went down stairs. Afterwards he came up and said, “Your ladyship, what do you think a poor woman had to say to me just now? She was a sad profligate and she said, ‘O, Mr. Whitfield, when you were preaching you told us that Christ would take in the devil’s castaways and I am one of them,’” and that was the means of her salvation. Shall anybody ever check us from preaching to the lowest of the low? I have been accused of getting all the rabble of London around me. God bless the rabble! God save the rabble! then, say I. But suppose they are ‘the rabble!’ Who need the gospel more than they do? Who require to have Christ preached to them more than they do? We have lots of those who preach to ladies and gentlemen and we want someone to preach to the rabble in these degenerate days.”^[1] Brothers and sisters, the people you meet (on their deathbed or not), they need the same salvation and righteousness that is available through Jesus Christ alone. It is our responsibility to tell them. Let Paul’s declaration be ours as well, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, ‘The righteous shall live by faith’” (Rom. 1:16–17).

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^[1] C. H. Spurgeon, “Heaven and Hell,” in The New Park Street Pulpit Sermons, vol. 1 (London: Passmore & Alabaster, 1855), 304.