I Am Cleared of Your Blood

“If he turn not, He will whet His sword; He has bent His bow and made it ready.”
Psalm 7:12

I have often trembled at the thought that, here I am standing before you and constantly engaged in the world of the ministry and what if, when I die, I should be found unfaithful to your souls? How doleful will be our meeting in the world of spirits! It would be a dreadful thing if you were able to say to me in the world to come, “Sir, you flattered us. You did not tell us of the solemnities of eternity. You did not rightly dwell upon the awful wrath of God. You spoke to us feebly and faintly. You were somewhat afraid of us—you knew we could not bear to hear of eternal torment and therefore you kept it back and never mentioned it!”

Why, methinks you would look me in the face and curse me throughout eternity, if that should be my conduct. But by God’s help it never shall be. Come fair or foul, when I die I shall, God helping me, be able to say, “I am clear of the blood of all men.” So far as I know God’s Truth I will endeavor to speak it. And though on my head disgrace and scandal is poured to a ten-fold greater extent than ever, I’ll hail it and welcome it—if I may but be faithful to this unstable generation, faithful to God and faithful to my own conscience. Let me, then, endeavor—and by God’s help I will do it as solemnly and as tenderly as I can—to address such of you as have not yet repented, most affectionately reminding you of your future doom, if you should die impenitent. “If you turn not, God will whet His sword.”

-Charles Spurgeon