By: Mike Riley
Most of us have read about the infamous John Wilkes Booth who assassinated President Abraham Lincoln in 1865. But have we ever read about Edwin Booth, John’s eldest brother? Edwin Thomas Booth was a well-known American actor who one day was waiting at a Jersey City train station. Suddenly, he saw a man slip and fall off the platform.
Edwin quickly grabbed the man’s collar and pulled him to safety — rescuing him from severe injury or death. Who was the man he saved? Abraham Lincoln’s son Robert was a soldier in the Civil War.
Isn’t it ironic that the man who saved Abraham Lincoln’s son had a brother who would soon kill the president? One brother saved a life; the other brother took a life. One brother chose life; the other brother chose death.
In the Old Testament, the Lord gave His people a choice between life and death (Deuteronomy 30:15-20). They could love Him and obey His commands (Deuteronomy 30:16), or they could worship and serve other gods (Deuteronomy 30:17).
He told them:
“I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life” (Deuteronomy 30:19).
Today, we too have a choice between life and death. We can obey the conditions of salvation that Jesus has outlined in the New Testament and live with Him forever (1 Thessalonians 4:17; cf. John 17:24), or we can reject the salvation that Jesus offers and be in darkness forever without Him (Matthew 25:30; 2 Thessalonians 1:9).
Dear reader, the choice is clear. Choose eternal life — the life that is found only for those “in Christ Jesus” (Gal. 3:26-28 KJV).