Leviticus 5:1 And if a soul sin, and hear the voice of swearing, and is a witness, whether he has seen or known of it; if he do not utter it… Kilstein, a pious German minister, once heard a labouring man use the most awful curses and imprecations in a fit of passion, without reproving him for it. This so troubled him that he could scarcely sleep the following night. In the morning he arose early, soon saw the man coming along, and addressed him as follows: "My friend, it is you I am waiting to see." "You are mistaken," replied the man; "you have never seen me before." "Yes, I saw you yesterday," said Kilstein, "whilst returning from your work, and heard you praying." "What! heard me pray?" said the man. "I am sure now that you are mistaken, for I never prayed in my life." "And yet," calmly but earnestly replied the minister, "if God had heard your prayer, you would not be here, but in hell; for I heard you beseeching God that He might strike you with blindness and condemn you unto hell fire." The man turned pale, and trembling said: "Dear sir, do you call this prayer? Yes, it is true, I did this very thing." "Now, my friend," continued Kilstein, "as you acknowledge it, it is my duty to beseech you to seek with the same earnestness the salvation of your soul as you have hitherto its damnation, and I will pray to God that He will have mercy upon you." From this time the man regularly attended upon the ministry of Kilstein, and ere long was brought in humble repentance to Christ as a true believer. "A word in season how good it is." "Be instant in season and out of season; rebuke, reprove, exhort, with all long-suffering and patience." Parallel Verses KJV: And if a soul sin, and hear the voice of swearing, and is a witness, whether he hath seen or known of it; if he do not utter it, then he shall bear his iniquity. |
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