Christian Living

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The night was cold and clear and moonless in the North Atlantic ocean with diminished visibility. Down below in the third class section there was a rowdy group of jovial passengers dancing and making merry. These dancers didn't know that their ship on which they traveled was headed straight into a field of icebergs.

Plowing through the icy waters of the Atlantic the ocean liner that was called unsinkable, the Titanic, was on it's maiden voyage to New York when at 11:40 pm on Sunday April 14, 1912 the unthinkable happened. The Titanic hit an iceberg and within two hours and forty minutes, she sank to the ocean floor at a depth of over 12,000 feet creating a watery grave for almost 1500 people.

Later it was reported that Titanic had received six messages warning that it was approaching an icefield. All these warnings were disregarded.

At 11:00 Pm the radio operator of a ship that was traveling not far ahead of Titanic violated a protocol by interrupting Titanics outgoing broadcast

The passengers were primarily well off for the tickets were high priced. There were men, women and children on board. There were perhaps some genuine Christians traveling on that gigantic vessel as well as a great many who profeessed to know Christ but who in their daily lives were probably denying the Lord they claimed to follow.

Here are some spiritual lessons and questions we can ask ourselves in remembering the Titanic.

Do you suppose those 1500 people who died during the early morning hours on April 15th thought much about death before the Titanic struck the iceberg?

Do you suppose there entered into the minds of those headed to New York the thought that they may never make it to New York alive? Seeing that human nature doesn't really change those people, like most people today, were probably thinking about how they were going to spend their days in pleasure or business when they arrived in New York. Perhaps they were thinking about how they were going to spend their money buying some new thing from some merchant retailer. Well, that day never came for those 1500 people because they died.

Just like then so today death catches many people off guard and unprepared to face their Creator. This should not be for we have the revealed will of God to warn us of the necessity to repent and place our trust in the Lord Jesus Christ for all our many sins.

The Bible says that "The LORD hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil." Proverbs 16:4

There are many such passages in Holy Scripture that ought to humble us and tighten up the loins of our thinking and make us contemplate our own mortality because death is real and death will eventually stop for each of us whether kindly or unkindly.

The Titanic had 2201 souls on board, but only enough lifeboat space for 1178. Why was there not adequate provision made for everybody just in case some unforeseen catastrophe overtook the ship? Were the designers of the ship so confident and proud that nothing could sink her and bring her plunging beneath those frigid waters?

Captain Edward John Smith was the captain of the Titanic. He was reported to have said that this would be his last voyage. In that prophetic utterance he was right because Captain Smith died along with the majority of passengers on board. It was his last voyage.

The Titanic was called “unsinkable” because the ship had a double bottom and sixteen water tight compartments which would float if any two of the compartments were filled with water.

At the time the Titanic was built it was the largest ship ever built at a length of over 882 feet and was so named from the Greek mythologies of the Titans which were gigantic creatures.

The foggy weather, the excessive speed during the Atlantic route which created conditions ripe for shipwreck because of the many icebegs, along with a shortage of survival lifeboats on board made for a rather presumptuous journey.

Some lessons to be learned from this historic event, which I shall not call tragic (simply because to do so is to ascribe tragedy to Him who ordaineth whatsoever cometh to pass and who does all things well) are the following:

1. "Wealth profits not in the day of wrath but righeousness delivers from death." Proverbs 11:4

One of the richest if not the richest man on board was John Jacob Astor. He perished with all his millions which were not able to redeem his life from the death that was soon to follow the striking of the iceberg.

Here are other sciptures to keep in mind in light of death and eternity.

Matthew 16:26 -- For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? Mark 8:36

There may have been some very rich men on board who thought they might secure their safety (at least this is what the film portray but then Hollywood is seldom accurate with such details)
with their riches. From the historic records we know that the women and children were first put into the lifeboats leaving even the richest men without help in the day of their death.

Many who survived the ship wreck froze to death or drowned.

"For the wages of sin is DEATH; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Romans 6:23

1 Timothy 6:17-18 Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; That they do good, that they BE RICH IN GOOD WORKS, ready to distr
Take heed lest you perish as did others who knew not God. To perish without God is a thought that should drive you to your knees where you may ask God for grace to give you a new heart that is fashioned like unto the Lord Jesus Christ "For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich." 2 Corinthians 8:9

Somebody once asked how much wealth the late Howard Hughes left behind and the answer is he left it all. Mr Hughes left everything he owned behind. He didn't take anything with him after leaving this world and the same will be said of you.

The recent death of pop singer Whitney Houston shocked millions across the world. She is reported to have been buried with over $500,000 worth of gold jewlry on her body. To what purpose was this? This will never be enjoyed by her again. There are 24 hour around the clock security to keep thiefs from digging up her grave and plundering that wealth which can not profit in the day of one's death.

Beloved, are you ready to meet God when you die? It matters not whether you are rich in material goods when you die but are you rich toward God? Are you rich in good works and in the faith of Jesus Christ which alone can justify you before a holy God. Romans 5:1; There are no second chances. There is no purgatory as the Roman Catholic church falsely teaches. There is no benefit for praying for the dead. The dead have their destiny sealed when they leave this world.

"For as it is once appointed unto men to die, but after this the judgment." Hebrews 9:27

Back in 1998 I and a screenwriter friend named Paul Walter attended the showing of the blockbuster hit "The Titanic" starring Leonardo Dicaprio and Kate Winslett at the famous Chinese Grauman Theater in Hollywood, CA. I was able to get us both in for free since I was a member of the Screen Actor's Guild (SAG). At the time I viewed the film I was a professing Christian but had no fear of God and was chasing pleasure and excitement like many are today.

During the film I slipped away to get Paul and I some popcorn and I guess my timing was just right because the concession area was closing and the guy working there decided to just give me a big bag of buttered popcorn and two soft drinks to go with it for free! All I can remember was how cool it was to get some goody treats to satiate my senses while taking pleasure in a moment of escape satisfaction.

If I had been mindful of God's words and the judgment to come after death this film I was watching may have had a better affect on my soul but such was not the case as I recall.

Within a several weeks Paul and I and a few other friends were able to attend the Academy Awards and the Governor's Ball that immediately followed. It was there that I saw James Cameron, the director of the Titanic within an arm's distance. You might recall that upon receiving an Oscar for best director he shouted from the stage "I'm king of the world!" (one of the lines in the film spoken by Dicaprio) Such can be the excitement of the moment but are we thinking soberly and of death and the fact that we must all stand before God at the great Judgment?

Later that evening Paul snapped my picture with Kate Winslett when he alerted me to the fact that I was practically brushing shoulders with her as attendees and celebrities were moving about. I unknowingly was standing right next to Kate. So I asked Kate if I could have a picture taken of both of us and she gave nodded approvingly. Kate was wearing the green dress she wore in the film and I was wearing a tux.

Nothing that happened at the Govenor's Ball caused me to reflect on the horrors of the actual sinking of the Titanic. The film should have been a sober reminder that we must all die and sooner that we might expect.

When the Titanic's outlook post spotted the iceberg that lie ahead there was an inevitable destruction that waited that ship as that massive bulk of steel struck the iceberg unexpectedly and began to take on water.

Looking back on the Titanic I recall that there are several inaccuracies in the film but that didn't matter at the time because I was fascinated with the love story, drama and special effects of the last scene where the ship breaks in two and sinks into the Atlantic ocean.

My friend ask yourself if your life seems unsinkable because of your riches or good health. Are you trusting in yourself to somehow get safely to heaven instead of trusting in the merits of Jesus Christ's death on the cross and His righteousness?

Are you proud and self-confident thinking little of your sin and misery which is so grievous and offensive to the Holy God of creation? Oh, pray that you might feel your wicked and calloused heart today. You may think you are a good moral person but pray that you would remember your many sins from your youth up to your present which have proven that you are a lawless person full of iniquity and lies, and envy and self-fishness.

If you break one of God's commandments then you are guilty before God and worthy of death and eternal damnation. But because Jesus Christ took upon Himself the sins of His people there is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit.
Romans 8:1

People everywhere are ignorant of this one thing that "God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day." Psalm 7:11 "And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent" Acts 17:30

Remember the Titanic.

If you're a traveling person think upon your future trip whether by sea or by air or by car. It doesn't matter how you plan things out the Lord will have the ultimate say in whether you arrive at your journey safely. Pray for safety but be ready to meet God if you should die.

"The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the LORD." Proverbs 21:30

When we die and leave this world what will really matter most is how we lived our lives, not how much wealth we had. What may I ask are you living for today?

Are you trying to get rich and making a god out of money? Are you trying to get more of this world's goods so you may take your ease and eat, drink and be merry because you know that you will soon die?

Do not presume upon God's mercy but seek His grace and plead for His tender mercies for the Lord is a God of great mercy and while you have life you have hope but the dead know nothing and the hope of the hypocrite shall perish. Job; 8:13; Eccl 9:5;

Know also that outside of Jesus Christ there is no true hope for eternal life, "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is no other name under heaven given among men, by which we must be saved." Acts 4:12







Carlton Pruitt ministers the gospel to the Los Angeles area. Formerly a Hollywood actor (SAG member)and junk removal expert he now spends most of his time studying the scriptures, writing articles, hymns and poems and doing street preaching. See his videos on http://www.youtube.com Type LAStreetPreacher in the search bar. CONTACT at [email protected]

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