# “In a little while you will meet in heaven” by John Newton

- Link: https://tollelege.net/2025/09/12/in-a-little-while-you-will-meet-in-heaven-by-john-newton/
- Published: 2025-09-12T07:00:00-05:00
- Author: tollelege

“As to your opponent, I wish, that, before you set pen to paper against him, and
during the whole time you are preparing your answer, you may commend him by earnest
prayer to the Lord’s teaching and blessing. This practice will have a direct tendency
to conciliate your heart to love and pity him; and such a disposition will have 
a good influence upon every page you write.

If you account him a believer, though greatly mistaken in the subject of debate 
between you, the words of David to Joab, concerning Absalom, are very applicable:“
Deal gently with him for my sake.”

The Lord loves him and bears with him; therefore you must not despise him, or treat
him harshly. The Lord bears with you likewise, and expects that you should shew 
tenderness to others, from a sense of the much forgiveness you need yourself.

In a little while you will meet in heaven; he will then be dearer to you than the
nearest friend you have upon earth is to you now. Anticipate that period in your
thoughts; and though you may find it necessary to oppose his errors, view him personally
as a kindred soul, with whom you are to be happy in Christ forever.

But if you look upon him as an unconverted person, in a state of enmity against 
God and His grace, (a supposition which, without good evidence, you should be very
unwilling to admit,) he is a more proper object of your compassion than of your 
anger. Alas! “he knows not what he does.”

But you know who has made you to differ. If God, in His sovereign pleasure, had 
so appointed, you might have been as he is now; and he, instead of you, might have
been set for the defense of the Gospel. You were both equally blind by nature. If
you attend to this, you will not reproach or hate him, because the Lord has been
pleased to open your eyes, and not his.”

–John Newton, [_The Works of John Newton_](https://heritagebooks.org/products/the-works-of-john-newton-4-vols.html?srsltid=AfmBOoptOpp6VsOcKlMYyyybRf444WbT2ndxwjy4UEHLMi1HFhilQCKv),
[_Volume 1_](https://heritagebooks.org/products/the-works-of-john-newton-4-vols.html?srsltid=AfmBOoptOpp6VsOcKlMYyyybRf444WbT2ndxwjy4UEHLMi1HFhilQCKv)(
Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth, 1988), 1: 268-270.

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