God has written many books. We read the books of God when we see the storm and the springtime, for all things speak as God would have them, and if our ears are open we may hear the voice of God in the roll of thunder, in the flash of lightning, in the twinkling of the star, and in the budding of the flower.
God has written the great book of creation, and it teaches us how great and how mighty He is. But only one Book reveals to man God's ways of mercy. It is the Bible. Nowhere else can we find any trace thereof.
I find salvation written nowhere, until in this volume of my Father's grace I find His blessed love unfolded towards the great human family, teaching them that they are lost, but that He can save them, and that in saving them He can be "just," and yet the justifier of the ungodly. Salvation, then, is to be found in the Scriptures, and in the Scriptures only.
I believe that the Bible was sent not to teach me history, but to teach me grace―not to give me a system of philosophy, not to teach worldly wisdom, but spiritual wisdom. Hence I hold all preaching of philosophy and science in the pulpit to be altogether out of place. We mock our hearers, we insult God, if we deliver lectures upon botany or geology instead of delivering sermons on salvation.
It is salvation I desire to preach to you. We have three great truths to consider. In the first place, we are told who they are who will be saved, "them...that come unto God by Him," Jesus Christ. In the second place, we are told the extent of the Savior's ability to save, "He is able also to save them to the uttermost." In the third place, we have the reason given why He can save, "He ever liveth to make intercession for them."
The first truth is that people who are to be saved are those who come unto God by Jesus Christ. There is no limitation here; it simply says "them," which includes men of all ranks, men of all classes, who simply come to Jesus Christ. They shall be saved whatever their apparent position before men.
Now I must have you notice where these people come to. They "come unto God." By coming to God we are not to understand the mere formality of devotion. There are many people who have learned a form of prayer by heart, or, perhaps, use an extemporary form of words of their own composing, and never come to God at all.
Coming to God is not what some of you suppose -now and then sincerely performing an act of devotion. You suppose that for the sake of an occasional devotion or self-sacrifice God will be pleased, in His infinite mercy, to blot out your sins. I tell you, sinners, there is no such thing as bringing half of yourselves to God.
Do you suppose you can be allowed to drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of Satan at the same time? I tell you, ye shall depart as cursed and miserable hypocrites if you so come to God! God will have the whole of you come. The whole man must seek after the Lord, otherwise it is not an acceptable coming to God at all. Oh, anyone halting between two opinions, remember this, and tremble!
Notice how they come. They "come unto God by Him," that is, by Jesus Christ. We have known many persons who think that they can approach God apart from Jesus Christ. Do you think that you will be heard and saved by the great God, your Creator, apart from the merits of His Son? Let me solemnly assure you in God's most holy name that there never was a prayer answered for salvation without Jesus Christ the Mediator. "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me." John 14:66Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (John 14:6).
The Father will never save a man apart from Christ. There is not one soul now in heaven who was not saved by Jesus Christ. If you would be at peace with God, you must come to Him through Christ, as the way, the truth, and the life.
The second truth is the measure of the Savior's ability. Christ is a Savior, but how far is He able to save? What a noble answer the text gives! "He is able also to save them to the uttermost."
Perhaps you are a person who thinks that you are the most loathsome of all beings, the most condemned of all creatures. My dear friend, suppose you have gone to the uttermost, remember that even you have not gone beyond the reach of divine mercy, for He is "able also to save them to the uttermost."
The third truth is that He is able to save, because He lives to make intercession for us. That Man who once died on the cross, is alive; that Jesus who was buried in the tomb is alive. "He ever liveth to make intercession for them."
Sinner, if you ask me how Christ can save you, I tell you this―He can save you, because He did not save Himself; He can save you, because He took your guilt and endured your punishment. There is no way of salvation apart from the satisfaction of divine justice. Either the sinner must die, or else someone must die for him. God has a debt against us, and He never remits that debt; He will have it paid. Christ pays it, and then the poor sinner goes free.
Oh! beloved, hear again the text―"Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them." Hebrews 7:2525Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. (Hebrews 7:25).