THE difference is very great between a man in his lost state, with all his guilt upon him, being met by a legal delivery, through the courts of God’s judicature admitting of a substitute, and this substitute the Son of God in the likeness of sinful flesh, who answers all the charges against the sinner on the cross; and on the other hand, that same person made sensible only of his depravity, and regeneration by the Spirit preached to him. Depravity, which needs a change of nature, does not explain his terrible condition. There is nothing in the meaning of the word to make him realize his guilt, as he is viewed at the bar of a righteous God. It does not show that a sinner is guilty there. Supposing him to hear a gospel which declares his case to have been met at the cross, he stands before God with a conscience free from guilt, accepted in the perfectness of Him who has done a perfect work for him. Otherwise― supposing regeneration, or, in common language, a new heart, to be preached―he is cast for peace and assurance upon a change wrought in himself (uneven in its results, because of indwelling sin), without the sense of the throne of God being satisfied. The conscience in this condition remains ill at ease. The man is looking at himself for the fruits of regeneration, instead of at the removal of his guilt, which Christ has effected for him before God. The state of mind found among those who receive this preaching is anything but happy. They seldom have settled peace, for they are thrown upon the work of the Spirit in them, rather than on the work of Christ for them. The work, say they, that saves them, is the Spirit’s work; but the Holy Spirit having, as before observed, to form and conduct His work― speaking reverently― within the heart, and, as it were, amid the changing feelings of that heart, these feelings mingle themselves with the Spirit’s proper work, and they judge of their state, even as to their acceptance with God, according to these feelings of which they were never intended to be the index. Thus they are on one day happy, and on another under a cloud.
Those experiences, which, if rightly understood, would be the barometer to measure our high or low state of communion with our heavenly Father, in consequence of our previous justification, are used instead, as the only means of knowing whether we are the children of God or not. Having failed in communion―that is, in fellowship―we think we have lost salvation. People in this condition are rarely certain of anything in the way of acceptance. They are never, in their own eyes, set right with God, although, through grace, they may be in His. If you ask them whether they are saved, the reply is, “They hope they shall be;” they are looking at themselves, and not at Christ. Districts where this preaching predominates may be said to abound with backsliding sinners, those who have once, as they say, “felt happy,” but who have never properly looked at the work of Christ, as settling the question of their guilt and condemnation before God. Meanwhile the mischief that is done to those in an anxious inquiring state, who live in such neighborhoods, is deplorable. Their conscience tells them that there must be a godly walk, and they have seen the halting and stumbling of failing professors. Ask such inquirers whether they believe on the Lord Jesus, the reply is almost always either, “No, I know I do not; there needs a great change in me first:” or else, “It’s no use to talk of believing, unless we go by it.” The one class are looking for a change in themselves, to produce peace within; instead of looking, like the bitten Israelite, at the brazen serpent outside of himself. The others, seeing the need of a holy walk, are beginning, or intending someday to begin, to prepare themselves beforehand, hoping in due time to get on so well that Christ will receive them, and then that they shall not dishonor their profession by a fall, like some of their neighbors. Oh that they knew the “good news” of a finished redemption; of an accomplished salvation! Oh that they knew that Christ receives sinners, saves them just as they are, washes them from their sins in His own blood, and conveys to them a power of walk, through the power of the Holy Ghost! For the first thing He does in giving them life is to save them, and as the life conveyed is the issue of God’s love, it mingles with our hearts, and thus teaches us to love Him who first loved us. Thus we are sweetly drawn along, motives in us combining with the power of the Holy Ghost.
I wonder whether the Philippian jailer was thinking of how he was to walk, when, after the great earthquake―to which the awful break-up in his own soul responded―he cried out, “What must I do to be saved?” Would not the terrible condition which a sinner is in before God―if we could bring it before him―lead to the same cry, rather than, as we too often find, a prolonged exercise of religious feeling, which ends, perhaps, in some fancied self-improvement, without the conscience of the man being satisfied as to his safety before God?
But, indeed, it may be added, that rather a marked feature in this character of mind is, that people understand they must be got ready to go to heaven, but they do not realize that they are going to hell. It is not a change of heart, but a change of state, which is first wanted, whilst surely the change of state is connected with change of heart.
The Israelites at the Passover (Ex. 12) knew they were safe, because God said, “When I see the blood I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you.” Faith ever looks at things from God’s point of view. Rahab in Jericho was safe, because the scarlet line was tied to her window, and hung down over the town wall, where it could be seen of the spies, that being the sign agreed upon. She had only their promise as connected with the line, but that was enough for faith, and every happy feeling she had sprung from it. It is not the improvement of man, but the Saviour provided by God to deliver him from the condemnation that else awaits him, which should be our first business to bring before a sinner, and should be his first anxiety―as the following passages witness. Acts 8:55Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them. (Acts 8:5): “Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ to them.” Again, verse 35: “Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture” (vs., Isa. 53), “and preached unto him Jesus.” In the one case, “there was great joy in that city;” in the other, the eunuch “went on his way rejoicing.” Again 10:43: To Him give all the prophets witness, that through His name whosoever believeth in Him shall receive remission of sins.” Again, 13:39: “Through this Man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: and by Him all that believe are justified from all things.”
Texts might be multiplied, but these are enough to show that the business of the preacher of old was to show the guilt and condemnation under which all men lay, from which faith in Christ delivered them. The work of Christ meets them in their awful state, and justifies them, or, in other words, pronounces them righteous. The fruit of godliness of walk will surely follow.
Finally, be it remembered, if we are right in our surmise that it is ignorance of the Word of God, or, at all events, how to divide it aright, which hinders the peace, and therefore scants the service, of the children of God; it is just an acquaintance with all that God Himself is to us, and we to Him, which is calculated to produce fruit. Such truths are made known to us for this very purpose. It is true we may misuse them, but we shall never advance by withholding them, nor succeed in producing, by fleshly rules, that which it is the province of God by His Spirit to effect.