HOW often we find people really anxious to be saved, and in trouble about their sins, who only need the gospel to be simply presented to them, to get saved.
Others again (and they are many) are puzzled by the very simplicity of God’s way of salvation. That the Lord means exactly what He says in John 5:24,24Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. (John 5:24) “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life,” seems incredible, and salvation simply through healing and believing, without good works of any kind, seems to be too easy, and too good to be true.
I met an old woman lately, whose history illustrates what I said at the beginning. She was anxious to be saved, and when the gospel was presented to her in a simple way, she received it at once. After a little conversation, I gave her a gospel book, and asked her about her soul. She told me she was most anxious to be saved, and was praying for salvation. “But,” I said, “salvation is all ready for you; you have only to take it.” I then asked her to give me back the little book I had just given her, and said, “Now I am going to give the book back to you, but remember when I offer the book to you, God Is offering salvation to you in just the same way, and the question is, Will you take salvation?”
I then held out the little book to her, and said: “God is offering salvation to you. Will you take it?” At once the old woman put out her hand and took the book.
“Well,” I asked, “what are you going to say?” when to my joy she began to thank God for having saved her. “Are you saved?” I asked, a little later, and at once got a decided Yes. “What has He done for you?” I asked again. “He has saved me,” was the answer.
The old woman had so simply and readily received Christ, that it seemed too good to be true.
I left the neighborhood soon after, but a friend has Since written to tell me, that he has been to her house, and found the old woman rejoicing in the knowledge of salvation. She told him all I had said to her, and that she had seen it quite plainly when I offered her the little book the second time; that she had been anxious for years, and had been praying God to send someone to speak to her.