By:
Edited by Algernon J. Pollock
Here we are in the great highway of salvation, and it is the KING’S highway. It does not belong to the pope, to the Anglican or Greek churches, or any other religious denomination, but to the King of kings. It is the KING’S highway.
In the high road the donkey barrow, or the corporation dust-cart has the same right as the Rolls-Royce of the merchant prince; the organ-grinder can walk on the same side of the street as a prince of the blood. God’s Salvation is
It is like His glorious sun that shines alike into the gilded palace, and glints along the tiled floor of the humble cottage. “Ho! EVERYONE that thirsteth, come” (Isa. 55:11Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. (Isaiah 55:1)). “Come unto Me, ALL ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:2828Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28)). This highway of salvation is
It is not the old way of the law, but the new way of grace; not the old way of doing, but the new way of done. Not of doing to live, but of living to do (Rom. 4:55But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. (Romans 4:5)) Therefore it is also
A LIVING WAY
It is not a way of death, but of life. “He that hath the Son hath life (1 John 5:1212He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. (1 John 5:12)), and it is life in a risen Saviour. Christ hath entered into Heaven by His own blood, having obtained eternal redemption for us. There is no wail now to hinder the believer’s approach.
There is no altar on earth. Yet “we have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle” (Heb. 13:1010We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle. (Hebrews 13:10)).
“Having therefore boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way... let us draw near (Heb. 10:19,2219Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, (Hebrews 10:19)
22Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. (Hebrews 10:22)). The precious blood of Christ has removed all obstacles. Christ has entered in by His own blood, and where He goes His people may follow. We, believers in the Lord, Jesus, have no longer to “come into the presence of God,” as we often hear, but we are there, and there forever.
“Ah―but―I feel so unworthy.” Of course, you do, and I hope you always will, but do you not see that your worthiness or unworthiness is not in question? On the contrary, it is His, worthiness, and the powerful merit of His own most precious blood, that has put every believer in the Holiest—the very presence of God—yea, and will keep him there forever.
“Dear dying Lamb! Thy precious blood,
Shall never lose its power,
Till all the ransomed church of God
Be saved to sin no more.”
Napoleon and his heroes could make a way through those mighty mountains to pass over to the devastation of Italy, but our All-glorious Redeemer has made a way through the cloud-betopped mountains of our sins, and from the deep depths of our nature’s night and ruin, up to the very highest seat in glory (Eph. 1:17-2317That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: 18The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, 19And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, 20Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, 21Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: 22And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, 23Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all. (Ephesians 1:17‑23)).
This way by which our Great Emancipator leads us is
A CLEAN WAY
“The unclean shall not pass over it, but it shall be for those” (Isa. 35:88And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein. (Isaiah 35:8)). “Without holiness none shall see the Lord” (Heb. 12:1414Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: (Hebrews 12:14)), “There is none righteous, no, not one” (Rom. 3:1010As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: (Romans 3:10)). No leprous foot shall tread that highway.
Men talk of mercy, and say that God will pass by the unrepentant sinner. Yet what would they think’ of the government passing a law to admit lepers into their homes on the plea of mercy. Why, they would at once exclaim, “Talk of mercy, where is your mercy to us?”
If God were to admit uncleansed sinners into Heaven there would be no gospel to preach. But oh! wondrous love, “it shall be for those.” The precious efficacy of the atoning blood has enabled a righteous God to open the gates of Heaven,
FREE TO ALL,
who repent and believe the gospel.
“O what a debt I owe
To Him Who shed His blood,
And cleansed my soul and gave me power
To stand before His God.”
But one may abject, “What about the ‘straight gate’ and the ‘narrow way?’” Why, just this: that there is no room for your spread-eagled hypocrites, or your proud pharisees, but for a poor broken-hearted sinner there is a full and eternal pardon. Yea, our God declares that, “If any say, I have sinned... He will deliver his soul from going down into the pit” (Job 33:2727He looketh upon men, and if any say, I have sinned, and perverted that which was right, and it profited me not; (Job 33:27)).
This glorious salvation is―in conclusion―
A PLAIN WAY.
“To as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the children of God; even to as many as believe on His name” (John 1:1212But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: (John 1:12)). May the Holy Spirit graciously enable thee, O kind reader, to renounce your own way whatever that may be, and, like Bartimaeus, the blind man, to cast away the garment that hinders thy speedy approach, and follow the Lord Jesus in the way.
“The countless multitudes on high,
Who tune their songs to Jesus’ Name,
All merit of their own deny,
And Jesus’ worth alone proclaim.”
May it be, your happy portion to sing those songs now in time as in eternity.
S. LEVERMORE.