"THERE is a wide difference between your religion and mine," said a Christian lady to one in whose spiritual condition she had long been interested.
“Indeed," said he, "how is that?”
“Your religion," she replied, ' has only two letters in it, and mine has four.”
It seems that this gentleman was one of that numerous class who are seeking to get top heaven by their doings, by attention to ordinances and ceremonies, by what the apostle in Heb. 9 terms "dead works." But he did not understand about the “two letters and the "four.”
His friend had often spoken to him, and on the occasion to which our anecdote refers, she had called to take her leave of him for some time, as she was about to go from home.
What do you mean," said he," by two letters and four?”
“Why your religion," said the lady," is D-01 DO; whereas mine is D-O-N-E, DONE.”
This was all that passed. The lady took her leave; but her words remained, and did their work in the soul of her friend, a revolutionary work verily. The entire current of his thoughts was changed. Do is one thing; done is quite another. The former is legalism; the latter is Christianity.
It was a novel and very original mode of putting the gospel; but it was just the mode for a legalist, and the Spirit of God used it in the conversion of this gentleman.
When next he met his friend, he said to her, “Well, I can now say, with you, that my religion is d-o-n-e, DONE." He had learned to fling aside his deadly doings, and rest in the finished work of Christ. He was led to see that it was no longer a question of what he could do for God, but of what God had done for him.
This settled everything. The four golden letters shone under the gaze of his emancipated soul, "D-O-N-E." Precious letters! Precious word! Who can tell the relief to a burdened heart when it discovers that all is done? What joy to know that what I have been toiling for, it may be many a long year, was all done, over eighteen centuries ago, on the cross at Calvary! Christ has done all.
He has put away sin, magnified the law and made it honorable, satisfied the claims of divine justice, vanquished Satan, taking the sting from death and the victory from the grave, glorified God in the very scene in which He had been dishonored, brought in everlasting righteousness. All this is wrapped up in these four golden letters, "D-O-N-E." Oh! who would not give up the two for the four?
Who would not exchange "d-o," for “d-o-n-e"?
Reader, what say you to this? What of your religion? Does it consist of two letters or four? Is it still "d-o" with you? Or have you found your happy portion and rest in "d-o-n-e"? Do think of it, dear friend, think deeply, think seriously; and may God's Spirit lead you this moment to cease from your own "D-O," and to rest in Christ's eternal "D-O-N-E”
C.H.M.
God's only way of meeting man in blessing is by the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. The only way by which He can make man happy, and deliver him from eternal condemnation, is by compassionating him in his helplessness and sins, and providing a full and eternal salvation for him, without money and without price. “God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Rom. 5:88But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)). ROM 5:88But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8) This, known in the soul, is liberty. This is what the Spirit of God bears witness to; and “where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty” (2 Cor. 3:1717Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. (2 Corinthians 3:17)).
This alone gives abiding confidence, substantial comfort, and everlasting peace.