AT the close of a gospel service recently, where the power of God had been felt in no small degree, I entered into conversation with a young man of a very refined and gentlemanly appearance.
Quite a number had been visibly affected, and not a few had apparently decided to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ in their hearts, and to confess Him with their lips.
Noticing that this young man lingered as if loath to leave a spot where the Spirit of God was producing such blessed results, I inquired how matters stood with him. He was not saved—he owned it frankly. Did he not realize his danger? Oh, yes. He owned that it was all true: that he needed a Saviour, that he might have that Saviour on the spot: that he need not leave the hall without Him—all this he readily admitted.
“Then will you not trust Him tonight, before you leave this place? “I asked.
“No, thank you, not tonight,” he replied, and that in the most polite and courteous manner.
“But why not? There is no reason on God’s side why you should not be saved. The atoning work has been finished on the cross„ and the Lord Jesus Christ is a Saviour both able and willing to save you now, straight away. Besides, there is danger in delay; you don’t know what a day may bring forth; you may not have another chance; “and so I kept urging him to decision, there and then.
“No, thank you, not tonight. Please do not ask me to decide this tonight. I don’t want to be unkind or offensive; I quite appreciate your kindness; I hope you understand me, it is from no motive of resentment, but please do not ask me to decide tonight;” and so he went on.
It was a strange case, and not knowing what next to say, I ventured, “Isn’t your mother saved?”
With this, the dear lad fairly broke down, and commenced sobbing like a child. “No,” he gasped out, “mother’s not saved—father is. Oh, do pray for mother; pray for me too.”
Back of all this there lay a history which I did not feel justified in reviving, but there was a touch of genuine human feeling which could not fail to strike a chord of sympathy.
“Well,” I said, “the Lord knows all about that, and if you were only saved yourself you would be a help to your mother. But tell me, why do you not want to decide tonight?”
By this time the hour was advancing, and having left the hall, we were walking down the street together. “I once made a profession,” he said, “about two years ago. It lasted for a little while, but I went back completely, and I don’t want to repeat this again.”
“I understand that,” said I, “and I give you credit for a perfectly right and just feeling. You do not want to bring dishonor upon the Lord, and discredit upon the gospel—isn’t that so?”
“Yes,” said he, “if I were to say I was saved, nobody would believe me.”
“What made you think you were saved two years ago?” I asked.
“I had been attending some revival meetings, and felt very happy.”
“Was that all? Supposing I had met you two years ago, and asked you upon what your hope of heaven rested, what would you have replied?”
“Oh, I felt very happy. I was sure I was all right.”
“But, my dear fellow, what scripture had you to base your faith on?”
“Oh, I hadn’t any scripture particular,” said he.
“Then I understand it all now,” said I; “you were trusting in your feelings; these were merely passing emotions. In order to satisfy the demands of your own conscience in view of judgment to come, and in order to silence the attacks of Satan, the great adversary of your soul, you must have the Word of God to rest on. One line of that blessed, living Word of God will silence Satan, and produce a peace and rest of soul which all the happy feelings in the world could never give, and, thank God, which all the dismal feelings could never rob you of. I can tell you one verse—there are multitudes, but this one will suffice for the moment—which can give you assurance if you just simply believe it as God’s own announcement to yourself.”
The hour was late, and my young friend, hurriedly taking his watch from his pocket, said, “I can’t wait, I have only just time to catch the last train. Where is the verse?”
As he was running down the street I called after him,
“Acts ten, forty-three.”
From the distance he replied, “Acts ten, forty-three—thank you so much.”
We have never met again, and in all probability shall never do so until we meet around the Lamb. There was such a hearty ring about “Acts ten, forty-three—thank you so much,” that I cannot doubt if I had been able to look in upon that young man before he turned in for the night, I should have found him reading attentively:—
“To Him give all the prophets witness, that through His name whosoever believeth in Him shall receive remission of sins.”
And now, reader, will you not do the same? Perhaps you may have been committing the same mistake as our young friend. You, too, may have been trusting to your feelings instead of in the Word of the living God. Sometimes you have felt bright, and then you thought that all was well; more often you have felt down, and then you feared that you were deceiving yourself. You, like this young man, have been hitherto on the wrong line. Give it up and turn to God’s Word. See what He says: “To Him give all the prophets witness.” Who is this “Him”? Is it not the Lord Jesus Christ, “whom they slew and hanged on a tree,” but whom “God raised up the third day, and showed Him openly”? (Acts 10:34-4834Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: 35But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him. 36The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all:) 37That word, I say, ye know, which was published throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached; 38How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him. 39And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree: 40Him God raised up the third day, and showed him openly; 41Not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before of God, even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead. 42And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead. 43To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins. 44While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. 45And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. 46For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter, 47Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? 48And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days. (Acts 10:34‑48)). Read the whole passage attentively. All the prophets of the Old Testament bore witness of Him, and the whole Word of God is pledged to the truth of what follows, that “through His name whosoever believeth in Him shall receive remission of sins.”
Can anything be plainer? Christ has died and has risen again from the dead; God Himself has raised Him—there is no doubt of this, “witnesses chosen before of God” have borne their testimony to this greatest and most certain fact in history. None but those who willfully and foolishly close their eyes to the plainest and most convincing evidence can doubt that Christ is risen from the dead.
“God raised Him up the third day.”
So fully and perfectly had God been glorified by that stupendous work of atonement wrought out at Calvary, that He Himself has raised Christ from the dead; and He now declares that “through His name
whosoever believeth in Him
shall receive remission of sins.”
Reader, do you believe in Him? In your head of course you do, for in that sense there is not a demon in hell that does not believe (James 2:1919Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. (James 2:19)). But do you honestly in your heart believe in Him? Do you believe that Jesus at the cross was charged with your guilt, that He there was wounded for your transgressions, and that He there suffered for your sins? If you do, then the whole testimony of Scripture, the united witness of God’s own Word, combines to establish the fact that your sins are forgiven.
Is not this better than mere happy feelings? Is not faith in the plain statement of God Himself a firmer foundation to rest on? is it not a rock that cannot be moved?
The believer in Christ can look up into heaven and say, “As long as God’s word is settled in heaven (Psa. 119:8989LAMED. For ever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven. (Psalm 119:89)), as long as God’s Son is seated on God’s throne (Acts 10:4343To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins. (Acts 10:43)), as long as it remains impossible for God to lie (Heb. 6:1818That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: (Hebrews 6:18)), just so long is it absolutely certain that my sins are forgiven.”
Will not this assurance of forgiveness produce happy feelings? Certainly it will. The one who, with humble faith and calm serenity, can add his “Amen” to those blessed words put into his lips by the Spirit of God: ―
“In whom we have redemption through His (Christ’s) blood, the forgiveness of sins,”
Then no longer trust in your feelings, but trust in God’s World. Reverse the order—instead of feel and believe, let it be
believe and feel.
Many other scriptures might be referred to in proof of what we have here sought to lay before our readers, but we leave to the earnest inquirer the happy task of searching them out for themselves.
Search the Scriptures.
A. H. B.