An aged man not at full peace before God about his sins, was recounting God's goodness to him during his long life. He was 92 years of age, and said he,
"I can thank God for over 90 years of mercies!"
"My dear friend," I replied, "let us indeed thank God for a thankful spirit, and for all His mercies in this life. But you are old: you will soon leave this scene of mercies. Let me also ask you, What about your 90 years of sins? How would you answer for them should you be called to stand before God?"
For a moment he paused, then said, with a trembling voice,
"I should have to plead guilty."
"Well, but if someone should say, 'I will go and stand before God in your place, and will answer for all your sins, and settle them all!' "
His countenance brightened as he exclaimed,
"That would be a blessing."
"God has sent His Son, my friend, out Of heaven, and Jesus has been here on earth, and He has settled in His own person upon the cross the due of your sins. God laid upon Him the iniquity of us all, and all sins are gone for those who believe on Jesus. You are one of the Lord's believing people, but you are not quite at rest in His presence, because you do not fully take God at His word that all is done and settled, and all the blessing is yours. Jesus has stood for your sins in the presence of God, and has answered for them all with His own blood."
I shall not soon forget the old man's surprise as, raising himself up, he exclaimed,
"You have brought me good news today. I never heard anything like it before. To think that the Lord Jesus should die for such a wretch as I am, and put away all my sins at one sweep: I would do anything in the world for Him that I had power."
After a few moments he whispered,
"Is not this too good to be true?" then, looking at me, said, "I suppose it is right, sir?"
"The Word of God says so," was my reply.
"His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree," and, again, "by Whose stripes ye were healed."
"Thank you: that is sufficient. I have nothing to do now but to wait here and thank Him that He has done everything for me."
Before this old man had heard what the Lord had done for him, he used to try to call to mind every sin done during his long life, and then he would confess it to God, and pray that that sin might be forgiven, and so he had continued for many years, but without any comfort whatever respecting eternity, though thankful to God for the mercies of this life.
Reader, how is it with you? Do you, too, believe on Jesus? Are you, like our aged friend, trying to confess your sins in order to find peace with God? O! believe what Jesus has done, and rejoice that all the sins of all who believe were put away, once and for ever, "at one sweep" on Calvary.
"Christ died for our sins." 1 Cor. 15:3.