“TIRED?” said a servant of the Lord to a middle-aged man, lounging in the opposite corner of a railway carriage.
“Yes, I’ve been crawling upon a roof all day. I’m glad to get a rest. But hard work makes us sleep all the sounder. I’m obliged to look after the men. They make a great profession, but they won’t work without the whip, so I’m obliged to keep my eye on them.”
“You remind me of the law of God, which says, Do this, do that, and if you don’t, I shall come down on you.”
“Oh! yes.”
“I suppose your men would be very glad, if you did their work for them before they were up, and gave them their wages as a free gift.”
“I expect they would.”
“Well, that’s God’s way in the gospel. Christ did all the work nearly 1,900 years ago, saying, ‘It is finished.’ And now salvation is a free gift. Have you received it?”
“Yes, it’s mine.”
“Then your sins are forgiven?”
“I hope and pray they may be.”
“But if you have received Christ, they are. Then, are you saved?
“I don’t think anyone can say they are quite saved.”
“But the Word of God says, ‘By grace are ye saved,’ not hope to be; and, ‘He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life’ (John 3:3636He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. (John 3:36)), not hope to have. Do you believe on the Son of God? Do you believe that He died upon the cross for you?”
“Oh! yes, I believe that. The light has been shining upon me all my life.”
“Then you are saved. Take this little book, called ‘Safety, Certainty, and Enjoyment.’ I think you have the first. Read that, and I trust you will get hold of the second, and the third will follow.”
“Thank you, sir, I’m very much obliged. Good night.”
“Good night.” The train stopped, and the conversation ceased, one having to get out, and so they parted.
How many are to be found in a similar case. Thousands profess to believe the gospel; some are real, some false, but how few can speak confidently that they are saved? What does this arise from? Occupation with self, and following their own thoughts, instead of being occupied with Christ, and, following the thoughts of God. God has spoken. Let God be true. Take Him at His word. Thousands are safe who are not certain; how, then, can they have enjoyment. God would have believers entering into all three. Faith and salvation go together. If you believe, you are saved. God says so. It is no presumption to believe God. “By grace ye are saved, through faith;” not hope to be saved (Eph. 2:88For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: (Ephesians 2:8)). Do you believe on the Son of God? You do. Then you are saved. Saved, now and forever. Again, “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life” (John 3:3636He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. (John 3:36)). Hath, not hope to have. Believing and having go together. If you believe you have. If you have not, it is clear you do not believe.
Every believer is safe, and God would have him certain of it. Doubts and fears are simply the fruits of unbelief. Cast them aside, and rest on the written Word. Assurance of salvation is your proper portion. And being assured, you can then, and not till then, walk with God, and have the enjoyment of counion with the Father and the Son, as you await glory with Christ forever.
E. H. C.