No, we have not made any mistake in writing our title as shown above.
There are numberless people who, when spoken to about the all-important matter of their soul's salvation, reply something like this: "I am doing my best; I pay my way; I do my duty; I seek to live an exemplary life; I attend church services, take communion, etc., etc. And, pray! What more can a man do? And what more can God expect?”
If the foregoing more or less accurately describes your way of looking at things, let us ask you to look back over your life, shall we say, since the last twelve months? Are you absolutely satisfied with every moment of that period, and with the most minute details of your life during that time? Has there been a thought, the remembrance of which troubles you? Have you uttered a word that you would rather have left unspoken? Has there been an act that you wish you could recall? In other words:
Are You Satisfied?
Frankly, we have never yet met a truly honest person who would not at once reply:
"Oh, no! I am not by any means satisfied.” Many will add: "But I am doing my best, and no man can do more than that.”
You cannot do more than your best, but the fact remains that, having done your best, you are still not satisfied. We are quite sure Nicodemus was not satisfied therefore, he "came to Jesus by night." We are equally certain that Saul of Tarsus was not satisfied, for after having done his best―and if ever a man did his best, he did he―discovered that he was the chief of sinners. This is not all, however. The still more important question is:
Is God Satisfied?
How can He be? If you are not satisfied with yourself, how do you expect God to be satisfied with you? Do you imagine that He is more easily satisfied than you are?
Or that the standard by which He judges is lower than yours? To ask these questions is to answer them.
This seems to show then―does it not?―that you are on the wrong track, and, if so, it will be wisdom on your part to discover where you are wrong and to get on the right track with all speed. The first question to consider is, obviously: How can God be satisfied? Let us say right away:
He is not satisfied with any one of us as children of Adam, "for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God."
And still more drastic is the statement that "they that are in the flesh cannot please God."
There it is, and nothing can alter it. That being so, it at once becomes apparent that, even if we were so conceited and foolish as to be satisfied with ourselves, God is Not Satisfied with us; therefore, humanly speaking, our case is hopeless. We are irretrievably lost.
Say, friend, have you realized that yet?
Have you accepted God's verdict concerning yourself? If so, then, thank God, there is hope for you. How glad we are to be able to tell you that God is Satisfied!
Not with you, but with Christ; not with your deeds, but with Christ's finished work.
There we learn the mystery of divine love and the glory of redemption. The eternal Son of God became Man, went to the cross, and once and forever settled the sin question to God's entire satisfaction and to His eternal praise and glory.
Do we hear someone inquire, "How do you know that?" Read the last verse of 1 Peter 3, and there learn that Jesus Christ "is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God: angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto Him.”
The fact that He who was on the cross as the Sin-bearer, is now "on the right hand of God" is the incontestable proof that God is satisfied. The empty cross, the vacant tomb, and the occupied throne bear eloquent testimony to that transcendent fact.
Now we are going to reverse the questions at the head of this paper and ask:
Is God Satisfied? Are You Satisfied?
We have already answered the first of these questions. When the Lord Jesus Christ died, was buried, was raised from the dead, and exalted at God's right hand, that showed that God was glorified and Satan was defeated sin was put away and death was annulled the power of the grave was broken, and the forces of the enemy were vanquished. So that now, those who "believe on Him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead" can say: "Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." Rom. 5:11Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: (Romans 5:1).
That means that if you believe on Jesus, God is satisfied, you are satisfied, and you can sing, and sing with great joy:
"Sweetest rest and peace have filled me,
Sweeter praise than tongue can tell
God is satisfied with Jesus,
I am satisfied as well.”
Let us beseech you, as we close, stop looking in, cease looking around, and, here and now, look up. Behold Him who fills God's throne, and who fills God's heart! Believe in His Name, rest upon His finished work, learn the cleansing power of His precious blood. Then, forgiven, justified, saved, it will be yours in this life and through eternity to share with God His satisfaction and delight in His own beloved Son, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.