"At Gospel Price."

By:
THAT was the answer I received to an inquiry made regarding a little job I desired a friend to execute for me. Having asked what price he would do the work for, he replied― “At Gospel price!” Jesus, and by that alone, and can only be.
To show what he meant by those words, he quoted, “He, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price!” (Isa. 4:11And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel: only let us be called by thy name, to take away our reproach. (Isaiah 4:1)).
He also explained that seeing the work was for the spread of the Word of God, he would esteem it a privilege to be allowed to do it free.
How few understand today what “Gospel price” is! “Freely ye have received, freely give!” (Matt. 10:88Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give. (Matthew 10:8)), said the Lord Jesus. Again, the last gospel invitation in the Bible says, “Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely” (Rev. 22:1717And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. (Revelation 22:17)). And of those who believe we read, They are “justified freely” (Rom. 3:2424Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: (Romans 3:24)). Therefore, the words quoted above eloquently proclaim to us what Isaiah’s beautiful language means, when it says, “Buy... without money and without price!”
The apostle Paul wrote: “This is a faithful saying... Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners!” He did all the work that salvation might be free, yes, free for the chief of sinners, as Paul styled himself. Again the apostle wrote, “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)). The Lord Jesus is now raised from among the dead, and He is seated upon the throne in heaven. He is the exalted Saviour.
Those, who receive in faith the good tidings of the gospel of God, at gospel price, can consequently say, ―in the language of Romans 5:1,1Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: (Romans 5:1) ― “Therefore, being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
“Oh, ‘PEACE WITH GOD,’ thou dost my bosom fill;
Naught of my own―to Christ I owe it all,
Who wept, who bled, who died on Calvary’s tree,
Who bore the stroke of judgment due to me
And freed my feet and hands! ―my tongue shall tell
The grace of Him who doeth all things well.”
It is only necessary to look away from self and self-efforts to Christ and His finished work to obtain that which God desires us to have. Then, like one of old, the soul will exclaim, “Salvation is of the Lord!” (Jonah 2:99But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the Lord. (Jonah 2:9)).
Let any anxious reader, therefore, abandon all thought of obtaining, by any doings of his own, that which is offered “freely” in the gospel. Let him give up all thought of personal merit, religious endeavors, works of righteousness, and simply accept God’s salvation at “Gospel price,” for we are told in Ephesians 2:9,9Not of works, lest any man should boast. (Ephesians 2:9) it is “NOT OF WORKS LEST ANY MAN SHOULD BOAST!”
R. STEWART.