THE boast is often made, that this is “a land of open Bibles.” There is a measure of truth in it, and we thank God for it. But the sad thing is, that few persons seem to consult their Bibles, even about questions of eternal importance — questions which face every man, and which the Word of God alone can answer. Speak to people about their souls, and it is too evident that they have cloudy, misty ideas about salvation which they never gathered from God’s Word. How few are trusting in, Christ and resting upon His work How many are hoping by their doings and ways to merit heaven! The following true stories will illustrate this: —
I was staying at―, a pretty little place on the south coast of―shire, and needing a boatman, I chose one who was commended to me as “a nice old Christian.” I found him a pleasant, agreeable old man, very willing to speak of his man-of-war days, and not shunning conversation which touched upon religious things so long as it did not too closely apply to himself. He called to mind with evident relish the old days, when, in his Cornish home, “parsons” did not mind walking many miles to the preaching, and contrasted them in tones of disgust with the present easy-going times. But I wanted to know whether his soul was saved. So I said, “Mr.―, do you think a man may know now whether his sins are forgiven?”
“Well, sir,” said he, in his broad way, “I don’t see how a man can know that perfectly. There’s none of us perfect.”
“That is true,” I replied. “But how then, can men who are not perfect get to heaven?”
“Well, they must do the best they can, and trust God to make up the rest.”
Is this the “nice old Christian?” thought I. I said aloud, “There has only been one perfect Man, the blessed Lord Jesus. God tried men for many, many years, to see if any were ‘perfect,’ but there were none. He does not now look for us to ‘do our best,’ and so enter heaven; none could get there that way, but He so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in. Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
“Ah! if we could only act up-to that now,” replied he.
To do our best — to act up to what the Bible says, these seem to be the favorite doctrines of men, instead of “Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord.” But, in fact, they amount to a rejection of the grace of God, and salvation by that grace. “If by grace, then it is no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace” Romans 11:66And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work. (Romans 11:6). These are the words of God the Holy Ghost, through His servant Paul.
In the same little town of―, lived another elderly man, who more than forty years ago had been brought to the knowledge of Christ. At a time when cholera was taking off — almost without warning — the life of the strongest from the earth, God was pleased to speak to the conscience of my old friend B. “The terror of the Lord” was a reality to him, and in distress of soul, he sought the advice of one who he thought could help him. He stated his difficulty — what could he do? “It’s all right,” replied his adviser, “ if you’re one of the elect you will be saved.” This gave him not a grain of comfort; how could he know that he was one of the elect? Had he searched God’s Word, he would have seen that the true way in which he should have approached God was by confession of sin. “He looketh upon men; and if any say, I have sinned... He (God) will deliver his soul from going into the pit, and his life shall see the light.” Job 33:27, 2827He looketh upon men, and if any say, I have sinned, and perverted that which was right, and it profited me not; 28He will deliver his soul from going into the pit, and his life shall see the light. (Job 33:27‑28). Poor B. had yet to learn that the Lord did not invite “the elect” to Himself, but those who labored and were heavy laden.
Still in distress, he went to another friend, and repeated what had been told him. His new adviser was a shoemaker, and after listening to B.’s story, said, “Don’t you believe a word of it. Look here.” Laying aside his work, he picked up an awl and a “wax-end,” twisted the latter round the awl, leaving the two ends of the thread loose. Taking up first one end and then the other, he continued, “Now this is your end; that is God’s end. You pull yours, and God will pull His.” My youngest reader will understand what was meant; it was only a quaint way of saying, Do your best, and God will make up the rest. It was advice which well pleased B., who went away and “pulled his string” as hard as possible. He began to be extremely careful in all religious observances. He lost a day’s work to go to the church on a fasting day, and when twelve months had passed and he looked back upon the reforms of the year, he thought within himself, “Ah, there’s many a young man in―, who would be better if he came up to my standard!” Was it God’s standard? The thought of God came into his mind again, and peace — where was it? He had had none, but a false peace, and this now departed from him. He saw that he was as far away from God as ever; and that his efforts were worthless. But God graciously led him to a little company of believers in the Lord Jesus, who came together to study the Word of God, and he there proved that God is faithful to His word, “the truth shall make you free.” Set at liberty from his own doings, a believer through grace, he was in time brought to see that “to him that worketh not, but believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.” Romans 4:55But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. (Romans 4:5).
Let me ask my readers, old and young, In what are you trusting? Have you some vague, uneasy notion that you are doing your best, and hope to get to heaven at last? Is yours a Christless hope — a hope that maketh ashamed? Or is it, as I pray it may indeed be, “a sure and certain hope,” a steadfast trust in Him who died, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God? Do remember that God declares of our very best actions — our righteousnesses — that they are filthy rags; these, therefore, avail nothing with Him. But, on the other hand, He declares that “if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”