Ques. Have you a message for a needy, anxious sinner? A. S.
Ans. Yes, dear fellow sinner. Think how the blessed Savior has proved His love to sinners, His love to you.
“Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners." 1 Tim. 1:15. He says,
“I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." Matt. 9:9; 18:11.
“Christ died for our sins." 1 Cor. 15:3. And He said, as He died, "It is finished." John 19:30.
Atonement has been made. He passed through death and the grave and is now alive forevermore. God raised Him from the dead (Rom. 4:24, 25), and crowned Him with glory and honor. Now He sits on high a Prince and a Savior, "to give repentance and forgiveness of sins," Acts 5:31. Now the Holy Spirit, sent down, brings the gospel to us, beseeching us to be reconciled to God (2 Cor. 5:20, 21).
You do not even need to pray to God for salvation. He is offering it to you as a gift. Just take it and thank Him for it.
“The Gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Rom. 6:23).
Thank the Lord that He died for you. Come to Him, just as you are in all your sins, your doubts, your unbelief; do not try to make yourself better. He has promised to receive you, you have nothing to fear. You are welcome. Say:
“Just as I am, without one plea, But that Thy blood was shed for me, And that Thou bidst me come to Thee, O Lamb of God, I come.”
“Come unto Me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Matt. 11:28.
“Him that cometh to Me, I will in no wise cast out." John 6:37.
To every sinner that comes to Him, He says, "Thy sins are forgiven." "Thy faith hath saved thee, go in peace." Luke 7:48, 50.
“If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." Rom. 10:9, 10.
Dark though thy guilt appear,
And deep its crimson dye,
There's boundless mercy here-
Do not from mercy fly:
O, do not doubt His word,
There's pardon full and free,
For Justice smote the Lord,
And sheaths her sword for thee-
'Come, come, come.
Look not within for peace,
Within there's naught to cheer,
Look up and find release,
From sin, and self, and fear.
If gloom thy soul enshroud,
If tears faith's eye bedim,
If doubts around thee crowd,
Come tell them all to Him-
Come, Come, COME.
Ques. How can we make our calling and election sure? (2 Peter 1:10). I. F.
Ans. That verse says "Give diligence" (verse 3, 4). God has provided for us in His Word all that is needed for life and godliness, but it needs diligence in prayer and reading the Word to become partakers of the divine nature. You may be born again (see 1 Peter 1:23), but unless you have spiritual food, spiritual exercise, and live in a spiritual atmosphere, you will be stunted in your growth (See ver. 9).
Our calling and election is sure with God, but here it is to make it sure in your own soul. How much are you enjoying your heavenly possessions? The whole land was given to Israel in Josh. 1:2-4, but they had to go in, and claim it. They had to put their foot on it, and thus make it their own.
Are you laying hold of God's exceeding great and precious promises, so that you may become partaker of the divine nature? Then you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
If you are slothful and careless ver. 9 will be the result. Therefore give diligence to make your calling and election sure, and "an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." Remember, that is for your present enjoyment.
Ques. Is it scriptural to say that we are gathered round the person of Christ when we meet to remember the Lord in the loaf and the cup? T. I.
Ans. The person of Christ, the Lord, is in heaven seated at the Father's right hand (Hell. 8:1). It is rightly expressed in Math. 18; 20. "For where two or three are gathered together in (or unto) My Name, there am I in the midst of them." The Holy Spirit dwelling in us enables us to realize the Lord's presence with us according to His word.
Ques. How are we to understand in Col. 3:8, 9, 10, 12, what "put off" and "put on" mean? N. F. Ans. Notice in verses 9, 10 that we have as believers put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man, that now we see ourselves dead with Christ and risen with Christ in new creation life. All that belongs to the old is condemned in His death. So now verse 8 teaches us to disallow, put off, all that is of the flesh, and to mortify or put to death our members which are upon the earth (ver. 5).
Verse 11 teaches us that Christ is all and in all. Therefore in our practice we are to put on all these graces that spring out of the new life by the power of the Spirit. It is Christ in us shining out in each verse 12 to 17. There is no good in the flesh.
“The flesh profiteth nothing.”
“In me, that is, in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing.”
But keeping our eye on Christ as our heart's object, the fruits of the Spirit are seen growing upon us (Gal. 5:22, 23).