By:
Edited By W. T. P. Wolston.
IN the summer of 188―, while sailing from Ardrishaig to Glasgow on board the well-known steamer “Columba,” a young man, seeming to be alone, came to the part of the boat where I was, and spoke to me about the beauty of the scene. Really it was very beautiful, as we were then passing through the Kyles of Bute.
We then spoke of the things of God. He knew the Scriptures well and seemed to enjoy the conversation, but when I asked him if he knew the Lord Jesus, he looked at me with surprise. I said it was not enough to know the Scriptures. “And this is life eternal that they might know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou halt sent” (John 17:33And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. (John 17:3)). He soon left me, and I had almost forgotten all about him, when one night about three months after, and about fifty miles from the place where we first met, I came across him again.
One look at his face brought the whole incident to my memory. On repeating my question, “Do you yet know Jesus?” he said, “No, I have been religiously brought up, and have read the Bible from beginning to end, and passed examinations on the Scriptures for a schoolmaster; but I do not know God’s way of salvation.” I turned to Luke 2, where Simeon took the child Jesus up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, “Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: for mine eyes have seen thy salvation” (vers. 29, 30). It was Jesus he was looking at, “the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:2929The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. (John 1:29)).
The young man saw he was a lost sinner, and that it must be on the merits of another he could be saved. We then turned to Romans 10:8-10: “The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; 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. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” He said, “I believe with the heart, and I confess with the mouth, and on the ground of God’s authority I can say I am saved.”
Dear reader, on what ground do you stand before God? Is it on your own righteousness, which is in the sight of God but filthy rags” (Isa. 64:66But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. (Isaiah 64:6)), or is it Christ? Nothing short of that will satisfy God. Satan may seek to deceive you by telling you that you are good enough; but be not deceived, you have to do with One of whom the Psalmist says, “Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance” (Psa. 90:88Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance. (Psalm 90:8)). “For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil” (Eccl. 12:1414For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil. (Ecclesiastes 12:14)).
He knows all about you if others do not; you may pass before your fellow-men, but you have to do with God. Christ satisfies God, is He not enough to satisfy you? “Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace” (Job 22:2121Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee. (Job 22:21)).
A. S.