Well, sir, I do believe every word you say; in fact, I believe every word in the Bible; but I don't feel I'm saved; and I'm not going to say I'm saved until I'm sure I am saved," said a cheery fisherman's wife, at the door of a flower-clad cottage, to an earnest Christian who was visiting from door to door.
"Neither do I feel that I'm saved, and I have been saved for nearly five years, and never yet felt that I was saved: and if you continue to wait until you feel saved, you will never be saved at all, for the Word of God never says feel saved."
"But, sir, the Scriptures say we 'must be born again' (John 3:77Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. (John 3:7)), and surely I must feel that great change come over me. You don't mean to say that I could be saved and still continue as I am—miserable, and afraid to meet God?”
"No, I don't mean to say any such thing, for the moment you are saved there will be change enough, for you will be changed from being a 'child of Satan' to a 'child of God.' But Satan is deceiving you, by getting you to wait until you feel a change, and all the while you are shutting your ears to the Word of God, which brings the change, 'for we are saved by grace through faith' (Eph. 2:88For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: (Ephesians 2:8)); and 'faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God" (Rom. 10:1717So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. (Romans 10:17)).
You see, if you could feel nice and happy just now, you would conclude you were saved because you felt it, and then tomorrow you might not feel happy, so you would have to come to the conclusion you were not saved then; thus you would make a savior of your feelings, and one day you would have a Savior, and another day you would have none. Instead of believing the testimony which God has given of His Son, and knowing that you have passed from death unto life (1 John 3:1414We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. (1 John 3:14)), you are waiting for a change, and remaining in misery.
"Now look here, my friend: suppose, now, that your husband is at sea, and you are left with the little ones; that your stock of money runs out, and you have no bread; and the children are hungry, and nothing to give them; you are sitting over the fire miserable enough at such a state of things, and want a change, but your misery does not bring the change; no thoughts of yours fill the children's hungry stomachs, and put the glad smile where there are looks of sorrow. No! But you are startled by a loud knock at the door, and you open it, when the postman puts a letter into your hand; you look at it, you know the writing— it's your husband's; you quickly break it open, and there is an order for some money. What effect has it on you? Do you sit down and brood over your misery, and wait for a change, thinking there never was such a poor creature in the world as you are? Never! You put on your things, off to the post office to secure the money, make your calls at the shops, and come back loaded with all you need, to the great joy of the children. What a change! How has it come about? Why, just through the letter: you read it, you believed it; the change came, your sorrow was gone, your heart was light, even before you got the order cashed— the letter did it all. Why, now, will you not listen to God's letter, and be saved? You are a sinner, but God's letter says,
`He that heareth My word, and believeth on Him that sent Me; hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation (judgment), but is passed from death unto life' John 5:2424Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. (John 5:24). Moreover, the letter says,
You see, you did not feel the money—it was in the post-office, and you could not feel it; but the letter said it was there, and there for you; you believed it, and that made you happy; but you were happy because you knew it was yours; the money was not yours because you felt happy.
Well, you did not feel that Christ died for your sins, neither did I; but I know He died for my sins, and the same letter which tells me He died for me, tells me I'm saved, I believe God's blessed letter, and I feel very happy because I know I am saved." Thus was the fisherman's wife led to know her sins forgiven and rejoice in the wondrous fact.
Perhaps you, too, say you believe all the Bible, but can't feel you are saved, putting feelings in the place of faith. O, don't be occupied any longer with these things; look away from yourself to Jesus. God has set Him on the throne in heaven, the proof that the work is finished to the satisfaction of Himself; and if God is satisfied, why should not you?
Before you lay down this paper, believe God's Word which He in His love has sent you, declaring what has been done by Jesus Christ for sinners; and the moment you take God at His Word, you rest on fact, not on feelings.