"What is God to me, a guilty sinner?
"What has God done to save me, a lost sinner?
"What will God do for me, a seeking sinner?
"What will God be to me, a believing sinner?"
These were the questions of a young man in deep concern about his soul. He had introduced himself by saying: "I would like to speak to you by yourself. I am very anxious, very unhappy. I cannot rest. I cannot see my way clear at all."
"Well, what a mercy! What a mercy it is to have the conscience touched because of sin, and to have the heart turned in any measure to God! Can you believe that HE is doing this, and that it is because He loves you, a lost, guilty sinner? John 3:1616For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16) tells us that `God so loved the world.' Are you satisfied that GOD LOVES YOU, notwithstanding all your sins?"
"That is what I want to feel, but I can't feel it. I feel that I am a great sinner. You don't know what I have been. I can't feel as if I could be forgiven."
"Do you really believe that God regards you as 'a great sinner'?"
"Oh, yes indeed I do. I am sure of that."
"But now, tell me: how are you so sure of that?"
"Because I know it I feel it. I have been a great sinner."
"But is there no other way of knowing it besides feeling it? Has not God told us in His Word that we are all sinners? He says in Romans 3:2323For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (Romans 3:23), 'ALL have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.' "
"Yes, I know that, and I take my place among them but I WOULD GIVE THE WORLD to know that I am pardoned."
"Oh, don't speak about giving! God is not asking anything, nor is He seeking to condemn you because of your sins. He wants to turn your heart to Jesus, His 'only begotten Son' whom HE GAVE.
"God wants you to turn by faith to His beloved Son, the Lord Jesus. You can have to do with God ONLY BY FAITH. Know and believe that you are a sinner, not because you feel it, but because GOD SAYS IT.
"Now your first question: 'What is God to me, a guilty sinner?' Now don't look within and test your feelings. Look to God Himself and hear His Word. What does He say?
But 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). Can you receive what is here so plainly stated? Can you believe that `God is love' to you, a guilty sinner?"
"The Word says it and we should believe it. I know that."
"But should not you believe it now? Will it be truer tomorrow? Does not God say He loves the sinner? You say that's what you are. Therefore He says plainly that He loves you."
"That's what I want to believe, but I can't feel that He loves me. My sins seem so great."
"True but instead of looking at your sins as you know them in yourself, look at them in the light of this verse. Only because of your sins can you know how much God loves you. It was your sins that drew forth His wondrous love in the gift of His dear Son Jesus.
"God loved us, Christ died for us, 'while we were yet sinners'—while we were as black and vile as sin could make us. Righteousness judged the sins; LOVE saves the sinner through the sufferings and death of the blessed Lord Jesus. Wondrous love!
"But this is not all. God manifested His love in giving Jesus to die for you, and the same love has followed you in all your wanderings. Now He has laid His hand of love on you to draw you to His beloved Son. Do not insult Him with your reasonings and feelings. Yield your heart to the drawings of His love. Look up! Look unto Jesus! Hear Him saying to you, 'Look unto Me ... .and be ye saved,' and 'Come unto Me and I will give you rest.'
"Let your whole soul rest on the truth of that word, 'The blood of Jesus Christ His [God's] Son cleanseth us from all sin.' The moment you take your place by faith among the 'us' who believe, your sins are all cleansed away. 'JESUS' is the answer to your every anxious doubt and earnest question."
"Oh, I do believe! I see it so differently now. I thought I must feel it in myself before it could be made good to me. Now I see that only by faith in Jesus do I get the answer and the benefit."
Dear young reader, are you too troubled with such doubts? Take your eyes off of self and fix them upon Jesus! FAITH NEVER REFERS TO SELF, BUT ALWAYS TO THE WORD OF GOD. Many want to feel that they are believers, but have never received the truth. They want to feel that they are saved before they trust in Jesus.
This is confusion. The truth to be believed is outside of self: the enjoyment of it is within. When God's Word is believed indeed, the voice of Jesus speaks peace to the soul.
Faith then appropriates the blessed, never-ending consequences which the Spirit of truth declares to be:
1. Being justified.
2. Having peace.
3. Standing in favor.
4. Waiting for glory.