FEELINGS seem to be the stumbling-block of many now. The unconverted build upon them, and so do the converted. Whereas, neither of these are right, and until both the converted and unconverted get their salvation based on what God looks on as the basis of their salvation, they cannot be of the same mind as God, and consequently can enjoy no peace.
God looks on the blood of Christ as forming the basis of the foundation upon which He can now justify an ungodly man; and you, dear reader, must look upon it too in the same light and way that God looks at it. “When I see the blood I will pass over you,” He said to the Israelites, and He says the same now— “In whom we have redemption through His blood.” God has looked on the blood, “the precious blood” of Christ, and it is precious in His sight, as an eternal atonement for sin—root and branch.
Can you look at it as such? If so, you have the mind of God on that great subject, and perfect should be your peace.
“I do believe; but I don’t feel that peace.”
But you are justified by believing. As a man said to me the other day, “I was unhappy for a long time; but I read that verse, ‘Abraham believed God, and IT was counted to him for righteousness.’ When I saw that word IT, I was satisfied.” (Romans 4:2222And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. (Romans 4:22).)
“That is to say, your simply believing what God told you, was counted to you for righteousness.” “Yes; I am counted righteous, though I am not righteous, because I believe in God’s word about Christ having died for my sins, and risen again for my justification.”
“I found full peace at the meeting last evening,” said a young woman, “while you were comparing the various foundations people try to rest on with the foundation of God. I saw plainly the foundation I had been trying to rest on ever since I first saw my sinful condition was just this—putting my earnest resolution to lead a godly life, together with my feelings of deep sorrow, and bringing that to God as recommendation. I would not have owned that even to myself; but when I saw the foundation of God, the deepest and most secret recesses of my evil heart were made evident to myself. When I saw the foundation of God, that ‘eternal redemption which Christ on the cross obtained for us,’ I scarcely knew what to do with myself for joy. All the way home, after meeting, I could but repeat to myself, ‘Oh, what a fool—what a fool I have been; always trying to do or to feel some great thing, instead of just believing what Jesus has done, and what my sins made Him feel on the cross.’”