“BEING justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God has set forth a propitiation (mercy-seat) through faith in His blood, to declare at this time his righteousness, that He might be just and the Justifier of him that believes in Jesus.” (Rom. 3:24, 25, 2624Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 25Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; 26To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. (Romans 3:24‑26).)
An officer in the British army but newly converted had this blessed truth very prominently before his mind. He found that the Greek: word translated “freely” literally means “for nothing.” Taking a sheet of paper, he printed upon it in three lines, each in larger letters―.
FREELY, FREELY, FREELY, and nailed it to the post of his tent. He never tired of gazing at the liberal word, and when any of his comrades asked what the poster meant, he would reply, “That is how God has justified me.”
Yes, and how he will justify you, too, dear reader, only give Him credit for His grace. As the God of creation, he said to man, “Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat.” (Gen. 2) His liberality is unchanged for as the God of Salvation He has given His Son and the Spirit that we may know the things which are freely, given to us of God. (1 Cor. 2)
Once I had a beautiful illustration of the freeness of salvation when traveling along a country road. Beneath the window of a small cottage had been placed by some kind hands a pitcher of clear, cool water. Upon the window-sill was a mug to lift it with. For whom was the water placed there? For me, of course, or for any thirsty wayfarer. The day was hot, the road dusty, and the tongue parched. Enough, it met my need. What was freely given I freely took. As I drank, my heart praised Him who had written about another water―not to slake thirst here, but to satisfy the craving of an immortal soul, vivify the lifeless, and save from the eternal burning thirst of hell, where is not a drop to cool the tongue. “Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.”
Dear reader, may God’s “freely” sound in your heart, and may its cheering, living note peal louder and clearer above your fear, your unbelief, and the hissing lie of the old serpent until you hear it only, and rest in the blessed fact that God is for us. “He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things.” Again he says, “I will give unto him that is athirst of the water of life freely” (Rev. 21:66And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. (Revelation 21:6).) Drink ye, and drink abundantly.
T. R. D.