“WE need all God’s Word to live on, but one verse is enough to die on.” So said one who must have known the value of the Word of God, and the work of Christ therein made known. One verse containing the glad tidings of salvation, setting forth God’s way of meeting the sinner’s need; one verse, stamped with divine authority, is enough for man to rest upon for time and eternity! God’s Word gives the soul a security that all the systems of theology put together can never give.
What a relief to turn away from what man says, with all its uncertainty, and to find that God has spoken! Reader, have you found this out for yourself yet? God has spoken so plainly in His Word, has shown out the real questions at issue between Himself and man so clearly, that there is no excuse for ignorance. His Word speaks for itself. It lays the ax at the root of the tree; it deals with what is beneath the surface; it speaks to the conscience and heart; it opens up eternal realities. How wise then to give heed to it. Peter tells us that “the word of the Lord endureth forever” (1Peter 1:2525But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you. (1 Peter 1:25)). Again, in the Psalms we read, “Forever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven” (Ps. 119: 89). Nevertheless, man refuses to believe it; seeks to obscure its meaning, or to lessen its force.
Now, dear friend, there is one point I do press on your earnest attention, viz., that by this same Word of God you and I must be judged. By it we must stand or fall; the Word of the living God must either be the seal of my security, or of my doom. Eternal interests are at stake, and one verse from God is enough to settle our destiny forever.
Let me point you, in all affection, to one verse, always remembering there are many more containing the same grand truth, “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Tim. 1:1515This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. (1 Timothy 1:15)). Mark the last word of the quotation—sinners! This one word condemns us. Over and over again God declares man’s guilt, his ruin, his sinful condition. The third chapter of Romans gives us God’s estimate of him, “There is none righteous, no, not one;” “all are guilty,” and so on. God says it, and does not your conscience confirm it? If we are honest in His presence, and with His Word in our hands, we must plead guilty. His Word is the only authority on this point; His verdict must stand. God faithfully exposes your real state and mine, as lost and undone by sin. Nothing is plainer in His Word, and that is the standard by which we must abide. The balances of the sanctuary are adjusted by the Word of God. That Word declares of one what is true of all, “Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting” (Dan. 5:2727TEKEL; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting. (Daniel 5:27)).
Oh, friend, do admit thyself a lost, ruined sinner. Own thy guilt. It is not a matter of opinion. “God is not a man, that He should lie;” nor can one jot or one tittle of His Word ever fail. Why press this point? because it is the very thing we are so unwilling to admit. We do not like to be all reduced to the dead-level platform of sinners, yet it is only there God can meet us.
This blessed “faithful saying” is only for sinners. It has no application to a man built up in self-righteousness, or blinded by the forms and ceremonies of a human religion. “’Twas for sinners Jesus died.” Faithful is the word. Say, do you credit it? do you believe it? God’s Word it is, and brings good news to sinners of every class and clime. To appreciate and appropriate this for yourself, dear reader, you must take the place of being what God says you are―a sinner.
It suffices not to assent to the fact that we are all sinners, or that we are not what we ought to be, and such like expressions; there must be the true conviction of sin. Like the publican in Luke 18, when he said, “God be merciful to me THE sinner.” God, who is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity, will have brought home to us our sinfulness and guilt. He it is, on the other hand, who gives us this “faithful saying,” which all the powers of earth and hell cannot touch. It is “worthy of all acceptation.” If faithful, surely you will believe it. If worthy of all acceptation, will you not accept it for yourself now? Listen to it! believe it! accept it! rejoice now in the full benefit of it! “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.” Blessed be His name; His purpose was to save. He came not to condemn, but to save! Not to help merely, — not to improve man’s state, nor to patch him up in his ruin,—but to save him! Reader, are you saved? If not, why not? Does this verse apply to you or not? Do you not belong to the class to which God says all belong-sinners? He links those two words together by ties of blood—sinner and Saviour. What a meeting when such are brought together! Peter in Luke 5 is an illustration of this. He says, “Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord;” at the same time falling at His knees, as the only One that suited his case.
Jesus came! No action on man’s part. In the fullness of time, He came. When man has been tried and proved guilty, He came. To carry out God’s righteous judgment? Nay, but to bear that judgment Himself, and save the sinner. Into this very world, where was all the sin and misery, He came to save!
Now, hear from Calvary that wondrous cry, “It is finished” (John 19:3030When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost. (John 19:30)). The work is done. The salvation-work for sinners is an accomplished fact. God says it! Christ does it! The Holy Ghost is the witness of it! I believe it! The finished work is the ground of my salvation; the faithful Word is my authority for resting on that work. God’s Word surely is enough. Think too by whom the work was done. None less than the blessed Son of God He it was who said, “It is finished.” Yes, the very salvation-work of which we speak is gloriously finished? Not may be, or is going to be, but is finished. What a truth for an anxious sin-burdened soul God’s own Word declares that Christ’s work is finished. What security! what assurance!
Reader, is this where you rest? Have you divine authority for your belief? and do you believe that Christ’s work was finished for you, for your salvation, for the putting away of your sins? If Christ did not put your sins away on the cross, they will put you away in eternal judgment. One word more, dear friend. Listen to it, as for eternity. You have before you the “faithful saying,” on which you can rest secure. God has raised up from the dead the Lord Jesus Christ. He is now a RISEN, LIVING, COMING SAVIOUR. He Himself says, “He that believeth not shall be damned” (Mark 16:1616He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. (Mark 16:16)). “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Cor. 6:22(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succored thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.) (2 Corinthians 6:2)). T. E. P.