Grace in this distinctive way did not come till Christ came. The law was given (John 1:1717For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. (John 1:17)), but grace, when it came in, was not given, but came, subsisting in the Blessed Person who was there; not simply a message of grace from God, but all His words, all His actions were grace, so that the vilest could come to Him, if they had confidence to do so.
The poor woman who was a sinner came to Simon’s house. Simon scarcely thought the Lord a prophet, but she came and bathed His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head (Luke 7:36-5036And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee's house, and sat down to meat. 37And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster box of ointment, 38And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment. 39Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner. 40And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on. 41There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty. 42And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most? 43Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged. 44And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head. 45Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet. 46My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment. 47Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little. 48And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven. 49And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also? 50And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace. (Luke 7:36‑50)).
He came to win the confidence of these poor creatures; God Himself, and perfect grace manifested in Him.
Some people say, “I am not afraid of the Savior, but I am afraid to meet God.”
The reason is that they have never beheld the Divine glory of that Blessed Person who was God, the image of the invisible God.
How do I know what God is like?
By looking at Jesus in all His actions, all His ways.
I was asked to visit a woman whose husband had lately been converted. She had seen the change in him, but was herself afraid of God. She said she was afraid of meeting God, she did not know what He was like. I read with her Luke 7. We went over every detail of that beautiful picture, and at last I said,
“That is God.” With tears running down her cheeks she said,
“If that is God I cannot help trusting Him.”
The Lord came to win the confidence of sinners. God is often presented as at an awful distance, and His Son as coming to reconcile Him to us; but it is an immense thing when we come to see that the invisible God is there! The One we shall know in eternity is the One we have known in time.