AS I sat in the front part of a room, a young Roman priest slowly paced to and fro at the other end of it. He was nobly born — son of one of high rank in the army. From a pious mother he had received deep convictions about his soul. “What shall it profit a man to gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” followed him through all his studies and travels. Tormented by this, he at length entered “the Church,” not to satisfy ambition, but, if possible, to find peace of soul.
His lank form, his long face, pale and thin — his entire being — indicated suffering; and, without knowing why, I felt myself drawn to him. I remembered, as if it were but yesterday, the agony of my own heart before knowing eternal redemption; and thinking that perhaps he suffered from the same cause, I at once asked him: “Have you peace with God, my dear friend?”
“Peace with God!” exclaimed he. “What do you mean by peace with God?”
“It is the effect,” I replied, “of the forgiveness of sins. It is like the consciousness that would exist in the agonized spirit of an unfortunate criminal condemned to be guillotined, to whom a messenger comes suddenly, bringing this dispatch from the Emperor: ‘All your crimes are forgiven you; go forth in peace!’”
“Then,” said he, “I have not peace with God, for I have never yet received such a message from God. For nearly three years I have been imprisoned between four walls, exercising the greatest severities against myself. I have fasted, prayed, ill-treated my body, until I am reduced to what you see; but I have not yet received this message from God.”
“You are a sincere man,” I remarked; “you are not one of those religionists who affect a heavenly air, and within have nothing but lust and wickedness.”
“How should I not be sincere, sir, when I know that it is with God Himself I have to do? Appearance, you know, is only for this world. Reality is for eternity. A thousand times a fool is he who sees no farther than this world. For my part, it is eternity that occupies me.”
“Blessed be God! Blessed be God! my dear friend! He has shown you the curse of the law of God against every breach of that law; according to Galatians 3:10,10For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. (Galatians 3:10) ‘Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them,’ and as you are not a hypocrite, but knowing well that you are violating this law constantly, even in spite of yourself, you at once apply the curse to yourself, well knowing in your conscience that you merit it.”
“That is it exactly! You have just laid bare my heart; that is my state precisely. I see the just wrath of God against me, and I much desire to be able to appease or escape it.”
I took out my Bible, and pointing to Galatians 3:13,13Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: (Galatians 3:13) he read: “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us; for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree.”
Suddenly his languid eyes lighted up. The message of peace had come to him through the WORD!
“Do you understand now,” I inquired, “why Jesus upon the CROSS must needs cry out, ‘My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?’”
“It is clear, quite clear,” he replied. “If Christ has been made a curse for me, in order to redeem me from the curse of the law, it follows that He Himself sustained that curse. He thus becomes a substitute for me.”
The heart of the young priest was evidently quite overcome. A pardon so sudden, a salvation so sure and so free, almost frightened him; he could scarcely believe himself in his proper senses. He appeared afraid to wake himself up, lest he should find his anguish had been calmed only by a cruel dream — cruel because of its very sweetness.
It was not a dream. It was the truth which had set him at liberty, according to John 8:32,32And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. (John 8:32) “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shalt make you free.” After this he gave himself much to the Scriptures, his peace became more settled, and his expression of suffering gave place to one of profound rest.
My reader, are you unmoved by these things? What a terrible wakening up will come some day! It may be to find yourself LOST! —LOST forever.
Perhaps, like this young priest, you are troubled; seeking rest, but finding none. Well, neither churches nor chapels, neither reading nor prayers, neither tears nor sorrow, will ever give you rest.
Sin broke up God’s rest before it broke up yours. But He has found it again, and found it in One in whom it can never be disturbed. God has found eternal delight in THE MAN CHRIST JESUS; and when you believe that sin has utterly ruined you, you will turn away from yourself, and every other object, to HIM, and find in Him eternal rest.
See that Man (Son of God, too) seated on the throne of God! When men with wicked hands had crucified Him, why did the glory of God raise Him from the dead, and place Him there? Because He had not only put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself (that was for you), but because He had GLORIFIED GOD. He was made a curse, and so redeemed us from it; but in that sacrifice, in thus bearing the curse, the whole glory of God found rest and joy, and there must you, with every redeemed soul, find rest forever.