"When you came here I thought I was the best man in the village! Now I know I am the worst." These were the words spoken to a friend of mine a few years ago. He had been conducting gospel meetings in a fishing village, and was soon to leave.
No one who knew William Thompson, the hearty young fisherman who was speaking, would have called him a "bad" man. On the contrary, he was upright, sincere, and conscientious. The change in his views regarding himself had been effected through hearing the evangelist preach from the familiar words of Rom. 10:33For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. (Romans 10:3). "For they, being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.”
The preacher had shown that one might, as the Jews referred to, say prayers, do good works, observe ordinances, and all the time be on the highway to ruin. Thus William had discovered that he had been trying to work out a righteousness of his own in which to appear before God.
The next day the evangelist had a conversation with him, and found him completely broken down. "I am all wrong," William said. "It has been all works with me, and no faith.”
What a mercy he made the discovery! He learned that all his "righteousnesses" were as "filthy rags" (Isa. 64:66But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. (Isaiah 64:6)). He longed to have the perfect righteousness of God. Now he was shown that "Christ is the end of the law to every one that believeth" (Rom. 10:44For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. (Romans 10:4)), and that by believing on Him who bore sin's penalty and gave Himself for him, he would receive eternal life.
By faith he gazed on that Blessed One who was wounded for his transgressions and bruised for his iniquities. Thus he passed from death unto life, from darkness into light. No longer did he attempt to obtain a righteousness of his own in which to stand before God, for he was now clothed in Divine righteousness, "the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe." Rom. 3:2222Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: (Romans 3:22).
My reader, have you seen yourself as you are in God's sight? If so, you know that every child of Adam is lost, ruined and undone. "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God." Rom. 3:2323For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (Romans 3:23). I pray you, look to Jesus, God's holy Son, and trust in Him who is God's righteousness. He alone can save you and make you "meet to dwell with the saints in light.”