"I believe every word that you have said. I believe that Jesus Christ died for sinners, and therefore for me. I do not trust in any works of my own, but in Him alone; yet I cannot say that I am saved. I know quite well that you and others here have the knowledge of their salvation. They are all so happy like; but I cannot feel as if that was the case with me. I wish I could; but I have never been able to say it.”
These were the words spoken to me one night at the close of an Evangelistic meeting, by a young woman to whom I had been speaking personally about Christ, and the way of life. She had been coming very regularly to the meetings; and from the sad expression on her face, I guessed she was not altogether happy in the knowledge of salvation.
She had been religiously brought up, and accustomed from her girlhood to hear it preached as a cardinal point of the Gospel that there must be certain "feelings" and "evidences" found within, ere the assurance of God's salvation could be hoped for. For years she had been earnestly looking for these "evidences" in herself, and using "the means" set forth, as that which would eventually produce them, but without the desired result. She was in real earnest, no doubt about that, but how to get the "feelings" and "evidences," that were to be to her the assurance of salvation received, seemed the great perplexity. After hearing her express herself as above, I said, "I think you are putting the effect before the cause, and looking for "evidences" of something that you do not possess. To illustrate what I mean, Suppose I go to the doctor, and ask him to prescribe for my cough. He gives me a prescription, which I take to the chemist, who dispenses it for me. I go home, but instead of taking the medicine, I sit down and wait for evidences that this is the right medicine, and that I have taken it in the proper way. What then?" She smiled, and said quietly, "I see where I have erred! I have been expecting to feel the joy of salvation before I had salvation itself, and to have the cure without the medicine.”
"Exactly, But you will surely do so no longer. Jesus says, `He that believeth on Me hath everlasting life' John 6:4747Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. (John 6:47). Will you believe that you are a possessor of that life, because He says it?" She paused, then calmly said, "Yes, I see it now. Jesus says I have everlasting life. I know I have, because He says it and I feel happy, because I know.”
She now rejoices in salvation.