DURING a walk one afternoon, a friend and IF myself got into conversation with a young man, to whom the inquiry was put, "Is your soul saved?”
No, sir," said he," I think not: I have been trying to get peace for the last twelve months, but I seem as far off as ever, and do what I will,. I can get no rest to my heart.”
“Nor will you," replied my friend, "so long as you are on that ground. You have been seeking Christ, you say, for twelve months, and have not found Him. Did it ever occur to you that He is the seeking One? Or did you ever ask yourself the question, How long has Christ been seeking for me, and has not yet found me?”
“No; I cannot say I have; because it says, you know, in the Bible, ‘Seek, and ye shall find,' and so I have gone on seeking and seeking, but certainly have not found Him.”
“But if you were really seeking Christ with an honest heart, you would find Him, as your own words show, where it says, Seek, and ye shall find; but with you it has been all seeking and no finding; and so it is with thousands. Besides, you have not read your Bible correctly, you see. It also says, Ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.' But this was said before Christ had through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, before the work which He undertook to do was finished. The trial of man was still going on. But when the Lord Jesus laid down His life as the unblemished Offering, which God could accept, the trial of man was over, his history was closed, and the last chapter of that history, and the last line of it, too, was written in the blood of Jesus.
All was over on man's side; and if any were to be saved, God Himself must be the Seeker, and He sought poor man when He sent His only begotten Son into the world that he might be saved.
Much more to the same effect was spoken to the young man, and with a sigh he bade us farewell.
He was not one who opened the door quickly to let in the light, and the sweet atmosphere of liberty. Still, I thought the light penetrated a little chink in his heart, so that the darkness was manifest.
A. few days afterward, as we were sitting together, the same young man was at the door; and after a little talk, we found the light had indeed entered, but that Satan had been busy with his infidelity, trying to stop its further entrance.
However, as the Psalmist says, “The entrance of Thy words giveth light, it giveth understanding to the simple." (Psa. 119:130130The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple. (Psalm 119:130)). And there is divine power in the Word, more than any of us think. Well, perhaps we know how it has acted on our own hearts and consciences. With some a touch will do the work, with others there needs to be a "hewing to pieces.”
I remember once, in preaching the gospel, quoting the apostle's words in Eph. 5:1414Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. (Ephesians 5:14): "Awake thou that steepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light." Long afterward I was speaking with a young man, who told me that that quotation was a life-giving word to his soul; he remembered nothing else. It may have been on my part a word spoken at random, or an “arrow shot at a venture," but the Lord directed it between the joints of the armor, and it did its work effectually. He did awake, and he did arise, and Christ gave him light.
A preacher was once helping home a poor old woman, who was very feeble he noticed. Giving her his arm, they talked together by the way.
To his surprise and joy, he found she had been converted under his preaching.
“What part of the sermon, or what point in it has been blessed to you?” he asked.
“It was no part of the sermon at all," replied the old lady, bluntly; “it was the word of God you spoke that did it.”
To return to the young man I began to speak about. He had many difficulties he could not overcome, many obstacles he could not surmount, and after looking over parts of the Bible together, and showing him the clearest gospel statements we could but commend him to that God Who was doubtless leading him on in the way of truth.
There is often something in people's history known only to themselves and God; things they, cannot pour into any human ear, because not certain of that full and perfect sympathy they so much need in certain circumstances, which prevents their receiving the truth. Others you find as clear as glass. The whole thing is manifest in a moment. How there should be difficulties in the way of a sinner accepting the Saviour, and with Him salvation and life, seems amazing to one whose eyes are open. But that makes all the difference.
It was so with the young man. I saw the chink was widening, and that he consequently was getting more light, and I felt sure he would soon not only open the door but the window as well, and every place that would admit the glorious light.
In the path of faith, all is clear; and people who are saved are resting on Christ's finished work. He who by faith has learned to rest there shall never be disturbed. God is not the author of confusion; and if. He tells me that to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ is to have everlasting life, full salvation from sin, Satan, judgment, and the lake of fire; and that I ought not to be quite certain of it, ought not to be so presumptuous as to know my sins were forgiven; I say that would be confusion.
God does not trifle with sinners: He speaks plainly, yet how full of grace! He will bear with honest difficulties, and graciously lead on in all the gentleness of divine forbearance. Can words be plainer, or more to the purpose on both sides of the question: “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life; but he that believeth not the Son, shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him "? (John 3:3636He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. (John 3:36)). The cross showed what sin is, and what it has done for the sinner, ruined him in every shape and way; and to meet this miserable condition God brought in the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.
It was not long before we met our young inquirer after truth again. This time he greeted us with a different aspect, and almost his first words were, "I've no difficulties now”
He at last received the truth, believed the truth as it is in Jesus, with the faith of a little child, and all was peace.