Immediate Salvation

From: Gospel Light: Volume 6 (1916)

• 8 min. read • grade level: 7

MANY persons engaged in the good work of the gospel, whose sincerity could not be doubted, believe and maintain that, if conversion be real, besides the statements of God's word as to pardon and acceptance there will be an inward feeling, sense, or token, witnessing to the genuineness of the work. The inward feeling must prove the truth of the word to them. And if they have not this inward sense of pardon and acceptance they have no right to believe that the promises apply to them.

In reply to the above statement, which, in substance, we are constantly hearing in connection with the work of the gospel, we would say, Most truly, if the work of conversion be genuine, and the FULL GOSPEL be believed, there must be a deep inward feeling of assurance as to pardon and acceptance.

But the mistake lies in persons looking for the inward sense of forgiveness before the word is believed that assures them they are forgiven.

It will be seen at a glance that such teaching and belief must lead the soul into endless perplexities. Of course, we speak only of earnest, anxious souls, in whom we believe there is divine life, although they would not believe it themselves.

Under such circumstances, when a sinner is awakened and really turned to Christ in deep earnestness about his salvation, in place of listening to the voice of Jesus through His word, which only can speak pardon and peace to a troubled soul, he anxiously looks within for some inward sense or assurance that he is a changed person, a new creature in Christ Jesus. And not feeling sure that he has undergone this change, the word of God, however plain, is not received as applicable to him; consequently, the anxious inquirer is plunged into a state of the most painful perplexity.

This class of anxious souls is numerous, and some are to be found in it of a long standing.

We once witnessed a soul who had been thirty years in trouble about her salvation brought into full peace through simply believing. Her joy was great when she saw it was all settled.

She could now rest in peace on the authority of the word of Christ.

The grand aim of the enemy, in all this system of looking for feelings, is to get the eye of the believer, young or old, turned away from Christ and His word, and turned in upon self. And so long as he succeeds in keeping them occupied with themselves his end is gained. The poor soul is kept without peace or joy, and consequently in weakness, and so an easy prey to his wicked suggestions. Sometimes they think they can feel that all is right, and hope springs up, accompanied with a gleam of joy; at other times they feel cold and dead, and then dark, dark clouds overshadow them.

But now let us turn to the word of God.

What light and direction have we from it on this subject? Does not the Lord say plainly enough (by His written word, mark), that all who look to Him as the Saviour, or come to Him, hear Him, believe in Him, trust in Him, are saved? He never says,” may be, will be, or can be," but "are saved." His word meets every state of a soul that has been moved towards Him by the Holy Spirit. The word assures the coming one that He “will in no wise cast out” (John 6:37³⁷All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. (John 6:37)). JOH 6:37³⁷All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. (John 6:37) Here it is assured of acceptance. But my sins, my sins! it exclaims. Again the word replies, “Thy sins are forgiven." When Christ receives a sinner He must put away his sins. He cannot receive them. Or, as the prophet says, “And Thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea” (Mic. 7:19¹⁹He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea. (Micah 7:19)). MIC 7:19¹⁹He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea. (Micah 7:19) But whose sins?

The sins of all who believe in Jesus. But what is meant by "the depths of the sea"? It means they will be cast where they can never be traced. If you cast a thing into the depths of the sea you can trace it no more forever.

Thus God and faith get rid of sin. And not some sins, observe, but "ALL their sins.”

Thus the sinner can rejoice, through believing God's word, that he now rests securely on the work of Christ, and that all his sins are at the bottom of the sea, sunk in the untraceable depths of the deep waters of God's everlasting forgetfulness. As it is elsewhere said, on the same subject, “Their sins and iniquities will I remember no more” (Heb. 10:17¹⁷And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. (Hebrews 10:17)). HEB 10:17¹⁷And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. (Hebrews 10:17)

We have two examples of this in connection with the preaching of the apostles: —

I. That of Peter in the house of Cornelius, where, after stating the truth about Christ and His finished work, he declares, " To Him give all the prophets witness, that through His name whosoever believeth in Him shall receive remission of sins " (Acts 10:43⁴³To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins. (Acts 10:43)). ACT 10:43⁴³To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins. (Acts 10:43) The same moment the gospel of Christ is believed, the sins are remitted. As the truth enters the heart, the sins are washed away. When the sinner is accepted, his sins are all cast into the depths of the sea. Nay, more, the Holy Ghost enters the heart that believes and is forgiven. And He will abide there forever as the seal of all the blessings of grace already revealed, and as the earnest of all the glory that is yet to be revealed. “While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word." Heard, of course, not with the outward ear only, but with the ear of faith. The truth preached was received into the heart.

In connection with this testimony see also Eph. 1:13, 14¹³In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, ¹⁴Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory. (Ephesians 1:13‑14): EPH 1:13-14¹³In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, ¹⁴Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory. (Ephesians 1:13‑14) "In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance, until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of His glory." Here every promise, every blessing, is secured to the truster in Christ, through the indwelling of the Holy Ghost, by which believers are made one with Christ, and are brought into the same privileges. Oh! how many there are who are really trusting in Christ as the Saviour, and yet are in constant fear and trembling lest they should be lost at last. May God in mercy deliver them from such dreadful bondage, and bring them into the happy liberty of Christ, in whom they are pardoned, accepted, and complete forever.

II. Our second example is that of Paul in the synagogue at Antioch (Acts 13) ACT 13 To all there assembled he preaches the gospel; not according to human thoughts and feelings, but as he had been taught it of God by the revelation of Jesus Christ. "Be it known unto you, therefore, men and brethren, that through this Man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins; and by Him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses” (vv. 18-20).

This is plain enough, surely. All that believed what Paul preached were pardoned and justified there and then. And they were fully assured of it by the plain statements of the word of God. The same word that assured them that Jesus had died and risen again, assured them that they were pardoned and justified through believing in Him. Surely this is full assurance! What can give fuller assurance than the word of God? If, in place of looking to ourselves and our own feelings, or for some inward token of our acceptance, we looked to the word of God, and believed it just as God has given it, we should at once be delivered from all our doubts and fears.

Full, unclouded assurance would take the place of gloomy uncertainty.

Listen, then, O tossed and troubled soul, to the very words of Scripture. They are the gracious answers of Jesus to thy anxious requests. Expect not to hear His voice from heaven; look not to thyself in anywise. The right feelings will spontaneously arise from the right truth believed. If god news be I, received, thou art made glad; if sad news, thou art made sorry. There must be a corresponding feeling to the news believed.

But when is this feeling produced? Just when we believe. Not before it, certainly.

'Oh! then, dear reader, believe the good news of the gospel, the full gospel of the grace of God. A present pardon, full justification and acceptance, are assured, on the authority of Holy Scripture, to all who believe in Jesus.