TIME after time have you been lovingly yet faithfully told that you are a sinner. Not that your life, perhaps, has been like that of some, full of outward acts of rebellion and sin. But even if moral and upright in the eyes of men, you have sinned against GOD. It has, perhaps, been pointed out to you that you have failed to keep God’s holy law—that you have neither loved the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, strength, and mind, nor your neighbor as yourself.
Therefore it has been simply and plainly reasoned that
YOU ARE A SINNER.
Is it true?
Let us turn to the Word of God. In Romans 3:2323For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (Romans 3:23) we read— “All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”
It has no doubt, moreover, been emphatically stated in your hearing, either privately or publicly, that unless you repent you will be punished for your sins, and will most surely perish. Preachers have solemnly announced that death is at the close of your career, and that death does not end all, but that there will be a dread-day of reckoning after death for every unrepentant man.
Either this witness is true, or those who bear it are fanatics and quite unworthy of your serious attention. But is it true? There is ONLY ONE TEST that is reliable, and we will turn again to the sacred page. Two texts will settle the matter for those who acknowledge the authority of the Bible.
It has repeatedly been insisted further that not only are you a sinner, and as such hurrying on to death and judgment, but that your case is so desperate that you cannot help matters by any effort of your own—that, even if you admit what these witnesses state to be the truth, and determine to get right with God, you cannot do so by all your striving, toiling, or even praying, however sincere you may be.
This, quite possibly, has given you great offense and you may have decided that you intend to do the best you can, and how can any man do more? This sounds plausible enough, but
WHAT SAITH THE SCRIPTURE?
It would appear after all that these outspoken preachers and friends of yours, judged by the Word of God, are not far wrong.
How much, then, is their testimony worth, when they point out what they so positively describe as the way of salvation?
You have often, doubtless, heard, them say that anyone who is truly convicted of his guilt and need, and sincerely anxious to be saved, has nothing to do but simply to “believe in Jesus.”
Perhaps this seems to you unreasonably simple, and you have protested against this
“ONLY BELIEVE” GOSPEL.
But if accompanied by repentance it would appear to be strictly in keeping with Scripture, for when the conscience-stricken jailer of Philippi cried out, “What must I do to be saved?” Paul and Silas promptly replied, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.”
Bear in mind that these words were spoken to a convicted man, and all is simple. To a careless man the message is, “Repent!”— to a repentant man, “Believe!”
The work of salvation was wrought at infinite cost to the One who did it. His own precious, peerless life was laid down as a willing and sufficient sacrifice for the redemption of poor, fallen, wayward man.
Such is God’s appreciation of this most acceptable sacrifice that He delights, on the ground of it, to offer a fall and free pardon to every sinner who pleads the merits of Christ and His atoning work as the only means of his approach to God.
W. B. W.
Again we turn to Scripture for support or contradiction. What mean these golden words:—
Let me earnestly entreat my reader to hearken to the warnings and invitations of the gracious God against whom we all have sinned. He is not against the sinner—on the contrary, He now “commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:88But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)).
Despise not His offers of mercy, lest you have to do with Him in judgment. He is yearning to forgive and to welcome you.
IS IT TRUE? IT IS TRUE.
“YES! He came from heaven, suffered in our stead;
Praise to Him be given, Firstborn from the dead!
Jesus, meek and lowly, came the lost to save;
He, the Victim holy, triumphed o’er the grave.
Christ is Lord of glory, sing we now today!
Tell abroad the story; own His rightful sway!
Sing aloud, and never cease to spread His fame;
Triumph, now and ever, in the Saviour’s Name.”