John 19. JOH 19:1-42
IN going about the villages in the smallest county of England, the writer was told of an aged woman who had for years been troubled about her soul. On calling to see her the following conversation took place:
“Well, Mrs. H., I understand that you are anxious to know whether you are saved or not? Do you not believe that Christ died for sinners?”
“Yes, sir, I know He died for sinners, and I know I am a sinner, and a great one, but I want to know that He died for me.” “'Christ died for all,' and 'God so loved the world that He gave His only 'begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.' Now that word' whosoever' means' every one.' You are one, are you not?”
“Oh, if I could but feel happy I'd believe He died for me!”
“You want to feel happy first, and believe afterward?”
“Well, sir, if I felt happy like in my soul, I should know He had had mercy On me, a poor sinful crettur. I can't make myself believe, sir.”
“You want to feel a work begun in your own soul first, and then you will believe that you are an object of God's mercy, one for whom Christ died?”
“Yes, sir, that's it exactly.”
“Well, now, suppose you were in debt for rent and expected your landlord to come in to-morrow at twelve o'clock to seize your goods?”
“I should be full of trouble, sir.”
“But suppose a friend came in to-day, a gentleman whom you could trust, and said, ‘Mrs. H., I've paid your rent; there's an end of your debt; it's finished,' would you turn round and tell him, If I could but feel happy I'd believe it?”
“No, surely! I wouldn't treat a kind gentleman like that.”
“How would you feel?”
“Well, sir, I should feel very happy if believed it.”
“Then your happiness would entirely depend upon whether you believed it or not. You would have to believe first, and then be happy because you believed the debt was paid?”
“Yes, sir, in course I should. I couldn't feel happy unless I did believe it.”
“Well, now, the Word of God, speaking to believers, says of the Lord Jesus, Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree'; and Jesus said, 'It is finished!'
He was about to die when He said it. We usually think that the words of one who is dying are weighty and solemn; how much more the words of the Lord Jesus Christ!
Yet you don't believe Him!”
“Oh, sir, indeed I do! Surely He never said anything as wasn't true. But He didn't say it was finished for me, sir. It's that I want to know.”
“But the Word of God declares ' He died for ALL.' Are you one of the ' ALL'? ‘The Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.' Are you a part of it? ‘He appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.' If so, where is your sin?”
“Jesus says, ' It is finished.' Oh, if I could but feel—”
“Then you don't believe Him?”
“Oh, I must! I'll try to believe Him.”
“That won't do. Would you tell the kind friend who said your rent was paid, your debt finished, 'I'll try to believe you '?”
“Well, I will believe it" (meaning at some future time).
“That won't do, either. Look at His words, His dying words, and ‘It is finished.'
Where is all your debt to God?”
“I do believe it; it is finished; thank the Lord, my debt is paid! He said so; bless His name, and I do believe it. ‘It is finished!‘‘‘ And the poor old creature's joy was affecting to witness.
The writer went from time to time to see her after this, and always found her rejoicing in the Lord. After a time she was taken ill with a very painful disease, and the hour came for her to die. A Christian daughter attended her on her deathbed, and, some months after her mother's departure, gave the following account of her last moments: ` When mother was dying, her leg was in a fearful state, but when I spoke to her about the pain her answer was, I am so happy, that don't know whether I'm in heaven or on earth Why, mother,' I said,' what makes you so happy? “Because my sins are gone, and I am saved! Bless the Lord!
He said, "It is finished," ' and with those words she died,”
The above is written for any anxious soul who may be seeking, longing, for "the grace of God that bringeth salvation." You know yourself to be a sinner before God; you can say, "Woe is me, for I am undone," If so, Christ died for you; yes, for you, your own self; for does not God declare "This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners"? Then you are one whom He came to save? Did He accomplish the work He came to do? Hear, and believe with all your heart His dying words, IT IS FINISHED.”