"It's Too Good"

By John Bunyan
SALVATION sometimes appears so great, so huge, so wonderful a thing to be conferred upon simply believing, that the very thought of the excellency of it, and of the freeness of it, engenders unbelief. To have all sins at once forgiven — to be made a partaker of eternal life, a child of God, and a joint-heir with Christ of eternal glory; these, indeed, are great things — too great, too good, too rich for us to receive; but not too great, too good, or too rich for God to give! The soul may indeed wonder at it, staggeringly saying; “What! to be raised above angels — to be made like Christ, to live with Him in eternal joy!” Were a prince to send a messenger to some poor, sorry, beggarly creature, inviting him to come and live in his palace, to enjoy his favor, to become a member of his family, and an heir of his dominions, what would he say? “You mock me!” But what if the messenger affirm that his lord is in good earnest — that he must have him? Suppose he prevail upon him to credit and accept his message, his soul might indeed wonder at the grace that is shown towards him. But what is this compared with the exceeding riches of the grace of God? It is no wonder then that the soul should be confounded — drowned in the sense of its own utter unworthiness, and of the glory that shall be given to us (John 17:2222And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: (John 17:22)).
But, coming sinner, let me reason with thee. Thou sayest, “It is too big — too great.” Well, will things that are less satisfy thy soul? Big and good as they are, God giveth them to such as thou art. They are not too big for Him to give. Be content. Let God give like Himself. When kings give, they do not give as poor men do. Let God, then, give as a great King. Let Him give like Himself, and do thou receive like thyself. He hath all, end thou hast nothing. Take the place of an empty, unworthy sinner, and be a debtor to God’s grace, and all is thine. God freely gives salvation to the sinner that believeth; but He will not sell it. What made Abraham, and Moses, and David, and Peter, and Paul inheritors of heaven? Was it their worthiness? No; they had none. Paul said he was the “chief of sinners.” What, then, made them blessed? I will tell thee. They had hearts to believe God’s promise, and to receive God’s salvation. God delighteth to give to the unworthy, and to display His grace to the undeserving who trust Him. “He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory” (1 Sam. 2:88He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the Lord's, and he hath set the world upon them. (1 Samuel 2:8)).