IT gives great rest to the heart of a sinner to know that the grace of God and the blood of Christ meet him just as he is and where he is.
A sinner does not need to be anything but what he is, in order to know and enjoy the sweetness of divine grace, and the cleansing power of the blood of the cross. All efforts to be anything but just what I am, can only ha\ e the effect of hiding from my view the light of the Dayspring from on high, which has visited us, as sinners, in the darkest depths of our moral ruin. "This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners." (1 Tim. 1:1515This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. (1 Timothy 1:15).)
There are three expressions used in the Scriptures to set forth the truth as to a sinner's state before God.
3. “Woe is me, for I am undone." (Isa. 6:55Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts. (Isaiah 6:5).) Here, then, we have the plain truth of Holy Scripture in reference to ourselves: "black"; “vile”; and "undone." Our character, "black"; our nature, "vile"; our condition, "undone.”
There is no use in seeking to make it out otherwise. Such is the plain teaching of God's holy word respecting the writer and the reader of these lines; the plain truth as to our character, our nature, and our condition.
Let us repeat the words: "black," "vile," and undone." These are very humbling words.
Man's proud heart does not like them. But they are God's words; and if we do not, from the very inmost depth of our souls, own the truth of this, it is only because we do not see ourselves as God sees us. All who do not see and ow n this are wrapped in the shades of ignorance, enveloped in a mantle of self-conceit, or clad in the rags of their own righteousness.
Now, I want the reader to cast aside the “rags,”
to put off the "mantle," to rise above the "shades," and to see and own, clearly and fully, that he verily is as viewed in that light w here all are seen to be what they really are, "black," "vile," and "undone.”
This is a grand point in the history of the soul.
Very many, from not being thoroughly grounded in this, pursue a zigzag, up-and-down course all their clays. They have not laid hold of the truth of God as to their character, nature, and condition. They have not begun w here God begins; namely, at the very lowest point. They have not fixed the steady, intelligent, earnest gaze of faith upon the sacrifice of the cross, as God's own remedy clear, full, and entire, for their own very character, nature, and condition, as laid bare in the searching light of the divine presence. They have not traveled to the utmost limit of nature's ruin. They have not viewed it as a dead, worthless, judged thing, wholly and forever gone, as regards any confidence in it, or expectation from it. They think there is still something to be done with it, something to be done by it, something to be got from it; and, inasmuch as their thoughts respecting it are never realized, and never can be, they are always in a state of uncertainty as to their acceptance before God.
Intimately connected with this failure in learning the reality of nature's ruin stands another thing, namely, failure in apprehending the reality of God's grace. If divine grace deals with my sins, what must it do? Assuredly, it must put them away. This is what divine grace must do, because it is divine. If divine righteousness were to deal with my sins, it would condemn them.
I have both the one and the other in the cross of Christ. There divine righteousness dealt with my sins; and there divine grace reigns toward me as a sinner. "Grace reigns through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord." (Rom. 5:2121That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 5:21).) The grace which forgives me is as perfect and as divine as the righteousness which condemns my sin. Nay, more, when the eve of faith rests upon a risen Christ we see that God is not only gracious, but righteous, in accepting as righteous the most ungodly sinner that simply trusts in the blood of Jesus. The entire question of sin and righteousness was gone into, and finally settled, between God and His Christ, on the cross; and when the sinner believes this, he has peace, peace as settled as the work of the cross could make it.
That which must ever produce uneasiness of conscience and anxiety of heart, is the thought that perhaps, after all, there is something between me and divine righteousness which has yet to be settled. This will yield mental anguish and soul-torture just in proportion to my earnestness and sincerity. And hence it is that many truly converted, divinely quickened, godly souls, looking at themselves, and not seeing that the whole question of sin and righteousness has been finally settled, that every divine claim has been answered, that sin has been condemned, that their old man with his deeds has been crucified and set aside forever, and, finally, that a risen Christ in glory is the full definition of what they are before God, are filled at times with terror, doubt, and uneasiness.
I say "at times," for it may be that occasionally they enjoy gleams of sunshine, that at intervals they experience a respite from the terrible workings of legality; and their renewed affections getting, for the time being, occupied with Christ and heavenly things, their whole souls are drawn out in earnest aspirations; and they feel as though they could, now, "read their title clear to mansions in the skies," and they fondly hope that the days of their mourning are ended. But, alas! soon again, the mists and vapors rise around them; the dark shadows of legalism settle down upon them; and they are ready to say that their past joys were all vain and delusive, and that they doubt if they have either part or lot in God's salvation.
Should the above be, in any measure, descriptive of my reader's condition, I would earnestly entreat him to draw nigh once more, and, in the clear light of divine revelation, GAZE UPON THE SACRIFICE. Therein he will see, not an attempt to whiten the blackness of his character, to improve the vileness of his nature, or amend his undone condition.
Oh! no; in the cross he will see God's full salvation erected on the clearly discovered ruins of "ALL FLESH." (Gen. 6:1313And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth. (Genesis 6:13).) On the cross, the whole question was settled. There was nothing left undone.
Where is the proof? I look down into yonder tomb, where the Victim lay, and I see it empty.
I look up to the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, and I see it filled. Filled by whom?
Filled by the One who hung on the cross, and lay in the tomb. What does this tell me? It tells me that all is done; sin condemned and put away; everlasting righteousness brought in, and secured to the believer; the law magnified and made honorable; God glorified in the putting away of my sins, as He could have never been in the punishment thereof; Satan thoroughly vanquished; marvelously foiled by his own weapons; death robbed of its sting, the grave of its victory.
Such are the wondrous utterances of the vacant sepulcher and the occupied throne.
Then, as to the mission of the Holy Ghost; what did He come to do? Was it to whiten, by His blessed operations, nature's blackness, to improve its vileness, or amend its undone condition? Nay. What then? He came TO TELL OF THE SACRIFICE; to point to a crucified and risen Saviour; to declare that all was clone; to apply, by His resistless energy, "the word of God" to the hearts and consciences of sinners, and so wake them up from nature's death and darkness, and introduce them into the life, light, power, and blessedness of the "new creation," wherein "all things are of God." (2 Con 5:17, 18.)
It is well to see this; well to see that no energy, operation, or influence of the Holy Ghost could whiten my blackness, improve my vileness, or amend my condition. "If any man be in Christ" he is not whitened, improved, or amended "flesh," but a "new creation." (2 Cor. 5:1717Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. (2 Corinthians 5:17); Gal. 6:1515For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature. (Galatians 6:15).) This makes a vast difference. That which is born of the flesh is flesh. (John 3:66That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. (John 3:6).) If I am looking for any improvement in my nature, I am looking for what I shall never find. I am sowing the wind to reap the whirlwind. Hopeless labor! But, if I simply hearken to what the Holy Ghost tells me about Christ; if I believe on the name of the only begotten Son of God; if I believe, through grace, the record which God has given of His Son, then have I eternal life; I am born of God; I am "a new creation." I am no longer looked at as being in the nature, condition, or guilt of the old Adam, but as being in Christ, possessing His nature, standing in divine righteousness, and accepted in all the acceptableness of God's beloved Son. My old nature, with all its guilt and all its liabilities, came to its end in the death of Christ, who, as risen again from the dead, is the measure of what each believer is in the divine presence. (Let the reader look carefully at the following scriptures, which prove all that has been stated: John 1:12, 13; 3:5-8; 5:24, 25; 6:10; 20:3112But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. (John 1:12‑13)
5Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. 8The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. (John 3:5‑8)
24Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. 25Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. (John 5:24‑25)
10And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. (John 6:10)
31But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name. (John 20:31); Acts 13:3939And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses. (Acts 13:39); Rom. 5:1; 6:6; 7:5, 6; 8:91Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: (Romans 5:1)
6Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. (Romans 6:6)
5For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death. 6But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter. (Romans 7:5‑6)
9But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. (Romans 8:9); 2 Cor. 5:17-2117Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 18And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 19To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. 20Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. 21For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. (2 Corinthians 5:17‑21); Eph. 1:66To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. (Ephesians 1:6); Col. 2:1010And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: (Colossians 2:10); 1 John 3:1; 4:171Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. (1 John 3:1)
17Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. (1 John 4:17).)
This makes the whole matter very clear. The believer is no longer to be occupied with the expression "Just as I am." He can now say, "Just as Christ is"; for "as He is, so are we in this world." (1 John 4:1717Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. (1 John 4:17).) This is wonderful! But it is worthy of God. He could not have His child in any other condition before Him. Nothing lower than this could satisfy the infinite love of His heart. And, moreover, it is to the glory of His grace that we should be in His presence, in all the perfectness of His own beloved Son; "Complete in Him, which is the Head of all principality and power." (Col. 2:1010And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: (Colossians 2:10).) No human, no angelic mind could ever have conceived such love as this. It could only have had its source in the bosom of God. That one who is "black," "vile," and "undone," should have all his blackness, vileness, and ruin put away by the cross, and he himself linked with a risen, ascended, and glorified Christ in heaven, is what only God Himself could have planned, accomplished, and revealed. But thus it is, and all that is needed in order to enter into, and abide in, the joy and comfort thereof, is an artless faith in God's pure record, in the word which is settled forever in heaven. (Psa. 119:8787They had almost consumed me upon earth; but I forsook not thy precepts. (Psalm 119:87).)
May God the Holy Ghost, by the application of the truth as it is in Jesus, strengthen the foundations of personal faith, give full deliverance from the dreadful workings of legality, and lead forth the people of God in that sacred liberty wherewith Christ makes His people free. (Gal. 5:11Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. (Galatians 5:1).)
Do any inquire, Can God love sin? All answer, No. Can He love the sinner? Many hesitate to answer fearlessly. But what does Scripture say? God commendeth His love in not sparing His own Son. He thus commends, proves, makes manifest, His love by Christ dying for sinners, the Just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God. (Rom. 5:8; 8:328But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)
32He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? (Romans 8:32); 1 Peter 3:1818For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: (1 Peter 3:18).)