WITH the expectation that these lines may be found in the hand of one who knows not what it is to be saved, they are written with the hope that the God of all grace may use them to the salvation of your immortal soul. Permit me then in earnest solicitude to put this question to your conscience:
Do you know what it is to be convicted of sin, by the searching light of the truth of God in your heart, in the presence of a holy and sin-hating God? Unless you are awakened to the sense of your guilt, through the Word, by the power of the Holy Spirit, and brought to the consciousness of being a sinner — yea, a lost sinner — the need of being saved will not be felt in your soul. And this, alas is too often found to be the condition of those who are perishing in their sins — unconscious of being unclean, vile, and lost. “In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.” (2 Corinthians 4:44In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. (2 Corinthians 4:4).)
While standing by the bedside of a young person a short time ago, a patient in an infirmary, seeing her weak condition of body, I said, “Have you a father?” She replied, “Yes.” “Have you a mother?” “Yes.” “Now I want to ask you another question. Have you a Saviour?” She readily and honestly confessed, “I have not.” The bodily ailment was such, that she gladly sought relief from the hand and skill of the doctor, feeling the need of being healed, to allow of her having restored health; but there was no awakened conscience, as to the disease of her soul, of being a lost sinner.
Consider, dear reader, this one word — LOST! It is not the question of the loss of property, friends, a limb, or health. Either of these is sometimes felt to be a most trying calamity; but these altogether are comparatively trifling to this one fact which Scripture declares of all mankind — not some, but all — by nature to be lost! Yes, I want this solemn and needful truth to be brought home by the Spirit to your heart and conscience, that you may be able to value and appreciate the glad tidings of grace to your soul.
See what Jesus makes known to faith in Luke 19:10: “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” Now, dear reader, does this declaration of truth touch or affect you? Observe what it sets forth. Firstly, “‘The Son of man is come.” Secondly, “To seek and to save.” Thirdly, “That which was lost.” So by knowing your condition as LOST you have this encouraging testimony of redeeming love, that Christ Jesus seeks and saves such as believe in Him.
How telling and precious is the narrative we have recorded of the lost sheep in the fifteenth chapter of Luke. The man not only goes after, but seeks until he finds it. What does God say of you and me? “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way.” (Isaiah 53:66All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53:6).) Is it so to your conscience? Do you confess to have turned to your own way? Afar off from God. When the sheep was found, did the man drive it, or leave it to find its own way back? Oh, no, he layeth it on his shoulders! The lost sheep was brought home by the care and power of the shepherd. And what characterized him when he was doing so? He was rejoicing. And when he reached home, he called upon his friends to rejoice with him, because he had found his sheep which was lost. The joy, however, is not confined to earth; for we are told, “Likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth.”
In this part of the parable we are shown the activity and energy of the love of Christ, who, as the Good Shepherd, giveth His life for the sheep. (John 10:1111I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. (John 10:11).) He came down from the glory, and took the body which was prepared for Him, that, as the Son of man, He might lay down His life upon the cross — “suffering the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God.” While salvation is so fully witnessed to as being wholly of sovereign grace, through it the goodness and mercy of God worketh repentance in the sinner; for there is no salvation apart from repentance. “Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.” (Luke 13:55I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. (Luke 13:5).) “For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.” (2 Corinthians 7:1010For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death. (2 Corinthians 7:10).) The knowledge of ourselves by the light of the Word forms the principle of repentance. The soul’s acceptance of God’s judgment of its state before Him, and bowing to it, is repentance. Do you know the wages of sin is death? Have you felt the burden of guilt? Is this your state under the conviction of sin? Are you now willing to be saved by grace? Do you ask, What must I do to be saved? Thank God, for He who is rich in mercy, and willeth not the death of the sinner, gives the answer through the word of inspiration: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.” (Acts 16:3131And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. (Acts 16:31).) “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:1616For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16).) Yes, dear unsaved reader, though you have sinned against God — and the wages of sin is death — He reasons, and says, “Why will you die?” I have life to give. The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. That you might not perish everlastingly, God, who is rich in mercy, in His great love, gave His only begotten Son to die on the cross the death deserved by you, that through His death, burial, and resurrection, according to the Scripture, you might, by believing, through grace, be saved.
It must be one of two things, either SAVED or LOST. “Behold, now is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation,” full and free through the blood of Jesus Christ, which cleanseth us from all sin. Mark, the scripture says, “Today is the day of salvation.” Can you now take up the happy strain, and sing from your heart
“Salvation! oh, salvation!
Endearing, precious sound!
Shout, shout, the word ‘salvation!’
To earth’s remotest bound.”
Solemn indeed is the condition of those who believe not! Therefore I would, before concluding, sound the warning note — “For they shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone.” (Revelation 21:88But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. (Revelation 21:8).) “Flee from the wrath to come.” While the door of mercy stands open, enter in. “I [Christ] am the door: by Me if any man enter in, he shall be saved.” (John 10:99I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. (John 10:9).)
“‘Twas for sinners Jesus died,
Sinners He invites to come;
None who come shall be denied,
For He says there still is room.”
T. N.