MRS. G— had been much troubled in her soul for several weeks. Her anxiety came about in connection with a series of Gospel meetings, in which God manifested His saving grace by numerous conversions; and it was of so real a character that, being unusually protracted, it to a degree affected her health.
One of the conversions above referred to was that of her husband, which made her long all the more ardently for a definite knowledge of forgiveness. But, alas! like so many, she was looking within, rather than backward at Calvary and upward to the Throne, for evidence that her sins were gone.
“Oh," she said,” if I could only be sure that I would not go to hell and when I think I might be sent there at (my moment, I'm overdone and must weep "—and she did weep.
In attempting to comfort her, the love of God to us, even while enemies, was appealed to; the proof of that love in giving up His beloved Son to die; the desire also of this blessed One to afford the only means, in His unspeakable sufferings, by which God could righteously pardon; and God's satisfaction with Christ's work on the sinner's behalf, testified to in the place He has given Jesus on high—all without apparent effect.
“I went to the meeting" (one held in a neighbor's house a few nights previously) the other evening," again she bemoaned," hoping to hear something to give me relief, but came away without it; and itch, oh, I'm miserable.”
She was pointed to 1 John 1:9,9If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9) “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” The words emphasized were dwelt upon. Confession, our part, which part certainly Mrs. G—fulfilled. Forgiveness, God's part, which she could not believe Him willing to fulfill
Oh, how this dreadful distrust, this deeply rooted lie of Satan, lingers in our poor vain breasts!
But God is faithful to forgive. “Hath he said, and shall he not do it?”
And is He not just? Has He not already accepted the ransom— the precious blood of His Son? and may not poor sinners therefore enjoy the pardon so dearly purchased? Will He deny the sinner this? Nay! God is just, and He is faithful to forgive. Dear reader, why not enjoy the forgiveness?
Mrs. G— had all this set before her, and yet had no peace. How strange!
She suggested, “Is not God's salvation only for a few?”
How many stumble here! God offers His salvation to "whosoever will" receive it.
“Tell us, Mrs. G—," we said, “whether is God's salvation for those who confess, or for those who do not confess? for the careless or the anxious?” She at once replied, “For those who are anxious and confess—so the verse says." The question made an impression, and with this we left her for nearly an hour, but on returning found her still unhappy.
One more barricade of the father of lies had to yield to the power of the blessed Word of God.
She said, “Does not Scripture say that we must love God with all our heart?”
“Yes, certainly," we replied," we ought to love Him so; but it was when we did not, and could not, that He proved His great love to us in giving His only-begotten Son to die for us (1 John 4:9, 109In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. 10Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. (1 John 4:9‑10)). When we were lost and dead towards Him, He loved us thus! We learn to love Him in return; we love him because he first loved us.' You cannot expect a child of God to walk before it can creep, can you? We go on from little to more.”
The work was now done, blessed be God! A beaming smile glowed on the hitherto anxious face, testifying to a newly found rest in OUR GREAT RESOURCE—the love of God.
After thanking God together, and a hymn of praise, she said, “Must I now ask Him to forgive me, or must I not thank Him?" J. K.