Not Saints but Sinners

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Not Saints but Sinners
THE WORD that was used in bringing me to the Saviour was Romans 5:88But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8): “But God commendeth His love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:88But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8).
I can never forget the deliverance followed by the peace which came to me when the light of that glorious truth dawned upon my soul, that it was not saints but sinners that Jesus came to save, that it is bad and not good people, it is the unrighteous and not holy ones that God receives and forgives for His sake.
For long years I had tried to make myself a saint, tried to sin less, tried to live better in the hope that God would favor me because of this and grant me mercy at the last day. Most of the preaching we heard favored this idea. We were earnestly taught to be good and to do good, to go to church, to read the Bible and that in some way which was not made very clear, God would show us mercy and forgive whatever sins remained unaccounted for by these good deeds.
There was nothing of Christ taught save as a good Example and an Intercessor for us in pleading for mercy to be granted in the judgment. No free and known present salvation was ever spoken of, nor had I ever met any who owned they had it.
You may understand my surprise when a friend wrote saying she had been “saved while attending some evangelistic meetings” held in that town and that the words that led her to the Saviour were those in Romans 5:88But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8). She said, “It is not saints but sinners, not good people but bad people that God loves and Jesus saves. That is where nearly everybody makes mistakes: they want to make themselves good, and think that God will save them then, whereas God saves sinners just as they are, and all for Jesus’ sake. He justifies the ungodly (Romans 4:55But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. (Romans 4:5)).
I did not like this line of things at first and my proud heart rebelled against it, but bit by bit my pride was humbled and I had to take my place as a sinner, with nothing, and able to do nothing. Then the Lord in His love saved me.
Oh that I could with the voice of a trumpet tell it far and wide that “While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Rom. 5:88But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8).
“But to him that worketh not, but believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.” Rom. 4:55But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. (Romans 4:5).
Memory Verse: “THE HOLY SCRIPTURES, WHICH ARE ABLE TO MAKE THEE WISE UNTO SALVATION THROUGH FAITH WHICH IS IN CHRIST JESUS.” 2 Timothy 3:1515And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. (2 Timothy 3:15)
ML-03/03/1974