MANY years have passed away since some of the following incidents from real life were witnessed and recorded. But, though great changes have taken place amongst the actors in those scenes, the moral condition of the sinner, the grace of God, and the blood of the Lamb, remain unchanged. The cross of Christ is the standing witness of what man’s heart is towards God. Jew and Gentile, priest and people, king and subject, were gathered around that cross, and united with Satan, in crucifying the Lord of life and glory.
But in place of this crowning act of man’s wickedness shutting the door of heaven against the rebellious race, grace opens it wider than ever. The blood of the cross became the righteous ground in the boundless love of God for the richer display of His grace. Every covenant promise and blessing of the long-privileged Jew was now forfeited forever; every mouth was closed, and the whole world became guilty before God―guilty of the death of His beloved Son. What was now to be done? If man’s guilt is to be measured and estimated by the cross of Christ, what must the judgment be? It was no longer a question of law-breaking merely, but of the murder of the sinless One. Thus stood all mankind without one solitary claim on the compassion of God; but mercy, as at the threshing-floor of Arnon the Jebusite, “rejoiced against judgment.” “Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound―that as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.” Rom. 5:20, 2120Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: 21That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 5:20‑21).
This is the gospel of the grace of God―the good news that grace reigns. Sovereign grace, no doubt, has always been God’s ground of blessing for the sinner, through the foreseen sacrifice of Calvary; but its full, unhindered, unmeasured outflow, awaited the death and resurrection of His beloved Son. All partition walls were then broken down; all barriers removed. The cross was thus the great crisis in the world’s history, and the moral center of all the ways of God. His relationships with man were all changed from this time. The long period of man’s probation closed in the cross. He was now declared to be a lost sinner, guilty of the blood of Jesus, condemned already, and shut up to grace or judgment.
This gives a peculiar solemnity to the preaching of the gospel; the issues of life and death, heaven and hell, are involved in its proclamation. “For we are unto God,” says the apostle, “a sweet savor of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish. To the one we are the savor of death unto death; and to the other the savor of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?” (2 Cor. 2:15, 1615For we are unto God a sweet savor of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: 16To the one we are the savor of death unto death; and to the other the savor of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things? (2 Corinthians 2:15‑16)). This weighty and solemn truth is known to all Christians, and should lead all to watch and care for the salvation of immortal souls. True, all are not evangelists in the sense of being public preachers, but all may evangelize by saying a word for the heart or conscience as the Lord gives opportunity. All that is needed for such a work is love for souls a love which acts in harmony with the heart of Christ. This is the best gift of the evangelist. Millions of souls will be in heaven at last, and swell the song of the redeemed, who were brought to know the Lord by a word fitly spoken, by personal conversation and prayer. All-important as the ministry of the word to Christians most surely is, it is never a question of life and death.
The Lord has His special workers for the different departments of His service, yet ALL may seek to win souls for Christ. He who said, “Feed my lambs,” “Feed my sheep;” also said, “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature;” and “COMPEL them to come in that my house may be filled.” And the great apostle, who cared for the flock of Christ as none since have done, could say, “Neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.” And again, “Woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel.” And, with his latest breath, he exhorts his son Timothy to be a “partaker of the afflictions of the gospel;” and charges him to “do the work of an evangelist.” Acts 20:2424But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God. (Acts 20:24); Luke 14:2323And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. (Luke 14:23); 1 Cor. 9:1616For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel! (1 Corinthians 9:16); 2 Tim. 1:8; 48Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God; (2 Timothy 1:8)
8Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing. (2 Timothy 4:8). 5.
“It is an unhealthy symptom,” says one, “when the simple gospel is not relished. It shows that the mind is at work, rather than the conscience exercised before God, or the affections engaged with Christ. The Spirit, who leads into all truth, connects everything in His teaching with those great primary truths, the Person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ.” There are not a few, alas, in our own day who are affected with this unhealthy symptom. “It is only the gospel,” say some, especially those who assume a high tone of spirituality, and who speak slightingly of earnest gospel workers.
But whatever may be our individual thoughts of the gospel, we are bound to think of it according to the word of the Lord and for the sake of the unsaved. “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” (Mark 8:3636For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? (Mark 8:36)). Here the blessed Master assures all His servants that one human soul is of more value than the whole material world. And can it be a light thing in His, sight, for any of His servants to be indifferent to the means of the eternal well-being of that which is so precious to Him? Did He not commend in the highest way, the zeal of the four men who bought, in spite of every difficulty, the palsied man and laid him at His feet? “When he saw their faith” ―not his― “he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven.” (Mark 2). We want such zeal now, in connection with all our preaching rooms―earnest hearts that would bring in faith poor palsied souls to the place where the Spirit of God is working. Such zeal is sure to meet, its bright reward. In no other way can a preacher be so helped and encouraged. He who honored the faith of the four then is unchanged and honors such faith now.
A great responsibility thus rests with all who know the gospel―the glad tidings of salvation to the lost.
To hold back this truth, or in any way to hinder its full and free proclamation, is to rob the sinner of his only hope of heaven, and Christ of His special glory as the Saviour. “It is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth.” What dignity and glory this gives to the gospel! It is nothing less than the power of God “the exceeding greatness of his power to usward who believe; according to the working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places.” Such are the marvelous results of the blessed mission of the gospel of the grace of God. It raises all who receive it from the depths of their guilt and misery, and sets them in the presence of God, pardoned and accepted in the Beloved.
This is the gospel which the Lord has committed to His servants; or, as Paul expresses it, “According to the gospel of the glory of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust.” (1 Tim. 1:1111According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust. (1 Timothy 1:11)). Unspeakable privilege! Solemn responsibility! To be commissioned by the Lord Himself to proclaim that gospel, far and near, which is the highest display of the divine glory in the richest display of sovereign grace to man. Ex. 33:18, 1918And he said, I beseech thee, show me thy glory. 19And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. (Exodus 33:18‑19).
May He in mercy grant that both reader and writer may be found faithful to this sacred trust. And may He graciously own and bless, in the service of the gospel, the following papers now going forth in a collected form; and may His name alone have all the praise and the glory.
A. M.
London, 1881.