The sinner needs salvation. Is he called upon to trust the promises—to grasp them? What says God upon this deeply interesting subject? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness.... He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; and being fully persuaded that what He had promised He was able also to perform. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him, but for us also, to whom it shall be imputed if we believe on Him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; who was delivered for our offenses, and was raised again for our justification.” (Rom. 4:3, 20-253For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. (Romans 4:3)
20He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; 21And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. 22And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. 23Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; 24But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; 25Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification. (Romans 4:20‑25).)
Abraham believed that God was able to perform what He had promised.
Now we believe, not what God is able to do, but what He has done. It is no longer promise, and God’s ability to perform, but righteousness shall be imputed to us if we believe on Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was delivered for our offenses, and raised again for our justification.
The gospel is a divine statement of accomplished facts. God is not now promising to give Jesus for our sins and raise Him from among the dead. He has delivered Him for our offenses. He has raised Him for our justification.
Reader, are facts or promises before your mind? God’s facts are for the sinner; God’s promises for the saint. You can’t change or alter in the very least the character of a fact, so you can’t in anywise affect the unchanging nature of God’s wonderful work in redemption. “The cross still stands unchanged”; there it is, the solid and eternal foundation of peace with God. Christ was given in love for my sins. His work accepted, and Himself owned on high, is surely the rock on which every believing one may plant his feet. It is God’s work from first to last. He has laid the foundation, and then “He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.” (Psa. 40:22He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. (Psalm 40:2).) What then? Is it promises or facts? Facts, surely; for God accomplished His mighty work of grace for the sinner eighteen centuries ago.
And now there are no promises in God’s word to the sinner. All the promises are “yea and amen in Christ Jesus”; most weighty and precious they are, but all for the saint. It is Christ for the sinner. God’s work in perfect grace, putting sin away, and judging it according to His own absolutely holy nature, and the love of His heart—has been accomplished. It will never be repeated. It is finished. All is done. Can’t you, won’t you, believe now on God, who has thus wrought for you; sparing not His own Son, that He might righteously spare thee? Reader, if thou canst say, “He was delivered for my offenses, and was raised again for my justification,” then go in peace, thou art saved, thou art justified. Go in peace, and the promises will cheer thee in thy path; but first see to it that thou hast truly grasped God’s facts, and then God’s rich and precious promises will cheer thee on thy way.