"YOU say, Mrs. A—, that you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ? " “Yes, sir; I believe every word that is said about Him in the Old and New Testaments.”
“But I rather think you do not believe all that there is said about Christ.”
“And why do you think so, sir? Why have you such a suspicion?”
“Because, if you truly belie\ e in Jesus Christ, and in ' every word that is said about Him in the Scriptures,' the result would be salvation, pardon, and ' peace with God.' But it is quite the contrary of this with you. You are awfully afraid of God! an evidence that you are not looking at ' God in the face of Jesus Christ.' (2 Cor. 4:66For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. (2 Corinthians 4:6).) 2CO 4:66For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. (2 Corinthians 4:6) You are mourning, repenting, and bitterly lamenting sin, and earnestly crying for mercy, and yet, you say, you ' have no evidence of being heard, that your prayers, like stones thrown into the air, only fall back upon you with terror.' Are you not trying to make yourself good, and fit to meet God by your own repentance, instead of throwing yourself, just as you are, upon Christ? And this is the reason why conscience upbraids you; for, indeed, you are only increasing your guilt instead of taking it away. You are not truly believing and trusting in Jesus.”
“Oh! sir, I tell you again, that I firmly believe in Christ, the Son of God, and that no poor sinner can be saved without Him, and I am striving and praying daily and hourly that He may save me.”
“Well, Mrs. A—, you are praying and striving daily and hourly that He may save you; but are you willing to be saved without your praying and striving? Are you willing to be saved on His own terms, simply by faith in His blood? You must know that it is ' By grace through faith you are saved.' (Eph. 2:88For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: (Ephesians 2:8).) EPH 2:88For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: (Ephesians 2:8)You must 'BELIEVE, AND BE SAVED,' and THEN pray and strive because you are saved.”
“But, oh! how can such a wicked wretch as 1 am be saved without fervent prayer, and striving to repent before God?”
“Your fervent prayers and repentance will never be accepted until you first accept Christ, as He is freely offered to you, as an all-sufficient Saviour. Now, Mrs. A—, I want you to think most seriously on what you have just said. You said you believed truly in Jesus Christ, and in every word that is said about Him in the Old and New Testaments. Then you must believe that Christ can ' save to the uttermost all who come unto God by Him,' even ' the chief of sinners,' and that ' faith in His blood ' saves the soul.”
(Heb. 7:2525Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. (Hebrews 7:25); 1 Tim. 1:1515This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. (1 Timothy 1:15); Rom. 3:2525Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; (Romans 3:25).) HEB 7:2525Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. (Hebrews 7:25) 1TI 1:1515This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. (1 Timothy 1:15) ROM 3:2525Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; (Romans 3:25)
“Yes, I do.”
“And you believe in this Saviour's blood?”
“Certainly I do.”
“Then you believe it can save you?”
Here was a pause.
At last the answer came slowly, "Yes, I do.”
“Then your faith has saved you; has it not?
Another long pause.
Finally she put the inquiry, “And is that salvation in a Salvation in a Saviour’s blood?”
“Certainly it is, if you truly believe, as you say.''
And here came another most solemn pause.
At last, lifting her eyes and hands towards heaven, her bosom heaving with deep emotion, and her eyes filled with tears, she exclaimed, “Oh! now I see it! Now I see it! Blessed be God, now I see that I can be SAVED FOR NOTHING! I believed, but never before did I so see the completeness of that satisfaction which Christ has made for my sin; that I have nothing to do for my salvation but believe! Oh! sir, let me say to you, that this moment a burden has rolled from my soul. Blessed Jesus! and is this salvation in Thy blood? How blind I have been these many years, to imagine that, in order to be saved, I should have to pray so fervently, repent so bitterly, and keep myself so pure from sin. Now I see that simple faith in that atoning blood can save any sinner, and save fully and freely; that it can save me! Oh! that I am saved, SAVED FOR NOTHING! Glory! glory to God for this!”
Christ is the true peace-offering. He has "made peace through the blood of His cross,'' (Col. 1:2020And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. (Colossians 1:20).) COL 1:2020And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. (Colossians 1:20) Observe, it was" through the blood of His cross “that He made peace. It was not by His obedient life, how precious soever that life might be; and truly it was precious beyond all human thought. It was by His blood, and by it alone, He made peace. He gave up His life on the cross, and with that life went all the sin that was by imputation attached thereto, that in resurrection all His members might be eternally linked with Him, partaking of the same life, and standing in the same righteousness, and in the same infinite favor before God.