“We are told not to cast our pearls before swine, what are we to understand by it? Does it mean that we are not to preach the gospel to some persons?”
It is clear that we are to preach the gospel to every creature. By our Saviour’s words, “Neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they turn again and rend you,” we rather judge that we should not set before ungodly people the special truths God has graciously given for the support, and comfort, and joy of His own people. Talk to an ungodly man about God’s electing love, the standing and relationships we now have, and the hope of the Lord coming for us at any moment, will he not declare you are mad?
“A CONSTANT READER,” London. ―You say that you “go to Jesus as a lost sinner,” but have not peace, no assurance of salvation. Your letter clearly shows the reason. Instead of looking into God’s word for assurance of salvation, you are looking into your poor wretched self. You say “all seems dark;” and it must be so as long as you look to yourself for comfort, instead of God’s word. Is it, you ask, the work of the Spirit of God in you? This is again being off the true ground of peace. It is not the work of the Holy Spirit in you, but the work of Christ for you that is the true ground of peace. Whoever looks into his own heart to see if his debts are paid, or to feel if his debts are paid? He knows that another has paid them, looks to the receipt, and is satisfied. What you want to see is, that Christ on the cross not only suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, but He was there also as the Substitute of those who believe; so that sin, root and branch, the flesh with its affections and lusts, has been in righteousness set aside by God forever in the death of Christ. It is quite true that every believer feels he has the evil nature in him; in fact, none truly feel it but the believer; and because he so feels it, he is told to “reckon himself to be dead” (dead with Christ, his substitute), “dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God in a risen Christ.” Not only has self been thus judged and condemned in the death of Christ, but he is told so to reckon. He who does this, does not look into self for anything good whatever, but He looks wholly to Christ in glory, knowing that Christ is his life, that he is called into fellowship with Him, and that now he lives upon Christ. There are thus two sides to the question. 1. The negative side―sin and self-condemned, and put away by the death of Christ. 2. The positive side―Christ risen our life and righteousness, and we called by God into the fellowship of His Son Jesus Christ our Lord. These are the blessings the grace of God brings to every believer. All lost sinners who come to God by Christ have them. God takes the place of Giver; all that we do is to receive. “The gift of God is eternal life.” To whom? All who believe, all who come to God by Christ. You say, Is it for me? We reply in Scripture language, it is for “whosoever believeth.” And why through believing? Because God’s word says so; and faith alone receives everything from God through Christ, and gives God all the glory.
Look no longer then at yourself, or at your experience. Look simply to Jesus, who has entered into heaven with His own blood. Believe God’s testimony, that in the death of Jesus He made a just atonement for all your sins, and there you may read also your own death as to the old man. Look straight to Jesus now in God’s presence as the life, eternal life, of all who trust in Him. Doubt no longer. God still gives, so now receive. Begin to praise God for Christ’s finished work, His accomplished redemption, giving you, “a lost sinner,” access into God’s presence at all times. Read your title to stand in God’s presence forever, not in your feelings or experience, but in the blood of His Son. Rest in God’s word; do not attempt to rest in your own thoughts. Be occupied with Christ, not self. Gaze upon that living Christ now in heaven, the new, and living, and only way into God’s peaceful presence. Hearken to His precious words― “He is able to save them to the uttermost (forever) that come unto God by Him (that is, Christ), seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them.” (Hebrews 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).) If, then, you come as a lost sinner to God by Christ, you may be certain of two things. 1St. That you are saved forever. 2nd That Christ makes intercession for you. May God, by His Holy Spirit, so fill the vision of your soul with the glory and work of Christ, that you may see that God justifies you from all things through what Christ has done. “By Him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.” (Acts 13)