IN these words, “without strength" (Rom. 5:66For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. (Romans 5:6)) lies a truth, which is indeed to learn. To some the words come as a bitter disappointment— to others, as a sincere comfort, at least when read with the concluding part of the verse in which they occur: “When we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly." Such as are trying to merit God's approval, and so to gain salvation by their works, find the words a sore disappointment. Such as know they are ungodly and lost, rejoice that Christ died for us just us we are.
Without strength! These words are sadly overlooked, or perhaps are not believed in very much that is, accepted as Christian religion. Yet when the Savior was here His ministry of healing reached not only the leper, the type of the sinner in his sin, but also the palsied man, the type of the sinner in his helpless state.
To the helpless, to him without strength, came His divine words, “Wilt thou be made whole?"
Made whole! made whole! Who should make him whole? The man did not so much as grasp the Lord's words. His mind was buried in his thirty and eight years' experience of one and another stepping down before him into the pool, the waters of which the angel had stirred. Poor man, what a picture he is of a soul centered in and fixed upon ordinances! Always doing, yet never at rest, oblivious to the fact that he is without strength.
Jesus did not come to aid us to save ourselves, He came to save us. He saves, and saves outright.
“Rise," said He to the man without strength, and immediately he was made whole. (John 5:1-91After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 2Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches. 3In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water. 4For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had. 5And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years. 6When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole? 7The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me. 8Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk. 9And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath. (John 5:1‑9).)
What a difference there is in the religion of looking to ordinances, and to ourselves for power to avail ourselves of their benefit, from hearing the words of Jesus!
Without strength! There is much positive unbelief in this fact. It is humiliating; it cuts against the grain of our pride. Many prefer to perish rather than believe that they are without strength.
How many there are at this moment who are struggling on, striving on, ever seeking to save themselves, and never knowing what God's salvation is, failing to say from the bottom of their hearts, "In me, that is my flesh, dwelleth no good thing," and to give up every hope in self, so that Christ may be all.
“Let go the twig!"
Once a young girl was in deep anxiety of soul. The thought of her state before God followed her even in her dreams, and she could gain no rest. While in this condition a dream came to her. She was hanging, clutching to a hush that grew upon the brink of a pit, and beneath her all was dark. As she clung she felt her only hope lay in clinging, but she grew weary and exhausted. Then a voice said to her, "Let go the twig," but beneath was the darkness, and she held on the tighter. Again the voice said, "Let go the twig," but she grasped it the more as to her only hope. Yet again the words came to her, and then, weary and faint, she let it go, and fell ... where? Into strong arms—into safety! She awoke, and lo! she knew she was safe in the keeping of Christ, her Savior.
To what are you holding on? Is it to your prayers, your good works, your resolutions? Let go the twig. Let all go; be nothing but what you are, a lost, guilty sinner, falling into darkness, and you shall find in Christ a perfect and an almighty Savior.