TWENTY years ago a young man who was exercised about the salvation of his soul entered a hall in Manchester. At the conclusion of the service, as he was leaving the place, a gentleman, putting his hand on his shoulder, said: "Are you saved?" "No," was the candid reply. "Would you like to be saved?" was the next question. "I would," responded the anxious enquirer.
Mr. Campbell quietly and solemnly quoted the life-giving words of John 3:1616For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16): "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." On reaching the word "whosoever," he put his hand on the shoulder of the enquirer and said: "THAT MEANS YOU." The anxious soul left the building pondering the precious words he had heard.
As he walked up and down the street meditating on the Scripture, he soliloquized as follows: "Who spoke these words?" "The Lord Jesus Christ." “Then they are true," was the conclusion he arrived at. The light of the Gospel shone in on his darkened spirit, and he thanked God for saving him." Oh, Lord," he said," you say that ' God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.' Lord, I believe." There and then he believed on Christ, obtained eternal life, became a child of God, and had the assurance of salvation. At that time he was staying with two maiden aunts. He resolved that he would not tell them of his conversion that night. He had scarcely opened the door, however, when he confessed Christ as his Savior.
If the reader desires to become a true Christian, we are glad to be able to assure him, on the authority of God's Word, that salvation full, vast, present, free, and eternal is at this moment within his reach. Go in at the "whosoever" door of John 3:1616For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16), and you will obtain what you desire. Let us look at the verse again. "For God so loved the world." Then God loves me, as I am one of the "world." How much does God love me? "That He gave His only begotten Son." Surely that is a marvelous manifestation of love. Gave His "only begotten Son" to what? Gave Him to bleed and die as a sacrifice for sin. When He was hanging on that tree, He was thinking of me. It was for me that He gave Himself a ransom (1 Tim. 2:66Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time. (1 Timothy 2:6)). It was for my sins that He made complete atonement. "That whosoever believeth in Him should not perish." I am one of the "whosoevers." I believe in Him. I believe He died for me. God's Word declares that on doing so I "shall not perish." Praise His holy Name, I can now say:
“There is no condemnation,
There is no bell for me;
The torment and the fire
Mine eyes shall never see.”
"But have everlasting life." Then I have as a personal possession "everlasting life," on the authority of God's beloved Son the Lord Jesus Christ. I do not FEEL that I have "everlasting life," but I KNOW I have it because God says so, and what He says MUST be true. Surely I am running no risk in resting my soul on God's Holy Word. "He that believeth not God hath made Him a liar" (1 John 5:10, 1110He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. 11And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. (1 John 5:10‑11)) Will you now believe the testimony He has given concerning His Son, and thus have everlasting life? A. M.