Two business men met by previous appointment at a small commercial hotel in the city to settle an account. One was the representative of a large wholesale firm, and the other a small tradesman. A little misunderstanding occurred about some charges which were made for goods supplied by the firm; the tradesman thinking too much had been charged, wanted something deducted, which the other did not feel at perfect liberty to do without first receiving permission from the firm. But such was the confidence the tradesman had in his friend that he took out his check book and, putting his signature at the bottom of the leaf, said:
“There, Mr. P—, is a blank check with my signature. I will leave you to fill it up; I know you will do the thing that’s right; just make such deduction as you think proper, and fill in the amount.”
Now, did not this show that the tradesman had unbounded confidence in his friend, for it lay in the power of the one who held the blank check to have ruined the other, for he might have filled in an amount entirely beyond the tradesman’s capability of discharging. But, no! he knew the representative of the firm to be an honest man, and so he could trust him to any extent.
How often is this the case, that man can trust his fellow man, even to an extreme, and yet have so little faith in God—his Creator. If you, my dear reader, are anxious about your soul, I would earnestly beseech you to have that simple faith in the Lord Jesus Christ that this tradesman had in his friend, and life everlasting is yours.
You have only, as it were, to write your name on a blank check, and trust it in simple confidence in the hands of God, and He will fill it from top to bottom with blessings. Salvation cannot be earned by good works; it would not be in harmony with the grace of God if that were possible.
If there were any possibility of man’s getting to heaven by his so-called good works, what need had God to have given up His Son to a death of shame? No, my dear reader, life can only come through faith in the finished work of Christ. “Believe” and “Live” are the words which explain the principle on which God is giving eternal life to His fallen creatures. One look of faith at the serpent of brass was sufficient to cure the serpent-bitten Israelite of old, and one glance of faith, directed to the cross of Christ is enough to save the most sin-diseased soul on earth.
If you are one who has been trying for years to obtain life by your good works (so called), religious duties, and morality, let me tell you in all love and kindness, that this way is opposed to faith; for salvation was wrought out over 1,900 years ago on Calvary’s cross, and simple, childlike faith is all you need to make it your own. May God, in His grace, open your eyes to see and appreciate the value of simple saving faith.