A VISITOR among the poor was one day climbing the broken staircase which led to a garret, in one of the worst parts of London, when his attention, was arrested by a man of peculiarly ferocious and repulsive countenance, who stood upon the landing-place, leaning, with folded, arms, against the wall. There was something about the man's appearance which made the visitor shudder, and his first impulse was to go back. He made an effort; however, to get into conversation with him, and told him that he came there with the desire to do him good and to see him happy and that the book he held in his hand contained the secret of all happiness. The ruffian shook him off as if he had been a viper, and bade him begone with his nonsense, or he would kick him downstairs. While the visitor was endeavoring with gentleness and patience to argue the point with him, he was startled by hearing a feeble voice, which appeared to come from behind one of the broken doors that opened upon the landing, say, ‘Does your book tell of the blood which cleanseth from all sin?’ For the moment the visitor was too absorbed in the case of the hardened sinner before him to answer the inquiry, and it was repeated in urgent and thrilling tones, ‘Tell me, oh, tell me, does your book tell of the blood which cleanseth from all sin?’
“The visitor pushed open the door, and entered the room. It was a wretched place, wholly destitute of furniture except a three legged stool, and a bundle of straw in a corner, upon which were stretched the wasted limbs of an aged woman. When the visitor entered she raised herself upon one elbow, fixed her eyes eagerly upon him and, repeated her former question, ‘Does your book tell of the blood which cleanseth from all sin?' He sat down upon the stool beside her and inquired, ‘My poor friend, what do you want to know of the blood, that cleanseth from all sin?' There was something fearful in the energy of her voice and manner as she replied, 'What do I want to know of it? Man, I am dying; I am going to Stand naked before God. I have been a wicked woman, a very wicked woman, all my life. I shall have to answer for everything I have done!' And she groaned bitterly as the thought of a lifetime's iniquity, seemed to cross her soul. 'But once,' she continued, ‘once, years ago, I came by the door of a chapel, and I went in, I don't know what for; I was soon out again; but one word I heard there I have never forgot. It was something about blood which cleanseth from all sin. Oh, if I could hear of it now! Tell me, tell me, if there is anything about the blood in your book!' The visitor answered by opening his Bible and reading the first chapter of the First Epistle of St. John. The poor creature seemed to devour the words, and when he paused she exclaimed, ‘Read more, read more.' He read the second chapter of 1 John—a slight noise made him look round; the savage ruffian had followed him into, his mother's room, and though his face was partly turned away, the visitor could perceive tears rolling down his cheeks. The visitor read the third, fourth, and fifth chapters of 1 John before he could get his poor listener to consent that he should stop, and then she would not let him go till he promised to come again the next day. He never from that time missed a day reading to her until she died, six weeks afterward; and very blessed was it to see how, almost from the first, she seemed to find peace in believing in Jesus. Every day the son followed the visitor into his mother's room, and listened in silence, but not in indifference. On the day of her funeral, he beckoned him to one side, as they were filling, up the grave, and said, ‘Sir, there is nothing I should so much like as to spend the rest of my life in telling others of the blood which cleanseth from all sin.'”
Dear reader, Jesus Christ, by His perfect work on the Cross, has met—blessedly met every charge which a Holy God could have against a sinner believing in Jesus. Had death, the wages of sin to be met? Yes; but Christ died for us (Rom. 5:66For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. (Romans 5:6)). Had "the judgment" to be encountered? Yes but Christ was offered to bear the sins of many (Heb. 9:2828So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation. (Hebrews 9:28)). But "How am I to get to God?" some one may ask. "By the blood of Christ," says one Apostle; He died—the Just for the unjust—that He might bring us to God, says another. Thus, your whole condition has been met; your wretched case, in all its detail, has been looked at and gone into by God, and fully provided for in Christ Jesus.
What now remains to do? Simply and only, thy reception of this wondrous Salvation. Marvelous truth! Grace unparalleled! Jesus claims salvation for the sinner. Yes; God is just to Christ, in forgiving sin, in imparting Eternal Life to the one who will believe in Jesus, who will only cling to His finished work. And why so? Because Christ bore sin's judgment; entering fully and thoroughly into the mind of God, about our sin and guilt-thus satisfying God, yea, glorifying Him about the whole question. And now, Christ raised from the dead by the might of God, and glorified too, at His right hand, is Heaven's witness and proof to thee that all, all is done, and more too—that God will receive thee—yea, the joy of thy coming to Him will be mutual; for He says, "Let us eat and be merry." Salvation is of grace. Eternal Life is the gift of God. But, though all pure grace to the still it is the just right of Christ to receive it: thus the soul is established and kept in perfect peace. My whole standing is in grate; but, blessed thought! Christ—has obtained "Eternal Redemption." He hath wrought, He hath labored, He hath toiled. His is now the reward; for, based upon the atoning work begun and finished on Calvary, God can now, in righteousness to Jesus, show out His grace to thee. What a perfect work to rest upon! What a solid and enduring foundation! Can it ever fail? Can it ever lose one atom of its power to cleanse the deepest, most wretched, most vile and ungodly sinner that will come to Jesus? Never. Oh, then, believe God's faithful word? Trust Christ's accomplished work and thou shalt be saved.