It will be seen from the Epistle to Titus, chapter 3, verse 4, that the Spirit of God, through the beloved Apostle Paul, brings the kindness and love of our Saviour God prominently before us; which I would again press upon every dear unsaved one who reads this paper. If you will be good enough to read the third verse of the chapter, you will see that the Apostle speaks of the condition, by nature, of every one of us: sin has characterized us all as “foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another.” The evil nature that was manifest in Paul and Titus, also exists in you and me. Do not let us try to deceive ourselves, for it is clearly written, “That the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” None but God; and He has concluded all under sin, that He may have mercy upon all. You are included in both. Is it not written of Gentiles— “In time past ye walked according to the course of this world, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience; among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lust of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind: and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.”? And, therefore, are we not entirely unsuitable for the presence of a holy God? Can you question this? “But after the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,” everything is changed for the believer. How blessed! Paul and Titus had learned, as have many who read this, the sweet and precious character of the Saviour God. What love is there expressed! What grace! As we joyfully sing sometimes
“Brightness of the eternal glory,
Shall Thy praise unuttered lie?
Who would hush the boundless story
Of the One Who came to die?
“Came from heights of bliss eternal,
Down to Calvary’s depth of woe;
Now on high, we bow before Thee;
Streams of praises ceaseless flow.”
When Saul of Tarsus (afterward Paul) was exercising his greatest animosity and hatred against the Saviour: breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, hurling them to prison and to death, that bright light from heaven flashed upon him, and he fell to the earth (Acts, 9:3, 4). To his astonishment, he heard a voice saying unto him, “Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me?” He discovered, as all who have been recipients of His grace, that no works of righteousness could save us; and who so righteous (in his own eyes) as Saul of Tarsus? He thought he was doing God’s service, as some are doing today, when persecuting the church, i.e., true believers in our Lord Jesus Christ; and the righteousness which was in the Jaw, he endeavored to keep; but when his eyes were opened to see that the One he was persecuting was none other than the Saviour God, it was such a revelation that he exclaimed, “Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?” Now he owns, as many have since, that it was “according to His mercy He saved us.” Saved without the least deserving it! Oh, what a God is ours! We are all cast upon His mercy, and if you receive the blessing as many of us have, may I beseech you to take the publican’s place in the presence of God, and use the publican’s prayer, GOD BE MERCIFUL TO ME THE SINNER. He went down to his house justified, for God delighteth in mercy, and his supplication was surely heard, as yours will be. “God Who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ (by grace ye are saved).” What for? “That in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus” (Eph. 2:55Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) (Ephesians 2:5) and 7). This is most blessed, and goes to prove that all our righteousness is as filthy rags, and as another has said, “Only fit for the dust heap.” Why then be foolish any longer? Cast yourself upon the mercy of God, and you will be blessed indeed.
His grace not only justifies, but makes us sons and heirs according to the hope of eternal life. We read in Romans, 8:17, “If children, then heirs, heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ.” so that: “In the person of His Son,” We are as near as He;
“The love wherewith He loves His Son,
Such is His love to me.”
C.H.C.