One, evening, after a service in a town situated upon one of the principal gold fields of Australia, I asked some among the audience as to the security and “salvation of their precious souls, and their present-knowledge and enjoyment of the forgiveness of their sins. From nearly all to whom I spoke I received, in response to my inquiries, “I hope so, sir; I hope so.”
This reply was given by some with much readiness, as though it were a well-learned lesson, by others it was uttered in uncertain tones, such as make the heart ache, of one who yearns for the salvation and deliverance of precious souls.
Somewhat saddened, I turned to a little fellow, and said to him,
“Well, my little man, where are your sins?”
He looked up into my face and smiled sweetly, but did not speak a word. Fearing that he did not catch my question, I repeated it, but still received no answer. His mother said, “Come, don’t be silly, Harry; answer the gentleman at once.” He looked up at me, still smiling, but did not answer.
Thinking that he was shy, I said a few words to him, and then bade them good night. On arriving home, his mother said to him,
“Why didn’t you answer, Harry?”
“Because I couldn’t,” rejoined the little boy.
“Why, that you could, I’m sure,” said the mother.
“No, I couldn’t, mother.”
“Why could you not, Harry?”
“Because I don’t know. I know that Jesus bore my sins and put them away, but where He has put them I don’t know, and I did not think anyone else did.”
O, what a volume of precious peace-giving truth falling from the lips of a mere babe! O, that all of you, dear young readers, might be able to take up the words of little Harry, “I know that Jesus bore my sins and put them away.”
It may be, my young reader, you are troubled about your sins; and perhaps you now say to yourself, “O, how I wish that I were like that little boy! If I could but say what he said, should not I be happy!”
Well, I have good news for you. You may know what he knew, and be able to say what he said this very hour, and on no less authority than the word of the living God. Do you believe His word?
“Yes,” you answer, “I believe everything the Bible says, but yet I cannot say that my sins are all pardoned.” Let us see what the Bible says. We will look at a few texts. Turn to Isaiah 53:66All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53:6).
“All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way.”
Do you believe that?
“Yes.”
“You don’t hope you believe it, do you?”
“No, certainly not.”
“Do you feel that you believe it?” “No, I believe it.”
“Well, go on now: ‘But the Lord hath,’ Does it say may, or will?”
“No; ‘hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all.’”
“Do you believe those words?”
“Who being the brightness of His glory, and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.” The resurrection of Jesus our Lord from the dead is a proof that His work is finished to the satisfaction of God.
“What about your sins, then?”
“But I don’t feel,” is your answer.
“Now, we have not been speaking about our feelings, but about God’s word. You said at the outset that you did not feel you believed, but believed. If you believe that you have gone astray, but that the Lord hath laid on Him (Jesus) your sins, and that He has borne them on the tree, and that He by His death has put them away, and that He is now risen, and seated at God’s right hand—blessed proof that His work is done! —where are your sins? Do you think it possible that Jesus bore your sins and put them away nineteen hundred years ago, and that they are still upon you?”
“Well, no; they must be gone, whether I feel it or not. God says so—I believe it.”
Now a few more texts as to where the believer’s sins have been put.
When will the east and the west come together? Never. When will the believer and his sins come together? Never. The Lord hath said, “Their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.” Hebrews 10:1717And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. (Hebrews 10:17).
Rest on God’s word alone, and with the little boy, you will answer the question, “Where are your sins?” by saying, “I know that Jesus bore my sins and put them away, but where He’s put them I don’t know.”
ML 12/13/1931