THE word of God addresses two classes of persons-the saints and sinners, saved and unsaved—and to one of these classes you belong dear reader. In that word God speaks, telling of your lost helpless condition, but also pointing you to His unfailing remedy, salvation through Christ, and Him only. Hence we ask you, Are you saved? And if not, why not?
God has provided a Savior, which is Christ the Lord, and Christ has died, the Just for the unjust. "God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."
What greater proof of God's love do you want than this? The fact that Christ was here upon earth tells you that God loves you. The awful sorrows, sufferings and death of the Lord Jesus witness with trumpet voice to you, telling you that God hates sin and loves you.
In the scripture we read the wondrous story of God's love. Therein God Himself is speaking to you, not only telling you what you are (a sinner by nature), and what you have done (a sinner by practice); but He also reveals Himself as dealing with and judging sin, and providing for the sinner a Savior and a salvation, in and through Christ, His beloved Son.
Again and again He is pointed to as the sinner's substitute, as the One Who took the sinner's place, as the One Who died in the sinner's room and stead. He, blessed be His name, became our surety; He undertook all our liabilities; and as our surety He had to smart, and He did smart. But by faith we can say, "He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities." As our surety He paid the debt, even to the uttermost farthing. Therefore God can be just, and the justifier of all who believe on Him. A perfect salvation, a complete clearance, full deliverance, with no condemnation: such is the blessed portion of all who look in faith to God's dear Son.
Dear reader, do you believe on Him? Have you received God's testimony of Him? Have you set to your seal that God is true? The blessed result to all who do so is salvation, forgiveness, everlasting life, and glory with Christ for all eternity.
But to those who refuse, reject, or neglect this salvation, the awful consequences are blackness and darkness forever and ever, instead of joy and peace; eternal woe and anguish, instead of the company of Christ and the redeemed.
Dear reader, again we appeal to you, Be warned and flee from the wrath to come. "He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."
He bare on the tree, the sentence for me,
And now, both the Surety and sinner are free;
Accepted I am in the once-offered Lamb:
It was God Who Himself had devised the plan.