Is that all? Most blessed it is, but not all. Then we find immediately in a still fuller way God coming in to that poor soul feeling its state, its incapacity to love God, and it learns, “Herein is love, not that we loved God,” but the very reverse. We endeavored to escape God; we desired not the knowledge of His ways. Such was our wretched history. But “He loved us and sent His son, the propitiation for our sins.” It was not enough “that we might live through Him"; because, if we lived, if we felt what was due to God, if we had a desire to do the will of God, it must be still immense misery, and constant fear, in the sense of His holiness and of our utter unfitness for His presence.
When there is no life one tries to get rid of God's presence—to drown oneself in pleasure; one turns even duties into ruin by occupying oneself with anything to shut out the sense of having to do with God. But where there is a conscience, one must go to Him. “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him,” said one of old. There is a distinct desire after Him, while one maintains His righteous character. But how little is He known as Savior, for this is what He is—One who has thoughts of good, and not of evil—One who (when a man thus espouses the cause of God against himself, when he heeds the word that condemns him out and out) sent His Son the propitiation, for my sins! Thus not only does He give a nature that hates sin, but the mighty work of the Lord Jesus Christ is to take away all my guilt out of His sight. Ah! there is love indeed-not merely that I might have spiritual feelings instead of natural religion, not merely that I might groan over my evil, but that I might be justified. And this is secured by the work of Christ's atonement for me. I see it in all its perfection. He sent His Son for me to live, for Him to die! What does He give me in His death? Propitiation for my sins. In this two-fold way God has proved His love.
N. K.]
(To be continued)