“You will excuse me, sir, but I must say that I cannot agree with your preaching tonight.”
Such were the first words that a really anxious, but unhappy, soul addressed to me one evening, when something like the following conversation took place.
“Very likely,” I replied, “But what did I say that you cannot agree with?”
“Why, you stated a great many times, so that I am not mistaken, that the same moment the sinner comes to Jesus, he is received, forgiven, saved, and ought to be happy. I can’t agree with that at all.”
“Well, dear A., that is just what I did say, and I am thankful it has made such an impression on you. But, tell me, Did I, in all that, go beyond the truth in my text? (Luke 7:36-5036And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee's house, and sat down to meat. 37And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster box of ointment, 38And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment. 39Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner. 40And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on. 41There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty. 42And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most? 43Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged. 44And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head. 45Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet. 46My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment. 47Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little. 48And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven. 49And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also? 50And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace. (Luke 7:36‑50)). Was not all that true to the woman that came to Jesus?”
“Yes, I know it was all true to her. She knew it was true to her, for she heard Jesus say it. But how can any one know now that it is true to them, until they feel it is theirs? They must have the witness in themselves. I know I have never been able to feel sure, at least, long at a time. I was converted about seven years ago, at least I thought I was converted then. I was very happy at the time, and joined the church, but doubts came into my mind, and dark clouds came over me. I thought God was hiding His face from me, and I was in great darkness. No one knows what I have gone through, but God and my own soul. Often and often I could not sleep in the night, and when I prayed, I could get no comfort, and sometimes I could not pray at all. I could do nothing, and enjoy nothing. I was miserable.”
“But now, dear A., will you tell me what you have been praying and crying for, all this time? Have you been as unhappy as this for seven years?”
“Yes, I may say I have, though sometimes I am happy. But my prayer night and day has been that I might know that I was a child of God—one of His.”
“Well, in what way did you ask, or expect, God to make that blessed truth known to you?”
“I want, of course, to feel it, to know it, by the work of His Spirit in me. Every one knows that it is written in the Bible, and true to them that are His. But I believe there must be a deep inward work of the Spirit before any one can be sure that they are quite safe. We must pass through deep experience before we can be sure, if ever any one can be sure in this world.”
“Perhaps you are not aware, A., that you are making a very serious mistake as to the way of peace. The mistake is this. You are looking at the work of the Spirit in you, in place of the work of Christ for you. I mean the work of Christ on the cross for us sinners. The work of the Spirit rather leads us into trouble by showing us how bad we are. But then the work of Christ is the ground of pardon and peace, because He died for our sins. Blessed Lord! ‘He was delivered for our offenses,’ and now, Where are they? Gone, and forever! He put them away by the sacrifice of Himself. Only believe it! Jesus is risen! He left all our offenses behind Him. The Holy Spirit never directs your eye to His operations in you, valuable and indispensable as these are, but always to the finished work of Christ. The office of the Spirit is to make known to us the Person, Work, and Glory of Christ. But if you get occupied with the evil that the work of the Spirit discovers in yourself, you must be unhappy, and most assuredly will continue unhappy as long as you do so. Neither can you obey that sweet word, ‘Look unto Me,’ and so become acquainted with the Lord Himself, and be filled with Him.”
“Well, I believe I have been looking too much at myself. But I have always been taught so. I have never heard that kind of preaching before.”
“Once more let us look at the text. First, let me ask you this, Why has the Holy Spirit given us such a detailed account of what took place when that poor sinful woman came to Jesus? Was it not to assure us, that as Jesus never changes, the same thing must take place now, whenever a sinner comes to Him? She came in, poor woman, off the street; she uttered not a word, but fell at His feet, trusting to the mercy that she believed was in Him. And what were the Saviour’s first words to her? You must wait awhile? No. You must have a deeper sense of sin in yourself? No. You must agonize in prayer many days and nights, months and years, before I can give you the assurance of pardon? No. What then? Now, be honest, What then? Blessed be His name! He first of all turns to the woman, then casts a look—a speaking look—of compassion on the weeping sinner at His feet; and then, the first opening of His lips pronounces her full forgiveness. ‘And He said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven.... And He said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.’ Now, in all fairness, let me ask you, How did Jesus meet this guilty one? Was it not with present forgiveness—present salvation—present peace? One other thing let me ask you. Is He changed now; or is He the same? Would He be different to any poor sinner who came to Him tonight? I know you would not say so. But O! Why should you think so, and harbor in your mind unworthy thoughts of Jesus?”
“I wish I could see it in that light. I have been praying earnestly for seven years for the pardon of my sins, and I still have my doubts and fears at times. What I can’t get over, is your saying that people ought to know they are forgiven the moment they believe, and be rejoicing in the Lord.”
“Now, let me ask you another thing. Did Jesus ever send away a sinner from His presence, in a state of uncertainty, who came seeking salvation? Never! no never! He states to all such, in the most positive manner, ‘Thy faith hath saved thee.’ Again, did He ever say to a sinner at His feet, I will forgive thee? Never! no never! But He affirms in the most absolute way, ‘Thy sins are forgiven.’ (Read Mark 2:5; 5:345When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee. (Mark 2:5)
34And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague. (Mark 5:34); Luke 18:4242And Jesus said unto him, Receive thy sight: thy faith hath saved thee. (Luke 18:42); John 5:2424Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. (John 5:24)).
“O! I do earnestly desire, above all things, to be sure that I am one of His. It is the only thing I do care for. And often, and often, I have come to Him in prayer; but then I can’t feel sure, like you, that I am forgiven and saved. O! if I could but feel sure of that, I should be happy.”
“And I am most anxious, dear A., that you should feel sure. But there is only one way of being sure, and that is, by believing the word of God. If you are content to take that word, and to trust in it, you will now feel a divine certainty on every point that concerns you. The word of God is as true tonight as it will be tomorrow. The invitation to come to Jesus is as free—His love is as real—His grace is as boundless—His blood is as precious—your forgiveness is as sure—and your acceptance is as gracious—Why then not believe it now, and be happy—and rejoice in the Lord? We are saved by faith—made happy by faith—and rejoice by faith. The feelings will follow, but faith must be first.
Everlasting Life.
“The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6: 23. Have you received this inestimable gift? God gives it to everyone who believes on His Son.
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
And all who receive everlasting life in Christ now, will share everlasting glory with Him hereafter.
Jesus said:
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on Me hath everlasting life.” John 6: 47.
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth My word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.” John 5:2424Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. (John 5:24).
Believeth—hath.
Said a poor old woman of some seventy years, when shown these living words, “What a stupid I’ve been! There have I been a coming and a going, and a trying and a striving, and a arg’ing and a arg’ing, and to think it’s as plain as all that! And in my own Bible too! I’ve been groping in the dark these fifty years. What a stupid I’ve been!”
Reader, Believest thou?
But some will say, “How can you know that you have everlasting life?” What saith the Scripture? “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life” 1 John 5:1313These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. (1 John 5:13).