IT is said, “Man’s extremity is God’s opportunity,” by which is understood, that where a man comes to his wit’s end, then God comes in to give deliverance. Thus in reference to the salvation of his soul, where man ceases God begins.
“Be silent, O all flesh, before the Lord.”
“The salvation, of God is sent to the Gentiles.” Mark, it is “the salvation of God,” and it is “SENT to the Gentiles.” It is SENT to sinners, not to angels, not to devils, but to sinners. They, at the peril of everlasting judgment, refuse it. When a divine work is produced in the soul, men are convinced of their lost and undone condition. Then is God’s deliverance welcome. I say a divine work, otherwise “man’s extremity” may become Satan’s opportunity. As may be seen in the case of money-loving Judas. To what an extremity was he brought when the truth forced itself upon him that he had “betrayed the innocent blood,” and confessing this to the chief priests and elders, he brought back the pieces of money!
With what fiendish indifference did they say, “What is that to us? see thou to that.”
Mocked by the devil, repulsed by man, and having no real conception of the mercy of God, in black despair he went and hanged himself! What a hard master is the devil!
It is not, either, by human efforts that we get peace with God. How often are they put forth! Constantly it is not till the last thing has been tried and found of no avail, that Jesus Christ is trusted in. As with the woman who had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse, so with others before they come to Jesus.
Mrs. C―had attended the Gospel preaching, which led to her becoming anxious as to her soul’s condition before God. Her eyes were red with tears when she spoke to me. I assured her that all that had to be done for the obtaining of peace had been done. In her distress, and displaying some knowledge of the Word of God, she said, “Does not the Scripture say, ‘Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you’?”
“Yes,” I replied, “the Scripture does say what you quote; but the passage is addressed to the disciples, those who did believe in Him, and not to those who did not believe.”
“Then I’m lost,” she sadly said. The last prop was knocked away. The last flicker of hope of obtaining peace and forgiveness through her own efforts went out. The last shred of human righteousness was to be cast away.
Will it surprise the reader to learn that the lost one―she who felt herself to be lost―was found, and has for some time been a happy Christian?
The Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which is lost, and this is what the lost one realized. She experienced that the seeking was on the Lord’s part, not on hers. The Scripture, when speaking of infants, states― “The Son of Man is come to save that which is lost” (Matt. 18:1111For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost. (Matthew 18:11)); not “seek” and “save” here. The reason is obvious. These little ones being born in sin, and at a distance from God, need saving, and but for Christ’s work would all be lost eternally; but grown-up people need not only to be saved, they need to be sought. Infants’ lips have not as yet become defiled by speaking evil things, nor have their feet trodden in the paths of sin. They need saving, but as infants need not seeking. Oh, the active grace of the good Shepherd, who gave His life for the sheep. He goes after that which is lost.
We go astray as sheep. The Word of God declares, “All we like sheep have gone astray.” Why like sheep? A dog that goes astray may return; not so a sheep. Christ is the seeker, and He is the Saviour.
We work not for salvation; we work from it. The believer has rest to his conscience because Christ is sitting at the right hand of God; He rests because He has done the work. The sacrifice has been accepted. The position the Lord occupies indicates to us that the work of our salvation is finished.
“O Christ, what burdens bowed Thy head,
Our load was laid on Thee;
Thou stoodest in the sinner’s stead―
Bear’st all my ill for me.
A victim led Thy blood was shed;
Now there’s no load for me.”
Reader, you are lost now! You cannot save yourself. Do you believe this? Christ can save, yea, He will save you if you trust in Him. Believe God before you believe your own feelings. They may deceive. This God will not, and cannot, do.
W. R. C.