“'Tis what I feel so distresses me I often think it is impossible that I can be a Christian, and that I am only deceiving myself. Such misery as I often feel, such cleaving to things of time and sense, so little enjoyment of divine things, and when I would desire to live a good life and do good, I feel such evil, springing up within me, that I often say, Can I be a Christian? So different are my feelings to many I know and have heard of, that I sometimes feel ready to despond altogether." Such is the language of not a few. Many go on for several years thus looking at themselves and their feelings, imagining that peace with God is a high attainment, and only the privilege of a very few. But let the reader observe, that in all the utterances above quoted, there is not the least reference to Christ, and therefore not one word of faith. It is all self, self, self, trying to find something to rest in there, where no rest can be.
Very little is said in the New Testament about feelings, because it pronounces man to be utterly corrupt— "dead in trespasses and sins"—and God in His rich mercy, so loving us when dead in sins, as to redeem us unto Himself, at the costly price of the blood-shedding and death of His beloved Son. The sacrifice of Christ, then, must be the alone ground of peace, and the spring of all real enjoyment and happiness. Joy and peace, therefore, are only in believing. How simple this is! And yet how many are troubled and distressed—true, earnest souls too—because they have not judged themselves according to the divine verdict, "In me, that is, in my flesh dwelleth no good thing." How is it possible they could linger over this evil nature, and expect happy feelings in connection with it, if they, through grace, honestly bowed to the true judgment of God as to what man in the flesh is? But more than this, they need to see that God has in judgment delivered them from it—that God has been on their side in dealing with this evil nature. Not only did He lay on Jesus, His beloved Son, our sins, and in judgment and death put them all away by the cross, but He judged too the evil nature that did the sin, this old corrupt thing from whence spring those lusts and pride, and every other form of evil, which distress the soul that has been quickened by the Spirit of God. Well, that evil nature has been dealt with by God judicially in the cross of His Son— our old man has been crucified with Christ. (Rom. 6:66Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. (Romans 6:6)) Thus, though I feel (and every Spirit-taught soul must feel) that in me, that is in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing, so that if I looked at it in the light of God's holy presence, I must cry out, "O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" and feel miserable indeed, but looking to what God has done in judging and delivering me from it by the cross of Christ, I can look up to God and say, "I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord." It is faith, therefore, simply believing God's word about what He says He has done for every believer in the cross of His beloved Son — that is the sole spring of all Christian happiness; and if this be lost sight of, and the eye turned in upon self and its feelings, it will have to learn by, it may be, a long and tedious process, that "in me, that is in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing," and thus be beaten out of self and self's feelings, to look only to God's wondrous mercy to us in the blood-shedding and death of Jesus: "For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, GOD sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh." (Rom. 8:33For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: (Romans 8:3)) Observe, not sins forgiven merely; but sin in the flesh condemned—the old man judged, condemned, and crucified. Hence it is that we are thus cleared of everything that could possibly condemn us, and having eternal life in Christ freely given to us of God—for the gift of God is eternal life, through (or in) Christ Jesus our Lord—there is now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus. O the blessedness of being thus delivered from guilt and condemnation, death and judgment, by Him, the holy One, who was made sin for us, and of having a new nature (created in Christ Jesus) in Him who is the Head of all principality and power. What peace! what security! and what worship, joy, and gladness must accompany the simple apprehension of this new and heavenly standing, which God in the riches of His grace has given us in Him who is at His right hand. How naturally, as it were, the heart then sings,
“No condemnation, O my soul,
‘Tis God that speaks the word;
Perfect in comeliness art thou,
In Christ the risen Lord.”
Feelings, then, there will be, there must be, yea, happy, joyful feelings in such believing souls, but Christ is the spring of all. Hence we "rejoice in the Lord always," "stand fast in the Lord," "trust in the Lord," are "strong in the Lord," and "glory in the Lord;" for the Lord is everything to us, and for us. The Lord Himself is our peace, our life, our High Priest, our Advocate with the Father, our hope, "who, of God, is made unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption," and who assures us that He is coming quickly to receive us unto Himself, that where He is there we may be also.
Happy indeed are those who have thus found Christ to be all their salvation, and all their desire.
“Had I ten thousand gifts beside,
I'd cleave to Jesus crucified,
And build on Him alone;
For no foundation is there given,
On which to place a hope of heaven,
But Christ the corner-stone.
“Bold in His name, I have drawn nigh,
Before the Ruler of the sky,
His justice all is met.
Possessing Christ, I all possess,
Wisdom, and strength, and righteousness,
And sanctity complete.”