“Salvation is of the Lord.” —Jonah 11:9.
THE incident, mentioned in Luke 18:18-26,18And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? 19And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God. 20Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor thy father and thy mother. 21And he said, All these have I kept from my youth up. 22Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me. 23And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich. 24And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful, he said, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! 25For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. 26And they that heard it said, Who then can be saved? (Luke 18:18‑26) which called forth the above question, is worthy of our notice. A young ruler who was very rich had approached the Lord in great haste, and eagerly asked Him the question, “What shall I do to inherit eternal life?” In replying, the Lord met him on his own ground, i.e., of doing; to get that for which he sought; and mentioned as a test, several of the commandments relative to his duty towards his fellow-men. To which he replied, “All these things have I kept from my youth up.” Christ then said, “One thing thou lackest: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow Me.” These heart-searching words caused the ruler much sorrow, for he was very rich in this world’s goods. Thus he was called upon to choose between retaining his wealth or following Christ, and he chose the former, causing sorrow to fill the tender heart of the Lord Jesus as he exclaimed, “How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God.” Whilst the disciples wonderingly asked, “Who then can be saved?” As if to ask, “If the rich cannot, who can?” The Lord Jesus then mentions the important fact that what is and ever will remain an utter impossibility with man is possible with God.
Oh, wondrous fact! that God has in His great love to sin-ruined mankind provided a great salvation which He now offers freely to all.
1. WHO THEN CAN BE SAVED?
This important question may be again reiterated for our benefit, who live centuries after it was first asked. Christ Jesus, who spake as never man spake, who was God manifest in flesh, who came full of grace and truth, answered this all-important question when He announced that His mission into the world was to seek and to save the lost. Full well He knew that man was lost, and was wandering farther and farther away from his Creator. Full well He knew that they had all disobeyed God, and all gone out of the way and become unprofitable, and yet, in the fullness of His love, He came just where we were, stooped down to rescue us, to bear the punishment due to sins that we guilty, ruined sinners, might be saved; saved from the consequences of our numerous transgressions; saved from the bondage of sin; saved from the power of Satan; saved from the coming wrath; saved from hell; yes, saved to shine to the praise of His grace, through the unending ages of eternal glory.
Have you realized the solemn fact that you are a sinner? God has declared that “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” Let this truth weigh upon your conscience, let it enter your heart, for it is better by far to be troubled now on account of your condition than when too late. Your deep need must be owned before you can be saved. It was when the Israelites of old knew their dying condition that God announced to them His remedy, and called upon them to look and live. The prodigal son knew he had wandered away from the home of his father, ere he came to himself and retraced his footsteps (Luke 15). The publican expressed his heartfelt need, as he looked down, smote his breast, and from a heart burdened on account of his sins, sent a message, which winged its rapid flight into the ear of God, as he uttered the words, “God be merciful to me a sinner” (Luke 18).
Do you feel concerned on account of your condition? If so, it is the first step toward blessing; you are then just in the place in which God’s mercy can reach you. The One who saved the chief of sinners can save you. When you know that you are lost, Jesus saves.
“This man receiveth sinners.” None are too bad for the Saviour’s compassion; none are too deeply sunken in sin for Him to rescue; though sins tower as high as mountains, He will forgive. Though they be the outcasts of society on account of their crimes, He will receive. Though they be wretched beyond description, He will cause them to rejoice in His love, for He came to call sinners to repentance.
Perchance this may meet the eye of many who have not fallen so deeply into outward sin as many of their fellows, who may think that their superiority is sufficient upon which to build their hopes of eternal felicity. Such is not the case. God says to you, “Ye must be born again;”
you need salvation
quite as much as the profligate. Alas! that while none are too bad for salvation, there are so many who consider themselves too good to accept it upon God’s terms. Their righteousness is but as filthy rags in the sight of a holy God. Jesus came not to call the righteous, but sinners. Those who will people heaven will be sinners saved by divine grace. How is this brought about? Does God lavish His love at the expense of righteousness? We may ask―
2. WHY SINNERS CAN BE SAVED?
The answer is, because God has provided a Ransom, a Substitute for the sinner. He is holy: righteousness and truth are the pillars of His throne. He saw sin in all its blackness. He did not, as man is prone to do, treat it lightly. Previously He had announced, “The soul that sinneth, it shall die,” and, “Without shedding of blood is no remission;” hence, to meet His just claims, and to make heaven possible for the sinner, when the fullness of time was come, Christ Jesus, God’s only begotten Son, took that mighty stoop from the highest throne of glory. He came to manifest the love of God His Father, to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself, that a full, free, and perfect salvation might be preached, and that sinners might be pardoned, justified, and redeemed.
“Behold the Lamb of God” in His pathway from the manger, where He was cradled, to the cross upon which He died. He was ever the joy of the Father’s heart; His whole life was ever ascending as a sweet-smelling savor to Him. But in His death, when the sword of divine justice awoke against the Man who was God’s Fellow — the Man Christ Jesus; when God forsook Him; when men and demons united to afflict Him; when that sorrowful cry was wrung from His holy lips, “My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?” When from His pierced side the precious blood streamed forth, in that dark hour He made an atonement for sins; He suffered, the Just for the unjust; He met all the righteous claims of a sin-hating God. In the death of Christ we have the answer to the question, “Why sinners can be saved?” It is His perfect work, His great sacrifice, His suffering, His death, and the shedding of His life’s blood, which enables God to speak to the sinner in love, telling him to call upon the name of the Lord and be saved. It is in virtue of this that the door of salvation is wide open; that all may enter in, and be shielded from coming wrath. In virtue of this sinners can receive the kiss of pardon, and be brought nigh and know that they are “redeemed by the precious blood of Christ,” and reconciled to God by His death. Do you inquire―
3. HOW SINNERS CAN BE SAVED?
It is by appropriating to themselves this perfectly and wondrously finished work which has been accomplished, and by pleading the merits of it before God. Hundreds make a great mistake in thinking that they can obtain salvation by endeavors of their own. Listen to the words of Jesus, words of victory from the lips of the holy Sufferer on Calvary, words of wondrous blessing, “It is finished!” Yes, redemption’s toil was completed, the only work which could satisfy God and bring the rebel sinner nigh was accomplished, and that work alone is acceptable to God.
Salvation is not of works, but by the sovereign grace of God: for, by grace sinners are saved through faith. Even were it possible for any sinner to commence to live a blameless and holy life, what about past offenses? for God requireth that which is past. God gives salvation, but He bestows it in His own way, and He will have all the glory. Could this priceless boon be obtained by our efforts it would no longer remain a gift, but wages; it is to him that worketh not, but believeth. “Very easy,” say some. Yes, easy for the recipients of such love, but not so for the One who accomplished the work; the sinless One who was made sin that believing sinners might be made the righteousness of God in Him.
Do you ask, “What must I do to be saved?” Hear the answer re-echoed from the very throne of God: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.” Believe on His Person. Trust to His work. Rest your hopes for eternity upon His death and resurrection. Believe that He not only died for sinners, but that He died for you; for God has declared, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” Blessed news for the lost sinner. Wondrous news for those who are perishing. But will God forever wait for man to receive and obey the gospel? Will He always offer this free and perfect pardon? Has He revealed anything as to
4. WHEN SINNERS CAN BE SAVED?
Yes, the God who awakens to a sense of need, who provides the remedy, who declares as to the only way, also states the time that this great salvation may be obtained. Listen to His words: “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” Soon God’s last invitation to the gospel supper will have gone forth; the last earnest appeal of the evangelist will have been given; the last note of warning will have been raised; the last call of love; the last offer of mercy; and then Christ will come, and the door of salvation will be closed. And then, in spite of the loving counsel of godly friends, who many times have besought sinners to “seek the Lord while He may be found,” hundreds will be outside. Or perchance death, that dread visitant, may visit you; or disease lay its fell hand upon you; or you may be, as thousands have been, overtaken by an accident, and thus be suddenly called into eternity, dying as you have lived — unsaved, unprepared, your sins not washed away.
Oh, beware! lest you miss the passing by of Jesus, lest you know not the day of your visitation, lest you trifle away your day of salvation. God will save you, now. Christ will receive you, now. To you is the message of this salvation sent, now. The Holy Ghost convicts you of sin, now. God’s time to bestow this infinite gift is, now. God’s message of love to you is, now; for “now is the day of salvation.”
Do not wait for a more convenient season, or you may be eternally lost, and through the eternal ages bewail the folly of delay. For the Scriptures warn us, “Boast not thyself of tomorrow, for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth” (Prov. 27:11Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth. (Proverbs 27:1)).
A. G.