"My Heart is so Wicked."

 
IN the London Hospital, just over a year ago, the writer met with a young man who was recovering from a serious operation.
After listening to the touching story of how he had been on the “danger list” for three weeks, with his parents anxiously watching, and expecting each day to be the last, I said―
“And if you had died, where would you have gone?” Honestly and openly he replied—
“I SHOULD HAVE GONE TO HELL.”
“But would you not rather go to HEAVEN? “I asked.
“I would; I want to go there! I keep trying, but it is no good, for
MY HEART IS SO WICKED.”
The last five words were spoken in a way that told how disappointed he had been, and, assured that he really desired to be saved, I said, “May I tell you a story from the Old Testament, which beautifully illustrates God’s way of salvation now?”
He readily consented, and I continued much as follows.
From the first chapter of Leviticus we learn that when one of the children of Israel, who were sinners like ourselves, desired to draw near to God, who is holy, he was told to bring a sacrifice without blemish or spot. Having brought it, he must lay his hand upon its head, which signified identification, that is that,
HE AND HIS OFFERING WERE ONE.
The moment he thus laid his hand, it ceased to be a question of what he was, but
EVERYTHING DEPENDED ON THE SACRIFICE.
If it were accepted, he was accepted; and we read “it shall be accepted for him, to make atonement for him.”
As it was then, so it is now—except that we have not to bring a sacrifice, because the Lord Jesus Christ has come—the One to whom all the sacrifices pointed—and offered Himself.
So efficacious was His work upon the cross, that no more need be offered, for “by one offering He haft perfected forever them that are sanctified” (Heb. 10:1414For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. (Hebrews 10:14)).
When a sinner comes and by faith lays his hand upon His head—that is, believes in Him, rests in His finished work—it ceases to be a question of what he is, and all depends on what Christ is, so much so that it says (Eph. 1:66To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. (Ephesians 1:6))—
“HE HATH MADE US ACCEPTED IN THE BELOVED.”
Why does it not say “in Christ”? Because though “in Christ” be true, for He is the Beloved One, God would have us know the measure of our acceptance and enter into all that He has found in Him upon whom He opened the heavens and said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom is all My delight.”
The young man had never heard the truth in this simple way before, but he received it gladly. He saw that his striving, and hoping, and doing, not only had no merit, and could not even help to save him, but that these very things which he relied on, were being used by Satan to keep him away from the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the ONE and ONLY Saviour.
The next morning as early as possible, I went to his bedside, and asked how he was.
“Oh, nicely,” he replied.
“But what about those doubts and fears?” His face beamed, as he expressed his joy in the following words: ―
“I have had no doubts nor fears since last night, when I saw that everything depended on Christ and not on me.”
A. T. P.