I HAD heard that Miss B. was ill, so I went one day for the purpose of inquiring how she was, and found her with her sister and another young woman sitting together in their parlor.
They seemed glad to see me, and I was pleased to find that the illness was nothing more than a cold, and that she was nearly recovered. She then introduced me to her friend, of whom I had heard before as one who had attended some of our meetings for the preaching of the gospel.
After some preliminary conversation, I remarked that it was a happy thing to "have boldness in the day of judgment," to look forward to that day without a doubt or fear, in the consciousness that there was not a cloud between one's self and God.
Miss O. remarked that "very few Christians could say that.”
“Well, one who cannot say so is, I fear, not a Christian; for a Christian ought to have neither doubts nor fears. Because, as 1 John 4:1717Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. (1 John 4:17) says, ' Herein is love with us (margin) made perfect, that we may have boldness in the Day of Judgment: because as He is so are we in this world.' We are as Christ is before God, and thus the can approach Him without a doubt and without a fear.”
Oh, but it must be a person who leads a very holy life to be able to say that.”
“It is quite true that God expects every Christian to lead a very holy life; for He says, ' He that saith he abideth in Him ought himself so to walk, even as He walked (1 John 2:66He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked. (1 John 2:6)). But you have no power to lead a holy life until you are first conscious that your soul is saved.”
“I believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and I hope I shall be saved.”
“But if you really believe with the heart on the Lord Jesus Christ, you are entitled not merely to hope that you are saved, but to be assured of it. For God says, He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life (John 3:3636He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. (John 3:36)), and if you have everlasting life you are saved.”
“But does not the Word of God say that faith without works is dead, being alone.”
“Yes, unquestionably it does; but we must remember that the Scripture speaks of two kinds of justification, namely, before God by faith, and before man by works. Paul in the Epistle to the Romans treats of the former; James of the latter. If you remember, James takes up the instance of Abraham, saying, Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? ‘Now, if you turn to Genesis you will find that this took place in the 22nd chapter, whereas he was pronounced righteous before God in the 15th. Look now,' says God, toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and He said unto him, So shall thy seed be. And he believed in the Lord; and He counted it to him for righteousness.' And again, the Epistle to the Romans makes this more plain; for it says, If Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.' He simply believed what God said, and he was accounted righteous.'
“But must I not feel the witness within myself that I am saved?”
“It certainly is a blessed thing when the Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God.' But we must not begin at the wrong end. God's order is this. God sends us a message of peace; we hear it, we receive it, and then the Holy Ghost takes up His abode in us, witnessing with our spirit that we are the children of God. My joy and peace is the consequence or effect produced on me by the Holy Ghost, which I received on believing the message.
Let me take a simple illustration. I receive a telegram that a near relative is dead. I read the telegram. I ascertain the sender's name. I believe the news it contains, and unfeigned sorrow is the result. The feeling of sorrow does not precede my belief in the intelligence, but is the consequence of it. So with God's message. We should look for no inward consciousness, unless we first have believed what it says.”
“I do not yet see it, but if there is one thing that I earnestly desire, it is that I may become a Christian.”
“I rejoice to hear you say so; but I must at the same time say that I fear it is your own fault that you are not happy in Christ. Cornelius was, like you, hoping and praying, and God sent him a message by Peter, to say that the Jews had slain Jesus, whom He had anointed with the Holy Ghost and with power, but that He had raised Him up, and that now Whosoever believeth in Him should receive the remission of sins.' Cornelius believed, obtained the remission of his sins on believing, and received the gift of the Holy Ghost. (Acts 10) Why should not you believe, and know that your sins are remitted, and be sealed of the Holy Ghost?”
“I do believe with my whole heart on Jesus.”
"I know my sins are not forgiven, and that I'm not saved.”
“Why, I fear I must charge you with doubting the testimony of God in His Word.”
“Oh, I dare not do that.''
“Well, then, if I am saved I may go and do just what I like.”
"No, God will not let you do that. The moment you believe, you have everlasting life, and have the gift of the Holy Ghost; and this life has new tastes and new desires, exactly the opposite of those you had when in your natural condition, because it is a new eternal life. And more than this, although the flesh will still lust, God gives you the Holy Ghost, so that you may not do the things you would; so that the apostle can say, Sin shall not have dominion over you.'" (Gal. 5:1717For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. (Galatians 5:17); Rom. 6:1414For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. (Romans 6:14)).
“Oh but do we not see those who profess and call themselves Christians every day doing things that we know to be contrary to the Word of God?”
“I fear all are not Christians who profess to be such; and even amongst those who really are Christ's, failure oftentimes appears. Both Moses and Paul spoke unadvisedly with their lips, and their failures should be a warning to all of us to walk humbly before God, and never to take the eye off Christ; only by continual occupation with whom can conformity to His likeness be attained." (2 Cor. 3:1818But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. (2 Corinthians 3:18)).
She said no more then, so at last I asked, "And don't you think, Miss O., that it is indeed true that those who simply believe on the Lord Jesus, as you say you do, are entitled to know, and to know it, not because they feel it, but because God says so, that they have everlasting life, or, in other words, that they are saved?" (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)).
After a long pause, she replied, “I do think so”
And thus we parted.