“MY DEAR BROTHER,—I am now rejoicing in the knowledge that my sins are forever gone in the sight of God. I never knew how simple the Gospel was before, and never took God at His word; but I believe Him now, and have peace with Him. It is not on account of any merit of my own; not because I feel good, not because I shall not sin any more, nor because I love God; but because I believe His word, which says, ‘Christ died for the ungodly’ (Rom. 5:66For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. (Romans 5:6)). And again, ‘Who was delivered for our offenses, and raised again for our justification.’ (Rom. 4:24, 2524But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; 25Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification. (Romans 4:24‑25)).
“I never understood how much the resurrection of our Lord had to do with our peace with God. I always thought God would be merciful to a sinner for Christ’s sake, and might in mercy receive me at the last if I tried to love Him, but now I see my error.
“All mankind have sinned against God, and God could never overlook one sin, or abate the punishment due to any one sin; so He planned to give His own Son, and it says ‘God sent His Son,’ that was the wonderful mercy and love of God in giving His Son to die; and when on the cross Jesus bore the judgment due to our sins, He bore it fully, nothing was abated, for God could not pass over any sin. God forsook His Son on the cross because He was covered with our sins; but when the judgment was all borne Jesus died, and God raised Him as a witness and receipt, as it were, that the debt we had incurred was discharged, so that is why Christ rose again ‘for our justification.’ We are cleared now. God could not impute one sin to a believer, because all were laid on Jesus. He bore the punishment due to us. Our sins are not on Jesus now, because He is risen and at God’s right hand. I never understood it before, dear brother; but now I do, and I have peace, because we have only to believe God. Our works could not make us fit to receive pardon, our need of a Saviour does.
“Then so many blessed truths follow. Those who believe are ‘in Christ.’ God looks at Christ, not at the sinner, and is satisfied, for Christ had undertaken our responsibilities. I am not afraid to die now. It is all so new to me, but such good news, and so simple. I wonder I never believed before and trusted Christ, but I always thought it was only for good people, not knowing that the vilest may come and trust Christ and be saved.
“We are so happy now, it is like a new life to us.”
A. C. E. C.