A YOUNG Christian had been asked to visit a young man in ill-health, who had been laid aside and unable to follow his employment for some time. There was much in the case to call out human sympathy, for the sick one " was the only son of his mother, and she was a widow"; moreover, the mother had been quite dependent on her son for support.
Our Christian friend embraced the first opportunity of calling at the address given to him, and found himself face to face with a bright, intelligent young man about his own age. But the luster of the eyes, the hectic flush, and short breathing, all told that consumption was deeply seated in his constitution. In course of conversation the sufferer said he had assisted his father in his business for some years, until his father's death, when, young as he was (then only eighteen), the weight of the business had devolved upon him. However, he struck out manfully to do the very best he could for his beloved mother, but the strain proved too much, and resulted in the breakdown of his health.
After listening to his sorrowful tale, the visitor introduced the more serious subject of the young man's standing, as to his soul, before God, and was told by the sick one that on the advice of some who had visited him from the chapel across the way he had prayed long and earnestly to God for mercy, in the hope that, some day, his prayers would be answered. The young Christian then read aloud Romans ill, down to the 23rd verse, and, with his heart up to the God of all grace to use His own word for blessing, took his leave, promising (God willing) to call again at an early date.
On his next visit all was changed. Rom. 3, by the blessing of God, had done its work in the young man's soul. Reliance on his own efforts had been abandoned, a deep sense of need had been created, and with the sense of utter helplessness there was an earnest longing to be relieved of the burden of guilt on the conscience. Never did thirsty soul drink more eagerly the cooling draft (Prov. 25:2525As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country. (Proverbs 25:25)) than did this dear soul drink in God's good news "concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord"—the sent One of the Father as Savior of the world; the One who in wondrous grace became a man, "the Son of God, the Son of man, with loving tender heart"; the One who had every perfection divine and human; who, in obedience to the Father, laid down His precious un-forfeited life, and in His death perfectly glorified God in all His nature and attributes, meeting God's highest claims and man's deepest needs. This anxious soul saw that this way of saving was truly glorious—worthy of God in every particular, and in every way suitable to the guilty, helpless sinner.
He confessed with the mouth Jesus as Lord, and believed in his heart that God had raised Him from the dead; and according to God's word was a sinner saved by grace.
His pilgrimage was short, but, in all his weakness and suffering, he proved the sufficiency of the Lord's grace until he was taken home by the One who had redeemed him, to wait there till the resurrection morning.
If these words should meet the eye of an anxious soul, let such an one be assured of God's readiness to skew like saving grace to all who rest on His immutable word in its testimony to Christ and His finished work. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved."
J. A. T.
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“There is none righteous, no, not one; there is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one ... Destruction and misery are in their ways; and the way of peace have they not known; there is no fear of God before their eyes.
“But now the righteousness of God... is manifested,... even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe-being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus" (Rom. 3:10-2410As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: 11There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. 12They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. 13Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: 14Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: 15Their feet are swift to shed blood: 16Destruction and misery are in their ways: 17And the way of peace have they not known: 18There is no fear of God before their eyes. 19Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. 20Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. 21But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; 22Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: 23For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; 24Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: (Romans 3:10‑24))