BELOVED reader, how will you answer the above question? Your heart answers it, if your lips do not. No question ever came up before you of so great importance. The deep, the infinite importance, the solemn necessity of your knowing the Lord Jesus Christ, cannot be measured by any human mind. O may you consider this weighty question now—this moment, till it begins to take root in your soul.
Just ponder this,—"And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou halt sent" (John 17:33And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. (John 17:3)).
Say, beloved reader, do you know Him? To know Him, is to have eternal life; not to know Him, is eternal death. In Him is life, and in no other. And to know Him, is to have Him; and to have Him, is to have eternal life. "He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life" (1 John 5:1212He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. (1 John 5:12)). So you see here is His own word for it. I do not ask, Do you know about Him? but, Do you know Him? Do you know Him? You may know a great deal about a person, and yet not be at all acquainted with the person. No amount of knowledge about Christ will give life; it is /mowing Him. Praying will not give life. Doing the best you can will not give life. Nothing short of the knowledge of the Son of God will.
Beloved reader, the sentence of death is passed upon all men. "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:2323For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (Romans 3:23)). Do you bow to this—that death is your portion because you are a sinner, and because God says so? There is no life in man, for he has forfeited that, and God has pronounced His sentence in the cross of Christ. The cross, dear reader, answers every question. There you find what God thinks of man's goodness, and his badness too. His own beloved Son became the substitute for sinful man; and God could not spare Him, but must forsake Him while our sins were upon Him, for He is a Holy God, and cannot look upon sin.
O will you bow to the truth of your condition before God? Be honest to yourself. Hear the earnest appeal of one who loves your soul, yet not as He loves, who loved unto death, who commands you to come to Himself; who beseeches you to come; yea, seeks you to come, and receive His gift of living water.
Yes, dear reader, if you bow in heart and conscience to God's declaration against yourself, He has glorious news for you. You shall be one of the happy favored ones of His mercy. Taking it for granted, beloved, that you do, may the sweet news of that finished work of love on the cross be a healing balm to your wounded soul. Just hear! “When he had by himself purged our sins, he sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high "(Heb. 1:33Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; (Hebrews 1:3))." Through this man (Jesus) is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: and by him all that believe are justified from all things” (Acts 13:38, 3938Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: 39And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses. (Acts 13:38‑39)). “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed" (Isaiah 53:55But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. (Isaiah 53:5)).
God raised Him again from the dead, for He had perfectly satisfied the justice of God against sin; so God can now be just, and the justifier of every one who takes refuge under the atoning blood of Jesus. I am not fit for heaven, but the Lord Jesus is; and I have got Him, because God gives Him to me; and He offers Him to every one who will have Him, for He says in His word, He "so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:1616For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)). Yea, He commands you, for He says, "Look unto me and be ye saved.”
O do not throw this down lightly, as a matter of little worth, for upon the reception or rejection of Christ hangs your future destiny. If you reject Him, God will reject you. But tell me, has He not a right to all the affection of your heart? He loved you when you cared nothing about Him, and took all your sins and suffered the judgment due to them, that you might go free and be with Himself forever. Say, does not such love warm your heart? Do you not feel like looking up and saying, Blessed Lord Jesus, Thou art worthy of all my heart? Then praise Him,-thank Him. Open your heart, and let Him fill it. Live for Him, and let Him live in you. Let your whole business be to learn of the fullness of His love. It is the knowledge of that love alone that will keep the heart faithful to Himself. M. A. T.
To know that God has spoken is quite enough for the simple heart. Rahab's faith was founded on God's word, and showed itself in this language, "According unto your words, so be it." Would that every reader of these pages could say the same! W. T. P. W.