SALVATION is of the Lord," and a soul saved is God's work, and therefore a work for eternity. It is a work that Satan can neither do nor undo; but a work that God delights to do, and that He will never undo. Do you believe this, poor sinner? Now listen to me for a few moments while I tell you of the free and sovereign grace of God in the salvation of a lost sinner.
I was on my way from the railway station to the little meeting-place where I was to preach, in a small fishing town in Scotland, when I was asked by a Christian man if I would go and see a poor young fellow who was dying. I at once consented to do so, having nearly an hour to spare before the time announced for the meeting.
The friend who asked me to visit the young man led the way, and soon we were in his room; and there, upon his bed, lay what had once been a fine young man, twenty-nine years of age. That deadly disease consumption had brought him thus low; and its awful sweat lay heavy upon him. I saw he was fast sinking, and that if he were to be saved at all it must be now.
His history as a sinner is soon told. He had lived hard and fast, and had to all intents and purposes been a prodigal. He had wasted his health and substance in riotous living; but he had spent all that he had without obtaining happiness or satisfaction; and now, in all the weakness and helplessness of disease, he desired to return to the parental roof that' he had so long deserted, and die under the care and nursing of those simple, Christian, praying parents. He was brought home on a MOM day, on the evening of which day the friend who took me to his house first saw him.
The sick man asked to have read the Gospel narrative of the conversion of the dying thief. My friend read it, as it is given in Luke 23, LUK 23 which drew from the dying man the remark, "That's grand.”
On Tuesday, the clay following his being brought home, I saw him, and have already told you how I found him as to his body. Now I will tell you how I found him as to his soul.
I found God had been working in him by His Spirit, and had shown him that he was a lost sinner, and that it was an awful thing to go into eternity unsaved.
His agony about his soul seemed almost to make him forget his body, and he never expressed a desire to recover. Salvation was what he longed for, but he questioned if there was salvation for such a wretch as he had been and was.
I then asked, "Are you a sinner?”
“Indeed I am," he replied.
“But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
I again asked, "Are you a sinner?”
He replied, "Yes, that I am.”
“Then Christ died for you," I said.
Once more I asked, "Are you a sinner?”
“Yes," was his earnest, emphatic reply; and turning on his elbow, he looked across the room to the friend who had brought me, and said, "I ken I see it plainer, Donald.”
“But, man, you must believe it," replied the friend.
I then went over the three scriptures above mentioned again, and asked him, “Whom did Christ come into the world to save?”
“Sinners, “he replied.
“And what are you?”
“A sinner.”
“Then Christ came into the world to save you; believe it.”
“For whom did Christ die? “I asked.
“For sinners, “he said.
“And what are you?”
“A sinner.”
“Then Christ died for you; believe it.”
“Whom does Christ receive?”
“Sinners.”
“And what are you?”
“A sinner.”
“Then Christ receives you; believe it, and you are saved.”
He drew a long breath, and exclaimed, “I wish I could say I was saved!”
“If you believe that you are a sinner, and that Christ came into the world to save you, and that He has received you, then you are saved," I rejoined.
The blessed Spirit of God applied the word, light broke in upon him, and he was saved.
“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me.”
“Who does ' who ' mean? “I asked.
“Jesus.”
“And who is 'me'?”
"Thomas M—”
“And what is between you both?”
“Love.”
He turned on his back, and said, “I wish I could make a little prayer to Him,”
“Thomas," I said, "He wants you to thank Him "; when he immediately said," Lord Jesus, I thank you for having loved me and received me.”
My friend and I fell on our knees, and praised God for having shown this poor prodigal that Jesus had loved him, had died for him, received him, and saved him.
When we rose up, he said, “Fetch in my mother.”
We gladly did so, and in an instant mother and son were weeping for joy, as each embraced the other; the mother praising God as she heard from her own son's lips the cheering news, "Mother, He has received me I”
Prayer was answered, the prodigal was saved, and the joy of that humble room and its, happy occupants was but a faint picture of the peculiar joy that God the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit, and all heaven itself, were now indulging in over this returned, saved, and happy prodigal.
Thomas M—was brought home to his parents on Monday, was saved on Tuesday, and on the following Thursday evening he fell asleep, without a doubt or a murmur.
H. M. H.