ONE day not long since, I called at a friend’s house, and in course of conversation, referred to a man who had lately found peace through faith in the Lord Jesus. A young lady present said, “I wish I could find peace,” and this gave an opening to speak more directly to her concerning her soul. She had been seeking peace for months past, but said she was a great sinner, and feared it was now too late for her to be saved.
Opening my Bible, I turned to 1 John 5:1010He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. (1 John 5:10), and read slowly, “He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself,” adding, “You have not the witness because you have not believed fully: yet listen, He that believeth not God, hath made Him a liar, because he believeth not the record that God gave of His Son.” How sad it would be if you should make God out a liar; it is impossible for God to lie, but you treat Him as if such could be the case, because you have not believed the record that He gave of His Son. If you do not believe what God the Father has written or recorded about Christ, His Son, you treat Him as a liar, and this is most sorrowful.
If I wanted a little book which you were willing to give me, when you offered it, I should accept it at once, and not say, ‘Oh, I wish you would give it to me, I am in earnest about it.’ I should insult you by speaking thus, in allowing the thought that you did not mean me to have the book you had offered me. Now see the eleventh verse of this same chapter. ‘This is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life,’ not shall give it some day, but hath given it already. You do not want by discrediting God, to make Him out to be a liar, do you?”
“No,” said the seeking, burdened one, “and I will not.”
“Then will you take God’s word as it is written? Will you receive Jesus now?”
“Yes,” she replied, “I will now, but I feel no change.”
I told her that did not matter at all, for we are saved when we take God at His word, as to Christ’s having fully satisfied Him in respect of our sins, adding that in Ephesians we read, “After that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of pure inheritance” (ch. 1 and 14). “If I put my Bible in my pocket,” I continued, “I am not always feeling to find whether it is there, yet I know it is, and fetch it out when needed. So after we have believed, we do not worry because we do not at all times feel alike, but we know Him in whom we have believed, and that He is faithful.”
Presently she said, “I have taken it now.”
I replied, “You need not be anxious, for the happy feelings, as we call them, may come very soon. God says you are saved because you trust His word. Which would you rather have—eternal life on God’s bare word, which cannot pass away, or feelings you regard as happy without eternal life?”
My young friend at once said, “I would much rather have eternal life on God’s bare word.”
“You are right,” said I. “Now God will take you at your word, and if He please may keep you without the happy feelings you desire for some little time. Simple faith in His word pleases Him more than anything else can do, so you must trust Him fully, and never mind about the feelings. We are saved through trusting His word.”
“I can see it now,” said she, “as I never did before.”
Her friend, who was deeply interested in her, was rejoicing at these last remarks, and asked her if she could rejoice now.
Her reply was, “I feel thankful, and the next time I come to see you shall be much happier than I was when I came today. I can trust God now, and I did not do so before. I thought it all depended upon how I felt.”
Much more was said on the wonderful subject of grace freely given by God, and I noticed that our young friend marked all the texts we looked up (John 5:2424Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. (John 5:24).; Acts 13:3838Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: (Acts 13:38); John 1:2828These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing. (John 1:28); Rev 20:17), and soon after we parted.
When I next met her she was resting on the same written unchanging word. E. P.