SUCH was the expressive utterance of one recently brought to rest for his salvation on the finished work of Christ.
For many years a professor, he knew not that he was not a possessor of eternal life.
Many a word of admonition had been given him, but they all failed to reach his conscience, and to show him his condition before God, till the Holy Ghost began a most special work in his neighborhood.
That the open, profligate, and careless sinner should be arrested and converted was to him nothing strange. How could they be in heaven unless they mended their ways on earth? Between them and him there was a great difference. They had never professed to be Christians, he had; and his profession was of a recent date. But when some who even he believed were as good livers as himself, as respectable, as moral, and as outwardly religious, were converted, and owned that now they had found something they had not before, and had experienced a change hitherto to them unknown, his conscience was roused, and he felt constrained to examine the ground on which he was standing for acceptance before God.
His eyes being opened by the Spirit of God to see the truth, he was brought to, the conclusion that he had been all this time only professor of Christianity, without possessing life in a risen Saviour. This brought him' to seek after the chief concern of a fallen, ruined creature: salvation.
Nor was he alone in this: his wife and son were also aroused and concerned for their salvation. So, one day, three people might have been seen wending their way to a person in the immediate neighborhood to ask of her to direct them aright. What a sight it must have been: a family together concerned and alive for the interests of their souls, father, mother, and son together asking what they must do to be saved!
The way of salvation was set before them; the finished work of Christ was pointed to, as that with which God would have sinners to be satisfied, and on which He would have them believe and rest.
As the truth was thus declared, and God's plan of grace unfolded, light dawned on the once mere professor of Christianity; and now, with an intensity of earnestness stimulated by the real sense of his soul's need, the old man exclaimed, " I'll take Him at His word; I'll take Him at His word.”
Then, turning to his son, who seemed slower in apprehending the truth, this new convert to Christ became a preacher of that grace which he had hitherto neglected: Robin, man," he said, "take Him at His word!”
Simple indeed are these words, but how full of meaning! This is just what God would have the sinner do. Not simply believe He speaks the truth (how many do that, and never get beyond it!} but believe what He says, and act on it. This is faith indeed.
Abraham, the father of those justified by faith, learned this lesson, and acted on it.
When led abroad that night by God Almighty, he looked at the stars shining in the sky, and learned from the countless 'number that met his eye how numerous would be the seed that should own him as their common ancestor; and we read, “He believed God, and He counted it to him for righteousness “(Gen. 15). GEN 15 His body he had already come to regard as dead, but the word of God was enough, and he rested on it.
The alarmed jailor at Philippi took God at His word. His earnest, heart-stirring cry, “What must I do to be saved?" received an answer which he acted on, and he found peace and joy before the morning. Nor he only. What met his need was suited for all in his house likewise; and acting on it, they too, by God's grace, believed the word, and were with him baptized. This is God's way of justification and salvation. How little is it understood, and still less acted upon!