MEN in general are very much occupied with themselves and their surroundings during the short span of present life in this world. Seventy years, beyond which but few live and which is far beyond the average life of the human race, is a very short period in comparison with “the ages” so often spoken of in Scripture. Do you not think, dear reader, that it is very poor policy, and shows great shortsightedness, to use all your energies and endowments for the amassing of wealth, the pursuit of power or fame, etc. when you know full well, and are reminded daily of, the great uncertainty of your present life? But, alas as said by a certain well-known writer, men think all others mortal but themselves. Have you ever considered the following? God has wrought “that in the ages to come He might shew the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus” (Eph. 2:77That in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 2:7)). This is true for every believer. See what you miss if you are not one.
Grace is a wonderful thing, and it is only God Himself Who could tell us of it or show it to us. And what an infinite fullness there is in it! He tells us of the exceeding riches thereof. But maybe you have never realized your need of it. Listen to what He has portrayed as to man’s state in His Word, and remember that you are included. If you realize it in your soul, you will find out what thousands of others have done, that naught but grace will meet the depth of your need. We will sum it up as briefly as possible. Man, created for God’s glory, listened to Satan’s lie, disobeyed God’s sole express command, introduced false worship, murder, lying, violence, and corruption into the world, lived with a seared conscience, became drunken and idolatrous, maltreated and killed God’s servants, spit in the face of His Son, falsely accused and crucified Him, resisted His Holy Spirit, and despised and neglected His Word!
One can imagine someone who had never heard the contents of Scripture saying, “Well, man must be in a deplorably wicked state!” But, alas! thousands have read and heard more or less about it so often that they seem to treat what God says almost as meaningless. The rebel heart of man refuses, or pares down, or minimizes the plainest statements concerning his state. Happy indeed is the man who faces and bows to them, and, without comparing himself with others, confesses honestly before God, That is the truth about me; I am capable of it all. Why? Because such a one is the only fit subject for the grace of God. If I belong to a race as wicked and guilty as that, one thing is clear: I am lost!
If a physician met with a patient who was suffering from the same number of deadly physical maladies as man is suffering from morally, as set forth in that diagnosis, it would be strange indeed were he not to pronounce him incurable. Fog that is what man is. He is guilty, lost, incurable. You could do nothing with him. He is past improvement before God for the eternal future (how, ever much his condition may be improved by education, civilization, etc. for this life). Nothing will do for him but grace. God is the God of all grace (2 Peter 5:10). Hence He has pronounced man’s case as hopeless, and announced grace to him. This is worthy of God. Grace super-abounds where sin abounded. And what grace! Nothing to approach it in its fullness and extent was ever known among men. It is incomparable. How does it come to us?
God overruled man’s crowning wickedness in crucifying Christ, by making Him sin for us, Who knew no sin, on that same cross. All His claims against the sinner being met by the sacrifice of the holy Sin-bearer, He therein laid the basis of everlasting righteousness. Through it grace reigns (Rom. 5:2121That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 5:21)). The grace of God which bringeth salvation to all men hath appeared (Titus 11:11). Love―divine love, the love of Him Who is LOVE―is the blessed spring and source. That love is perfect, infinite, eternal. The grace consequently which reaches man is boundless and exceeding rich (Eph. 2:77That in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 2:7)). In Christ, through and in Whom we receive it, are untraceable riches. The believer in Him is thereby brought into the highest relationship with God―that of sons, holy and without blame. A heavenly place and portion in the home of love and light and holiness is his. The sure hope of glory with and like Christ lies immediately before him, and is about to be realized and enjoyed by him. And the whole range of blessing is eternal, and to the joy and satisfaction of the heart of God unto everlasting ages. This is incomparable grace.
Dear reader, what think ye of these things? What think ye of Christ? Continue in indifference or neglect, and you will surely, ere long, reap the eternal fruit of your blind folly and unbelief in banishment from God. Any moment may be your last here. Take to heart what God has said about your miserable state. Set to your seal that He is true. Confess you are guilty, incurable, lost. Believe on Him Who died, and Whom God exalted to glory, and all that wondrous range of blessing which we have briefly detailed will be yours. Christ is the only Saviour, and God presents Him to you. His precious blood cleanseth from all sin. God has given up any expectation from us and received Him. And the moment you receive Him by faith all that God has set forth in Him, the glorified One, is your present and everlasting portion. Once you enter upon it, your soul will be overwhelmed with gratitude and praise, and it will be your delight to serve and follow Him, till you reap it all with Him in eternal light. E. H. C.