How vast the consequences involved in the answer to that question! The knowledge of God’s plan of salvation by faith in a once crucified, but now exalted Saviour, how general; the fact, how readily admitted; but the power of it—the acceptance in the heart and conscience of the consequences involved in that fact, how little received—and yet how vast the difference In the end of the sixth chapter of John’s Gospel, the Lord shows out to the Jews how completely all the scriptures that spoke of Him had been carried out; and yet, though these very scriptures were well known by those to whom He spoke, both understood and accepted as the Word of God, did they produce any effect? Did they lead to their acceptance of that One as their Messiah? No. Why not?
Let the Lord Himself answer the question. In verse 38 he says, “Ye have not his Word abiding in you.” Not You do not know it, but It does not abide.
Ah, dear friend, the knowledge of the plan of salvation is not safety. The being able to give a clear answer to the question, “What must I do to be saved?” is not security. The question I would address to you is, Are you saved?— not, Do you hope to be? Are you?—are you?
Now don’t put it from you; don’t say, “I know all about it.” Don’t say, “I hear a sermon every Sunday— perhaps two—and I know all about it.” Face the question. Look at it in the light of God’s word. Are you saved?
Now, if the Word spoken by the Lord had been believed—if the facts had really been received, they would have produced an effect; the reception of the Word in the power of the Spirit would have produced action. And it is always so. If the word of God comes home in power to my soul, action follows.
In the parable of the seed, the word that abode “brought forth fruit.” The woman with the issue of blood hears of Jesus. She believes if she can but touch his garment she will be whole. She touches, and immediately she was cleansed. The word was not only known, but believed, acted upon, and a result immediately follows. So in the fifth of John—if the searching of the scriptures had been more than the natural mind seeking to satisfy itself, the effect of that searching would have been to have led them to Him. As the Lord says, “Ye will not come to me that ye might have life.” Has the result of your searching of the scriptures been, dear friend, that you have believed God when He says that you have not life—spiritual life—life towards God—that you are “dead in trespasses and sins”?
“Oh! yes,” you say; “I know that.” Pardon me, my friend. I am not asking you now what you know. I ask you, Do you believe it? Has it abode with you? Has that word of God taken up its residence in your soul? Not a pleasant companion, and yet how capable of bringing forth blessed results. Oh, how blessed! “Dead in trespasses and sins.” Dead—let it abide, do not try to get away from it.
Do not try to turn the edge off. “The word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing.” Let it pierce into your conscience— “Dead in trespasses and sins.”
Why am I so anxious that this should abide—should be believed—not only known? It is a fact, whether known or believed; but why should. the Spirit of God labor to make that unpleasant fact to the natural man abide in the conscience, but that it might lead to Him who can meet the requirement, who can give life—eternal life—never-ending blessedness in the presence of the One who is the Life—of the One who can say, “I am he that liveth, and was dead, and behold I am alive for evermore, and have the keys of death and hades.” Death and hades are conquered, and He possesses the keys. Ah, dear friend, Have you been to Him that you might have life? and, having trusted. Him, do you know that you have life?
“This is life eternal that they might know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent.” “He that hath the Son hath life, and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.”
In what state are you? Do you believe that you are dead-spiritually dead? Well, the same word says if you believe in Jesus, if you have been to Him, that you have life—life eternal. Has that remained? Not, as I said before, is it known as a scripture, but has it been received in the soul as the truth of God?
Is it rested upon? Is it enough to meet every question that has been raised? Has it abode?
Now I would just show that the truth the Lord put forth in the fifth of John was enough to produce effect in those that believed the scripture. Turn to the first chapter of John and read from the 44th verse to the end.
Philip is sure, from the word of God—that which “Moses in the law and the prophets did write,” (the very thing the Lord was urging)—that Jesus of Nazareth was the One he was looking for. The word of God had been received. about Him, and it produced action in Philips. Not only does he build upon it, not only does he receive it into his own soul and delight in the One of whom that Word testified, but he would have others to come and enjoy the blessing that he had found. So, dear friend, I would have you, although unknown to me—you, with your never-dying soul, so would I have you “come.” So He the Lord would have you come to Him—that you—one “dead in trespasses and sins,” might have life. Do not delay, come now. Are you without hope towards God? Do you believe it? Oh, if you do, how ready will you be to come. Look unto Jesus and live. “Look unto me, and be ye saved.”
Have you looked? Do you live? Read the following true stories which illustrate the difference between knowing and believing—
A doctor was asked by his patient, “Is it true that I shall not recover?” “Yes,” he said, “it is true.” There seemed nothing urgent in the case, however, and the patient looked like living some short time: “Ah,” said the patient; “I wish I was sure of going to heaven.” “Are you not so then?” “No, I know all about the truth; have been a regular church-goer; but I don’t know whether I shall go to heaven.” The word had been known like the Jews in the chapter; but, solemn fact,
“Ye have not the word abiding in you.” The Gospel was put before her as simply as possible.
She listened. Whilst the words of Life were being spoken, a change came over her face; she threw up her arms, exclaiming “Come, Lord Jesus!” and she was gone. It is not for us to conjecture where—the day will declare it but how solemn the fact, that there, on her deathbed, she had to say that she knew all about the truth of God but it was not believed; the power of it was unknown!
Hear of the opposite. God, in His grace, aroused one to the first fact that she was a sinner, “dead in trespasses and sins,” — one exposed to the righteous judgment of God. The word of God showed her what was the consequence of this state. She had no rest. She could not sleep. “Ah!” she thought, “if I go to sleep, perhaps it will be to awake in hell.” She not only knew that there was a hell, but she felt that if she got her deserts it would be the place in which she would have to spend an eternity of woe.
Circumstances often prevented her getting out, and this went on for some time; but one Lord’s Day evening she was free to go, but it was late. She hurried off to hear the preaching.
She was very late; the last words were being spoken as she entered the place—but she heard them. They were in the fifth chapter of John also. They read, “Verily, 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 judgment, but is passed from death unto life.” Blessed words! blessed to her soul! She heard—she believed. She accepted the Word—it abode in her soul. She passed “from death unto life,” and she went on her way rejoicing.
Dear friend, may you, by the power of the same blessed Spirit, hear the words of that same gracious Son of God—believe on that same loving God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and not only know the truth of that same precious Scripture, but believing, know the power of it—that coming to Him “ye might have life.”
E. C.