A YOUNG minister put the following startling question to an old woman who was lying on her death-bed: “Now, Nanny, what if after all your praying, and watching, and waiting, God should suffer your soul to be lost?”
Nanny raised herself on her elbow, and laid her right hand upon the Bible which lay open before her, and quietly replied, “Ae, dearie me, is that a’ the length you’ve got, man?” and then continued, “God would have the greatest loss. Nanny would lose her soul, but God would lose His honor and His character, for haven’t I hung my soul upon His promises, and if He broke His word, He would make Himself a liar, and a’ the universe would rush into confusion.”
Some, possibly, would think the faith of this dying aged saint very proud and presumptuous, but, so far from this being true, we should say that, looking at it in the light of God’s word, it is just the opposite of this, for what is presumption but doing that on the ground of our own opinions or fancied wisdom which God has not commanded, or believing that which He has not revealed. The spirit of this poor old christian was just the opposite of this, and was simply that of true faith and real humility — simply taking God at His word, because He commands it; and this involves the truest humility.
Old Nanny’s mode of speech, therefore, was simply an expression of her utter detestation of anything, however seemingly religious it might look, either in word or spirit, which doubted the perfection of Christ’s work, or the love and wisdom of God in providing it, and of His faithfulness to His promise in relation to those who trust it, as the only ground of their present and everlasting salvation. This aged saint knew full well that, whatever might fail, the faithfulness of God never could; that though heaven and earth might pass away, the word of God would endure forever.
Reader, beware of this spirit, for while it prevails and to the extent that it is supreme within, it will not only keep your soul from true peace, but it will feed pride and rob God of the glory due to His perfections, and the salvation He has provided in His Son and through His work, to save the guilty and the lost.