DEEPLY troubled about her condition as a lost sinner, and fearful of the doom awaiting her, if she passed into eternity unforgiven and unsaved, a young girl recently sought counsel of the aged minister whose services she attended, and whom she greatly respected and loved. It was difficult, even to him to express her need, but at last she managed to confess her unhappiness, and her longing to know—as others knew she was well aware—that her sins which were many were all forgiven. The old man meant to be kind, and wished to comfort her; but, alas, he knew not how; and simply told her “The Lord’s time had not come.”!
The Lord’s time had not come! and he a professed minister of the gospel!! The Lord’s time had not come, when the word of God declares, “Behold, NOW IS the accepted time, behold NOW IS the day of salvation” (2 Cor. 6:22(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succored thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.) (2 Corinthians 6:2))! The Lord’s time not come, while on the page of inspiration is written, “Come NOW and let us reason together, saith the Lord; though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool” (Isaiah 1:1818Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. (Isaiah 1:18)). “Acquaint NOW thyself with him and be at peace” (Job 22:2626For then shalt thou have thy delight in the Almighty, and shalt lift up thy face unto God. (Job 22:26)).
But, it may be, some readers of “Gospel Gleanings” are like this young girl—aroused by a sense of their condition as sinners unfit for the presence of a holy God, and subject to His judgment. And some perhaps are being lulled by the devil’s opiate, administered to her by her aged teacher: “The Lord’s time for their deliverance has not come.” To such these words are specially addressed. There was an occasion—only one—when the Lord Jesus did declare, “My time is not yet full come but your time is alway ready” (John 7:66Then Jesus said unto them, My time is not yet come: but your time is alway ready. (John 7:6)). And it may be the aged minister thought he was quoting this, as perhaps you have thought it applied to your case, that with you, in some mysterious fashion after you have had a full measure of distress and doubt, “the Lord’s time” will come, and you will get peace and happiness. But was the Lord Jesus speaking of giving rest to a troubled sinner when He said, “My time is not yet come”? Let us turn to the word of God and see. Instead of that being His subject the Lord was answering the taunt of His unbelieving brethren, “If thou do these things, show thyself to the world” (John 7:44For there is no man that doeth any thing in secret, and he himself seeketh to be known openly. If thou do these things, show thyself to the world. (John 7:4)).
That was the time which had not then come—the time of His manifestation to the world. They were “of the world” and at any time were ready for its praise and glory; He was not of it—was rejected by it; and thank God, His time to show Himself to it had not then come, nor has it yet. Instead of showing Himself to the world, He went to Calvary, and there, despised and rejected of men, He offered Himself without spot to God. His holy soul God made an offering for sin, and the full penalty of His wrath against it was borne by Him. “He hath made Him to be sin for us who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Cor. 5:2121For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. (2 Corinthians 5:21)). And never, since that dread moment when “the darkness sought His woes to hide” from the scoffing multitude, has He “shewn” Himself “to the world.”
To many witnesses whom He had chosen (even five hundred at one time) did He “show himself alive by many infallible proofs” “after his passion,” but the world has seen Him not. The day hastens when “in his own times He shall show, who is the blessed and only potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords” (1 Tim. 6:1414That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ: (1 Timothy 6:14)), when “every eye shall see him, and they also that pierced him, and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him” (Rev. 1:77Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen. (Revelation 1:7)). Then “the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Thess. 1:7, 87And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, 8In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: (2 Thessalonians 1:7‑8)), and thus as Judge shall He “show himself to the world.”
Thank God, my unsaved reader—you who hitherto have not obeyed the gospel—that that time has not yet full come! Nevertheless, it is coming, and each day, as it passes, brings it nearer.
But why should you delay? Why risk meeting Him as Judge who invites you to meet Him now as Saviour? “In Christ’s stead we pray, Be reconciled to God, for He hath made Him to be sin for us, Who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Cor. 5:2020Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. (2 Corinthians 5:20). 21). “Through this Man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins and by Him all that believe are justified from all things” (Acts 13:38, 3938Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: 39And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses. (Acts 13:38‑39)). Yes, “justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: whom God hath set forth a propitiation (or, mercy seat) through faith in His blood, to declare... AT THIS TIME his righteousness, that he might be just and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus” (Rom. 3:24, 2624Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: (Romans 3:24)
26To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. (Romans 3:26)).
Dost thou believe on the Son of God? Dost thou believe the record that God gave of His Son?
“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” (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)).
Believe and have. To refuse to believe, to hesitate, to doubt, to put off for a more convenient season, is to make God a liar.
T.