YOU can be sure of nothing in this world but death," is a very common saying, but not at all a scriptural one. It is true that “it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment "; but then Christ has borne both death and judgment for all those who believe in Him, and such know and can say,
“Death and judgment are behind me,
Grace and glory are before;
All the billows rolled o'er Jesus,
There exhausted all their power.”
Indeed, instead of the believer in Jesus being sure that he will die, it is the very thing that he is not at all sure about; for the Word of God says, " Behold, I show you a mystery; we shall not all sleep "(or die)," but we shall all be changed " (1 Cor. 15:51, 58). 1CO 15:51-58 The coming of the Lord, and not death, is the hope of the believer.
I only notice this common saying, which I have given above, in passing on to what we are, or ought to be, sure about.
There are many passages of Scripture where the little word "sure" occurs, but I would now ask you to look at seven of them; and may God's rich blessing rest upon our brief examination of each.
(1) "And we believe and are SURE that Thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God” (John 6:69). JOH 6:69
Now, God judges of everybody by what they think and believe of Christ; and it is of the very first moment that we should be clear about the Person and glory of the Lord Jesus Christ, as neither salvation nor everlasting life are to be had apart from faith in His Person. “He that believeth on the Son hash everlasting life." “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house" (John 3:36; Acts 16:31). JOH 16:31 ACT 16:31
It is not faith in a text that saves. I believed all the Bible was true, from Genesis to Revelation, before I was saved, and it did not save me. You must believe in the living, loving Lord Jesus Christ, at God's right hand, Hark! A voice from heaven says, "Look unto ME, and be ye saved" (Isa. 45:22). ISA 45:22
Jesus, when He was here, asked His disciples, “Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?" They answered," Some say that Thou art John the Baptist; some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.”
So much for popular opinion; it never reaches up to the glory of the person of the Christ.
Jesus then asked, “But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." But how came Peter to know this?
“Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona, for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but My Father which is in heaven " (Matt. 16:13-17). MAT 16:13-17
And when God by His Spirit reveals Christ to you, and in you by His word, you will be able adoringly to say, “We believe and are SURE that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God." What an important thing to be sure about, seeing that there is no salvation without it! “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved" (Acts 4:12). ACT 4:12
(2) "The foundation of God standeth SURE” (2 Tim. 2:19). 2TI 2:19 In this day, when infidelity and superstition are joining to pull everything to pieces, it is blessed to know that they cannot touch or shake God's foundation. And whilst thousands of poor deceived souls are resting upon the shifting sand of ordinances and religious performances, it becomes us to see to it that we are on the foundation that nothing can prevail against. Jehovah Jesus says, " Thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner-stone, a sure foundation " (Isa. 28:16). ISA 28:16
Are you on this only "sure foundation"?
Do you answer, "I wish that I knew I was"?
Then listen to the words of Jesus: " Whosoever cornea to Me, and heareth, My sayings, and doeth them, I will show you to whom he is like: he is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock " (Luke 6:47-49). LUK 6:47-49 Have you come to Jesus? Have you heard His words? and are you doing them? If you can answer these questions in the affirmative, then you can surely sing:
“On Christ the solid Rock I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand.”
(3)"We are SURE that the judgment of God is according to truth” (Rom. 2:2). ROM 2:2 Are you quite sure of this? Can you look back to the cross and see Jesus suffering untold agonies, and hear Him cry, “My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?" (Psa. 22:1), PSA 22:1 as He groans and expires beneath the weight of a holy God's judgment against sin, and say, “I am sure that the judgment of God is according to truth "? If you do not bow to the judgment of God against sin at the cross, you will have to bear it in your own person throughout eternity in the everlasting flames of the lake of fire, when you will be obliged to own “that the judgment of God is according to truth." Do it now, before it is too late.
(4) " Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both SURE and steadfast" (Heb. 6:19). HEB 6:19
How many thousands there are who say, in this day of earnest personal dealing with precious souls, when asked the important question, "Are you saved?" "I hope so." Have you got Christ? for Paul says, " Lord Jesus Christ, our hope "(1 Tim. 1:1); 1TI 1:1 and He being “our hope," if you lack Him you most certainly have no hope.
When a captain of a ship gives orders to his men to drop anchor, what would he think of them if they dropped it in the hull of the vessel? And yet this is just what many simple souls are doing, dropping their anchor into their own hearts: no wonder they are all adrift.
Where is Christ? He is at the right hand of God. Accept Christ for your hope, and then you will be in Christ, anchored to the very throne of God, and you will know that your anchor, being outside of yourself, is " both sure and steadfast," and you will be able to say, "I have Christ; what want I more?”
(5) "Thy testimonies are very SURE” (Psa. 93:5). PSA 93:5 Yes, they are not only sure, but “very sure," whether He speaks about man's condition by nature as being lost and guilty, as” all we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned every one to his own way...” (Isa. 53:6), ISA 53:6therefore the whole world is “become guilty before God" (Rom. 3:19) ROM 3:19 ;or whether He speaks about His own rich provision for the blessing of such, as " God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life”
(John 3:16); JOH 3:16 or whether He speaks of the present portion of the believer and the unbeliever, as " He that believeth on the Son hath, everlasting life, and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him " (John 3:36); JOH 3:16 or whether He speaks of the destiny of the believer, or the doom of the unbeliever, as, "And these" (the unbelievers) "shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal " (Matt. 25:46). MAT 25:46
Yes, depend upon it, God's “testimonies are very sure, “and" he that hath received His testimony hath set to his seal that God is true "(John 3:33); JOH 3:33 and" he that believeth not God hath made Him a liar” (1 John 5:10). 1JO 5:10
Have you set to your seal that God is true, by receiving His "very sure" testimonies? or are you making Him a liar by calling them in question and doubting them?
(6) " Give diligence to make your calling and election SURE" (2 Peter 1:10) 2PE 1:10am amazed at the audacity of people in saying, “You cannot be sure you are saved in this world," when God says I am to be sure.
“Yes, "you say;" but I do not know if I am one of God's called ones." Well, turn to Cor. 1:26-29, COR 1:26-29and look at the persons whom He calls: " God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; and base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to naught things that are: that no flesh should glory in His presence.”
Now, do you answer to this fivefold description of God's called and chosen ones? Have you ever confessed to God that you are “foolish, weak, base, despised, and nothing"?
If so, you are most certainly one of God's called ones. Has God's gospel come to you, not in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance? if it has, and you have answered to the fivefold description of God's called ones, then you have made "your calling and election sure” (1 Thess. 1:4, 5). 1TH 1:4, 5
(7) "Be SURE your sin will find you out” (Num. 32:23). NUM 32:23 We have now come to the last scripture I wish to call your attention to where the word "sure" occurs, and a most solemn one it is for a certain class of sinners.
Oh, ye hypocrites, ye deceitful and secret sinners, ye may go on undiscovered for weeks, months, and even long years, but your sin will hound you and find you out in the long run! Oh that it might find you out now, and cause you to come to Jesus, the sin cleanser and the sinner's Saviour! "The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). 1JO 1:7
I have done, and must now leave God's word to do its own work, earnestly praying that all who may read this paper may be led of God truthfully to say, "We believe and are SURE.”
H. M. H.
Why be so thoughtless, careless, and negligent about salvation which is in Christ Jesus?
No amount of present gain, gratification, or pleasure, can make up for eternal misery.
“ONLY BELIEVE.”
“He that believeth on the Son hath eternal life” (John 3:36). JOH 3:16
Can you delay? Surely not. To-morrow may be too late. “Whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire" (Rev. 20:15). REV 20:15 If you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ your name is written there, but if not, your name is not there, and because of unbelief you are " condemned already "(John 3:18). JOH 3:18
“How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation?”
W. E. S.