The Power of The Word. “Is That All?”

A Christian friend, Mr. C. J. Ross, sends this striking incident to me: ―
A servant of God, visiting a military hospital, noticed a young soldier whose life, it was evident, was quickly ebbing away. “Friend,” said he, “you are soon to die; are you saved?” “No, sir,” was the earnest reply, “what shall I do?” “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:31). “Say that again,” demanded the soldier. It was repeated.
Steadily and earnestly looking at the visitor, the young man rejoined, “Is that all?” “Yes, that is all. I can say nothing more. There is nothing, nothing more for you to do.”
Closing his eyes for a few moments, the youth at length opened them again, and raising his right hand, he exclaimed: “Lord Jesus, I surrender!” Instantly his face shone with a new-found peace, and a few days later he passed away into the presence of his Saviour.
Perhaps, reader, you have not yet discovered that the gospel is so simple on your part. You may be under the impression that you have got to do something in order to merit God’s favor. You think if you live a noble and upright life, no doubt God will reward you with heaven in the future. Is this the gospel? No, no, my friend. God’s Word plainly states that “to him that worketh not, but believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness” (Rom. 4:5). His faith, mark you, not his works.
We, as fallen, sinful creatures, cannot contribute anything towards meeting the demands of a holy God. But the gospel is this, that what we could not do, Jesus, the blessed Son of God, has done. On the cross He “gave Himself a ransom for all” (1 Tim. 2:6). He has, in His own person, met all the claims of God against us. So perfectly has He satisfied these claims that God has raised Him from amongst the dead and given Him the highest place of honor in glory. Because of the worthiness of Christ, God finds delight in blessing sinners.
“Be it known unto you... that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins, and 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). There is nothing left for you to do but to take your true place as a sinner before God, and accept by faith the salvation which He so freely offers. Will you do it?
The entrance of God’s Word gives light. We must not rest until we have helped to put a khaki Testament in every soldier’s pocket. This is why I want 100,000 Testaments at once to help, do this.