43 Salutary Thoughts

Salutary Thoughts

I am a sinner, a sinner against a holy God — a sinner, who cannot offer the least excuse for my sins. A sinner condemned by a righteous judge, in accordance with a law, which is holy, just, and good. I am a sinner, and I deserve to suffer — to suffer the full penalty due to my sins; though that penalty, is being punished with the devil and his demons forever. I am doomed to suffer, that is to say, the law has passed sentence upon me, and there is no hope for me — but in the clemency of my justly-offended sovereign.

I need not suffer, nor need any sinner, to whom the gospel of Christ comes; for the gospel offers a free pardon to the guilty, and a full salvation to the lost. Therefore, I will not suffer — for there is a Savior, a Savior for me, a Savior who is able, willing, and waiting to save me. I will go to him. I will go to him at once. I will go to him just as I am. I will go to him to be saved by him. I will go and cast myself at his feet, throw myself on his mercy. I will plead with him, telling him I am lost, that I have no hope but in his mercy, nor expectation but from his grace. I will plead my need of his help, the invitation he has sent me, and the promise he has made, that he will cast out none that come to him. I will not be put off — but, lying at his feet, I will look up, cry earnestly, and wait until he shall say unto me, "Go in peace." Salvation is all important to me, and as I may be saved, I will be saved; and as I may know myself saved, I will not rest until I hear him sweetly whisper to my soul, "I am your salvation."

I am a believer, a believer in Jesus; I have renounced my own righteousness, and now place my whole dependence on Jesus, and his finished work. I look at nothing within me, at nothing done by me — but to Jesus, and Jesus alone, to be saved by his obedience, blood-shedding, and intercession.

I am a believer, and as such, my sins are pardoned — all my sins, and they are pardoned forever. The whole debt is cancelled. The full receipt is given. I am guiltless before God, for my transgressions are forgiven, my sins are covered; and God will not impute iniquity unto me. My person is justified, for I am invested with the obedience of Jesus, I am clothed in his righteousness. As my substitute,
all that he did — he did for me;
all that he suffered — he suffered for me;
all that he procured — he procured for me. As therefore he procured a perfect acquittal from all charges, and provided an everlasting righteousness — my person is completely justified. My services are purchased. Jesus has a right to me — to all I have, and to all I can do. I am not my own, but his. My talents, my time, my life — are not my own, but his.

Dearly he bought me,
honorably he paid for me, and
therefore justly he may claim me. My faults are aggravated. If I sin now, I do not merely sin against law — but against grace. I sin not against my Creator merely — but against my Redeemer! Every fault is committed in the light, and is aggravated by the infinite love of my compassionate Savior. My love for him should burn. Yes, if Jesus has so loved me, I ought to love him with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength. My love to others, should be hatred — in comparison with my love to him. What wondrous love he has displayed to me — and what hearty, earnest, burning love I should manifest to him. My zeal for him should glow. His zeal for my salvation consumed him — and my zeal for him, for his cause and for his glory, should be a glowing zeal. A zeal that will consume selfishness, and prepare me to do, or suffer anything for his honor. My property should be consecrated. Yes, all should be considered as the Lord’s, be used as the Lord’s, and be employed for his glory and praise. As I am not my own, so nothing that I have is my own; both my person and property belong to Jesus, and should be devoted to him. My influence should be exerted. Exerted for Christ, and for the good of his beloved ones. For them, I should speak and write; for them, I should act and suffer; to them, I should give of my substance. His hungry ones — I should feed;
his sick ones — I should visit;
his illiterate ones — I should teach;
and his despised ones — I should honor. My pity should be shown. Pity for those who sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death. For them, who have not his law, to convince them; nor his gospel, to convert them. Pity for them who wander on in darkness, and need someone to guide them. Pity that will warn the sinner, invite the wanderer, exhort the careless, entreat the indifferent, and beseech those who are at enmity with God, to be reconciled unto him.

Reader, you are a sinner — do you know it? Do you feel it? Do you deplore it? You deserve to suffer, for you are a criminal — you are doomed to suffer, by the law — you need not suffer, for there is a Savior. If you have not, let me beseech you to go to him — to plead with him — to cast yourself on his mercy — nor leave off crying to him, until assured, that you are saved by him.

Then, as a believer, you will enjoy the pardon of all your sins — the full justification of your person — and will perceive that by his infinite grace:
your services are purchased;
your faults are aggravated;
your love is required to burn;
your zeal should glow with fervent heat;
your property should be consecrated to your Lord’s service;
your influence should be exerted for your Lord’s honor;
and your pity should be shown to your fellow-sinners in every direction. As a sinner, your state is sad;
as a believer, your state is glorious. As a sinner, your danger is imminent;
as a believer, your safety is perfect. As a sinner, you can look forward to shame, pain, and everlasting contempt; but as a believer, you may anticipate glory, happiness, and eternal honor. As a sinner, you must look upon God as your foe;
but as a believer, you may look upon him as your Father. As a sinner, you may look upon God as your judge;
but as a believer, you may rejoice in him as your Savior.

There is but one step between all the terrible consequences of being a sinner, and all the glorious results of being a believer — and that is, stepping into Christ, the ark, the refuge, the hiding-place, set before you in the gospel.

There is but one exercise of the mind, one act of the heart, between condemnation, and all its dreadful consequences, and justification and all its eternal benefits — and that is believing, or faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. Believe, O believe in Jesus, only believe, and you pass . . .
from death — unto life;
from condemnation — to justification;
yes, from Hell — to Heaven!