28 The Assurance
The Assurance "Whoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved!" Acts 2:21 The means of grace and salvation were once confined to the Jews — but the prophets predicted that the time would come, when the Son of God would be for salvation unto the ends of the earth. And the Apostle Peter assured the multitude on the day of Pentecost, that this period had arrived, that the Spirit would now no longer be confined to the descendants of Abraham — but would be poured out on all flesh, and that whoever would call on the name of the Lord should be saved. This is good news for poor Gentiles. It is a message of mercy to all sinners. It is calculated and intended to raise hope in the bosom of the desponding, and to produce faith in the dejected and cast down.
Salvation is the greatest blessing that God can bestow! It is deliverance from the greatest misery — and exaltation to the greatest happiness. It is the greatest change in man’s state and character that can possibly be effected. It is the greatest display of the wisdom, grace, and power of God. It is the very blessing that you need. The blessing which you must receive — or be eternally undone. It is a blessing for the present, for it is deliverance from the guilt of sin, which makes you miserable; from the power of sin, which makes you unlovely; and from the love of sin, which proves you to be God’s enemy. It is a blessing for the future: it secures to you safety and happiness in time — and glory, honor, immortality, and eternal life when time shall be no more. It is a blessing which comprehends every other. If the man is saved — all good things are his. If the man is lost — nothing good is his. To be saved, is . . .
for the soul to be restored to health;
to be put in possession of unsearchable wealth;
to be raised to the highest honor; and
to be entitled to eternal glory. No word is as sweet as salvation, as no word is as terrible as its opposite, damnation. Reader, there is no intermediate between these two extremes. "The wages of sin is death," or damnation; "but the gift of God is eternal life," or salvation, "through Jesus Christ, our Lord."
You may be saved — for "Whoever shall call on the name of the Lord, shall be saved!" But you may be lost — for "He who believes not shall be damned."
God has revealed himself by name; that is, clearly and suitably. He has told us what he is, what he requires of us, what he has done for us, and what he expects from us. He has brought out before us his two most glorious attributes in a variety of forms, his justice and his mercy. He is "the just God," yet "the Lord our God is merciful." He will not show mercy at the expense of his justice — but justice interposes no barrier in the way of our salvation, if we are willing to be saved by grace, through faith in Jesus. This is the point to which we need constantly be directed: upon this we should steadily fix the eye. Jehovah is a just God — and yet a Savior. Justice has got all its demands at the hands of Jesus, for every one who believes in his name. Mercy is extended to every one who seeks it through the Savior’s blood. God is . . .
gracious, to the unworthy;
merciful, to the miserable;
long suffering, to the rebellious;
abundant in goodness, to the poor;
true to his word, in every particular;
keeping mercy for thousands, who shall yet seek it at his throne; forgiving the iniquity, transgressions, and sins, of all who confess and seek pardon at his mercy seat; but he will never clear the guilty.
If the Savior is rejected, if man will trust to his own imperfect performances, if he is guilty of rejecting God’s message, refusing his mercy, despising his Son, and trifling with his truth — then he must perish. God will not clear him by pardoning his sins, or imputing to him the righteousness of his Son; he will hold him guilty, and punish him accordingly.
God has revealed himself most fully, and most clearly, in the person of Jesus. Yes, so correct is the representation given of the Father by Jesus, that he could say, "He who has seen me — has seen the Father." In Jesus you may see . . .
what God is,
what God approves,
what God requires, and
what God will do.
Study Christ — if you will know the Father. He is the express image of the Father. The faithful and exact likeness. The name of God is in him. He is God’s name embodied, and presented in full before the eyes of men.
God may now be approached by sinners without fear. They may call upon him. They may call upon him by name. They may call upon him for the greatest of all blessings, salvation. They may call upon him for salvation, and expect it as a free gift. They may call upon him, persuaded that it is not in his nature to refuse them, because he has given the promise, that "whoever shall call upon the name of the Lord, shall be saved." God will hear every one who cries to him. "His ears are open to their cries." If they seek him in Jesus — they must find him. If they seek to be accepted and blessed, through what Jesus has done and suffered — they are sure to be received with favor and obtain what they seek. He will attend to the prayer of all such, "He will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their prayer." Prayer is calling upon God. It is crying to God. It is pleading with God. It is asking favors of God.
"Whoever shall call upon the Lord, shall be saved." All distinctions are now completely leveled. You are as welcome to Jesus, as you can be. You are as welcome to approach God’s throne, to call upon his name, to seek salvation at his hands, as any one who ever came. "For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek; for the same Lord is rich unto all that call upon him." Nor can any one seek in vain, if he seeks with sincerity of heart; if he is in earnest in his pursuit of the blessing; and if he proves his sincerity and earnestness by his perseverance. Our earnestness should be in proportion to the value and importance of the blessing; as therefore no blessing is half so valuable or important as salvation — we should seek it with greater earnestness and determination of soul. My friend, God alone can save. He can save you. He has pledged himself to save all that call upon him. His word cannot be broken. He cannot be unfaithful. He will therefore save you, if you call upon him to do so. You are, therefore, placed in the most solemn and interesting circumstances imaginable. Salvation is brought near to you. You are not far from the kingdom of God. You have destroyed yourself — but there is help for you in God. You are exposed to eternal damnation — but eternal salvation is set before you. It may be obtained by you. It is to be had without money and without price. The terms of the promise are the most definite imaginable: "Whoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." The promise is as positive as it is definite. Whoever will, may call upon the name of the Lord: and whoever shall call upon the name of the Lord, shall be saved. Nothing can be plainer. Language cannot be more simple. The feeblest intellect can understand it, and the most depraved character is included in it.
Exclusion is not the act of God — but the crime of man. God excludes no man, for the message of the gospel is to every one; but many exclude themselves, and their doing so, flows from their unbelief. God says, "Come!" But man says, "I will not!" God says, "Whoever shall call on my name shall be saved." But man says, "I will not call upon your name." And yet some of these people profess to think it hard — if they should be punished for their sins. But he who will not be saved, when God is willing to save him freely — certainly deserves to perish, and thus reap the fruit of his folly, and endure the desert of his criminality. May the Lord preserve us from such glaring inconsistency, and give us grace for obedience to the faith.
Reader, what do you think of this assurance? Is it not encouraging? Can anything more clearly show that God is willing to save sinners? To save you — if you call upon him? And if you refuse to do so, and go on in your sin, and perish at last — will it not be just? Could you reasonably complain? Would not your own conscience condemn you if you did? Seek then, the Lord while he may be found, and call upon him while he is near.