October 10

Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.—Acts 16:31.

THE examples of good men are often placed before us in the divine word, to excite us to a holy imitation of their virtues and excellencies. But man is never placed before us, as an object of confidence or trust. We are called to hear Moses, to peruse the prophets, and to let the words of the inspired writers, dwell in us, with all wisdom, but we are to trust only in God, and this is his commandment, that we believe only in the name of his son. To believe in Jesus, is to receive God's record concerning him as the truth: to receive that record with cordial joy and delight, and to rest implicitly upon his person and work for acceptance with God, and eternal life. Jesus is every where exhibited as the object of faith. He is so, to the exclusion of every other: the pious patriarchs all believed in him: all the holy servants of God under the Mosaic economy, believed in him: the Psalmist was perpetually referring to his work and glory: the prophets all testified of him; and to preach the Gospel is to exhibit Christ, as the son of God, and the Saviour of the world. To the enquiring thousands of Israel, Peter preached Jesus: to the Samaritans, Jesus was preached: to the Jailor, the apostle said, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ." —and we have no other message to the guilty, distressed and heavy laden sinner, than this, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.