Suppose a number of the subjects of a wise and good king were, without any just cause, to rebel against him, and take up arms to dethrone him, they would by that act forfeit their lives. Still the sovereign, in his great clemency, is disposed to pardon them, and for that purpose, sends out a proclamation, declaring that all those who, before a fixed time, would come to him, lay down their arms, confess their offence, and sue for mercy, should be spared, and restored to all their privileges as citizens; but that all found under arms, and who did not come and cast themselves upon the mercy of their sovereign, should be put to death.
What, in this case, is the state of mind and act required in those who would be saved? Faith. They must believe the proclamation to have been issued by the monarch, and that he will really fulfil his word; they must not only believe the edict itself, but they must confide in the monarch; this is faith in him. What is their warrant or encouragement to go to him? His proclamation of mercy, and that alone; and not any convictions or desires of their own.
If any one of the rebels were desirous of returning, he would not say, “I am greatly encouraged and truly warranted to go and expect forgiveness, because I am very anxious to be forgiven;” for his desire of pardon of itself, is no warrant to expect it; but he would say, “My sovereign has bad me return, and promised me pardon: I have his word, and I can trust him; I will go, therefore, and confidently expect mercy.” He goes, and although he knows that he has forfeited his life and deserved death, and brought himself under condemnation; yet he is assured he shall be spared, because the king has promised it, and he trusts in his veracity. This is faith. Does his faith merit forgiveness? No, but it insures it. Can the man boast that his works have saved him? No: he is saved by grace, through faith.
But suppose when he heard the proclamation of mercy, he was merely convinced of his sin, and in some measure sorry for it, and desired forgiveness, but did not go to his sovereign; suppose he were to say to himself, “I am afraid to go; the prince is powerful, being surrounded by his guards who could destroy me in a moment, and I have been such a ringleader in the rebellion that I cannot hope for mercy, although I long for it, and would do any thing to obtain it.” The time of mercy expires; the man is taken with arms in his hand; and he is put to death. Does he deserve to die? Yes, twice over, first for his rebellion, and secondly for his unbelief. His want of faith, not his rebellion, was the actual cause of his death. His sin would have been pardoned, had he believed. His convictions, his sorrow, his tears, his desire after pardon, could not save him: he had insulted his sovereign afresh, by doubting his veracity, and disobeying his command.
Awakened sinner, take heed that this is not your case. It is the case of many. They are rebels against God, they are guilty of innumerable sins. “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 3:17). “It is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Tim. 1:15). Thus runs the proclamation of mercy: “Repent of sin, believe in Christ, expect salvation.” Many do believe, and are saved: but others, and there are multitudes, get no further than conviction; they know they are sinners, they desire pardon, and seem even willing to forsake some of their sins; but they do not believe in Christ, they do not return to God by faith in his Son, indulging a confident hope of forgiveness: they are afraid to go, saying their sins are too great to be forgiven, or they are contented to remain in a state of conviction; or before they have trusted in Christ, and experienced a real change of heart through faith, some earthly object or other draws off their attention from the Saviour, and they sink into a state of carelessness, and gradually go back again into the world.
You are never safe, reader, till you have faith. Whatever may have been your tears, your convictions, prayers, or exercises of mind, you are under the sentence of the law, and exposed to the wrath of God till you believe. If death come upon you before you have faith, you will as certainly and as deservedly perish, as the rebel who, though he had expressed his sorrow for his treason, had not come in and cast down his arms, and accepted the royal mercy. You are within the flood-mark of Divine vengeance till you have confided your soul to Christ.
Can we be saved if we are not justified? No. But we are “justified by faith, and have peace with God” (Rom. 5:1). Can we be saved unless we are the children of God? No. But we are “all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus” (Gal. 3:26). Can we be saved without sanctification? No. Then “our hearts are purified by faith.” But the jailer at Philippi asked, with fear and trembling, the question, “What shall I do to be saved?” Paul replied, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:30-31). When our Lord sent out his disciples, he said unto them, “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature: he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be damned” (Mark 16:15-16). It is also said in another place, “He that believeth on him is not condemned; but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed on the name of the only begotten Son of God. . . . He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life; he that believeth not the Son, shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him” (John 3:18,36). “He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself; he that believeth not God, hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son” (1 John 5:10).
See then the importance, the tremendous importance, of faith in Christ. It is the hinge on which salvation turns; it is that, without which all knowledge, and all impressions, and all convictions, and all duties, will leave us short of heaven at last. Fix it deeply in your mind, therefore, that faith is the saving grace; or, in other words, it is that state of mind with which salvation is connected; being brought into this state, you would be saved though you died the next hour; and without which you would not be saved even had you been for years under the deepest concern.
John Angell James. The Anxious Inquirer.
