ON by WM. O. BEECHER

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · May 7, 1901

ON

By WM. O. BEECHER

WM. O. BEECHER (Port Maria, Jamaica)

To that all-important question of the Philippian jailer, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” Paul and Silas replied: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.” Acts 16:30, 31. Jesus said, “This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him whom He hath sent.” John 6:29. He also said, “He that heareth my word, and believeth on Him that sent me, hath everlasting life.” John 5:24; 3:16.

From the passages already quoted and from many others that are to be found in the Scriptures, we see that belief on Jesus is necessary to salvation.

Then what conclusion must we draw? Surely, he who believes of, but not on, Jesus, needs still to learn to believe to salvation. Though he believes, he is an unbeliever. He is a believer of, but an unbeliever on, Jesus.

When Paul said: “For now is our salvation nearer than when we believed” (Rom. 13:11), did he mean believed of Christ?—No, he meant believed on, because from a historical standpoint even the unsaved believe that a man lived who was called Jesus the Christ. Hear what James says: “The devils also believe, and tremble.” James 2:19. Do they believe on? No.

Christ has purchased for us salvation. We are to become heirs to the kingdom of heaven by becoming joint heirs with Him. In Christ perfect manhood has been revealed. Christ is the second and last Adam, and has set us the example to believe on God. He it is who offered His life and righteousness to us that we may be saved. Hence our obligation to believe on Him,—not of Him,—to rest on Him, rest on His merits.

To believe of Him, but not on Him, is to claim another foundation for our righteousness. It is self-righteousness. It is of the earth, earthly; and when the righteousness of Him who sitteth on the throne shall be unveiled, self-righteousness, with other earthly, abominable things, shall be destroyed.

Do we believe of Christ or on Christ? Let us examine our belief to see what is its relation to Him, and if it be of Him, alter it at once. Believe on Him, for this we must do if we would have our building stand. 2 Cor. 13:5.

We are living in the last days. The hour of God’s judgment is come. We know not how far the judgment has progressed. It may be that the cases of the dead are finished, and those of the living under investigation. Your case and mine may be called up, we know not when. Let us see that our belief bears the relation to Christ that it should; for thus, and only thus, can we hope to build upon the Rock.