If We Will Let Him

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Oct 17, 1895

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 21, No. 41.

“If We Will Let Him.”

A correspondent longingly asks: “Please tell me how to let him. O, I am so desirous of the abiding Presence!” That is, how to let Christ into our heart, bear our burdens, cleanse away the sin. Well, it is just simply to take him at his word. The only thing in the world which will separate us from Christ is sin cherished, sin preferred to him. Even in such case he does not spurn us. He died to win us. His Spirit pleads with us. He purchased us as we were, in sin, that he might make us like himself in righteousness. He is our Creator, Redeemer, Friend; the enmity, the separation is all on our part, because of the carnal heart. When we will give that to him, when we will choose him and his way with all our heart, in preference to self and its ways, we may know that Christ is ours. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9. “He that believeth not God hath made him a liar.” 1 John 5:10. Confession of sin means simply this—giving it all up to God, the whole wretched, sinful self, not only all sins that we see, but all we do not see, and all the heart in which the sin finds root. Do not worry whether there may be sins you do not know and hence have not confessed; leave all that with him. Do what you see—give up to God that which he has revealed, and leave the rest with him. Let the same faith which yields the sin take the Saviour. Let Jesus in, not because you are worthy, but that his presence may make you worthy. When you have yielded the sin, chosen him instead of sin, believe that your sins are forgiven; for he says so. No matter what you feel, no matter what Satan whispers, believe God’s word; “he can not deny himself.” Then rejoice not in self, not in feeling, but in the blessed fact of God’s assurance, the assurance of his word, that Christ is yours; and he is pardon, peace, joy, life. O, that all would believe him, and receive him! He stands at the door and knocks.