In Our Lord Jesus Christ.
THE only means of salvation is Jesus Christ. No works of men can avail. "By the deeds of the law shall no flesh be justified in His sight," "for all have sinned." Rom. 3: 20, 23. God's law is the standard of His righteousness. It comprehends in its exceeding breadth of spirituality all righteousness and goodness, and condemns all sin. The fulness of its righteousness is the fulness of the righteousness of God's character. God is love; His law is the law of love. As it is impossible for finite man to comprehend infinite righteousness and love, it is impossible for him to comprehend the requirements of God's law to the full. Therefore he can not intelligently do the law. This would be true of man if he had never sinned. When he sinned he unfitted himself even more for obedience. He became the slave of sin. His very impulses to good are brought into grievous bondage by the power of sin within him. He can not rescue himself from his cruel master, because he has within himself only the power of self to do it, and self is the very thing which brought him into bondage. He by himself can not lift himself above himself, or out of himself. His case in himself is absolutely "without hope," because he is "without hope." Here meet us the wonderful condescension and love of God; "for when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly." And He "died for all." He "came to save sinners." He "died for the ungodly." How does He do this? — In a way so simple that all may partake of the blessing; it is simply faith. God asks no more. "Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned unto him for righteousness." Gen. 15: 6; Rom. 4: 3. "Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was reckoned unto him; but for our sake also, unto whom it shall be reckoned, who believe on Him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was delivered up for our trespasses, and was raised for our justification." Rom. 4: 23-25. Simply faith! God asks no more. He does not say, "Wait till you are better before I accept you." No, indeed. "Come now, just as you are, all laden with iniquity, all covered with filth, all filled with the leprosy of sin, deceitful above all things, and desperately sick. Come, and I will undo the heavy burden; I will cleanse you from filth; I will heal your disease; I will give you a new heart and new spirit; I will clothe you with My spotless robe of righteousness; I will call you by My name. I have bought you as you are; I will take what I purchase, and make it to the praise of the glory of My grace." This is our Lord's message to you. Will you not believe Him and yield all to Him? If not, why not?