Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree. The LORD hath laid on Jesus the iniquity of us all. He bare the sins of many, not for my sins only, but for the sins of the whole world. Every sinner must be saved by Precious Blood. Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world. The kindness of God leads the vile rebel to repentance. Jesus paid the penalty of my offenses with His own Blood. Jesus suffered the penalty of wrath on my behalf. The Substitute bore the penalty and died, the Just for the unjust, to bring us to God. Sin must be punished, so Jesus came to suffer for me. He was innocent, but He voluntarily yielded Himself and suffer so that God could righteously forgive us guilty sinners.
This is why Jesus had to shed His blood for sinners: self-righteousness, unbelief, rebellion, stubbornness, enmity to God, idolatry, impenitence, vanity, indulgence, worldliness, selfishness, human reasoning, indifference, pride, lust, love of sin, carelessness, procrastination, thoughtlessness, prejudice, self-confidence, ungodliness, loose morals, forgetfulness, sinful pleasures, self-trust, self-rule, licentiousness, superstition, dishonesty, greed, hypocrisy, worldly honor.
Jesus' sufferings were a full justification to the Law of God for the free pardon of guilty men. The Lawmaker Himself died under the penalty of the Law, so the Law's penalty could be vindicated. Jesus took up the part and place of the guilty. He pleads for the guilty. Jesus defends the most polluted and guilty. Jesus will defend the guilty. An Atonement was offered because there is guilt. The grand old truth about free salvation to the guilty, full deliverance to whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. The way of salvation is plain.
Now understand - Religion makes you proud and mean; but Jesus makes you humble and kind. Watch it - Religionists are eager to be seen of men. They are covetous for publicity.
The atheist is hurrying and rushing down to death and hell. They rush downward to eternal ruin. They hurry to be lost forever, they are eager to be damned. They choose their own delusion and covet destruction. The atheist's main problem is that he is not willing to part with his sins. They prefer Hell to Heaven, sin to purity, darkness to light. The atheist spends his life for vanity, trusting to the emptiness of human intellect.
You may attend a church, but you rarely or never call upon the name of the Lord. You may search the scriptures, but you will not come to Jesus. You would rather do anything than come to Jesus and receive Him into your being. Men stop short of calling upon Jesus. Only the Holy Ghost can move you to pray. He who created us and died for us deserves absolute trust. In Jesus Christ, there is divine forgiveness for the guilty soul. Only Jesus' Atonement can rescue the guilty from his doom. Place yourself among the guilty, for there divine Mercy can reach you. Lord God, save me now for Jesus' sake.
Human nature is hopelessly distracted and deluded and will not call upon God. Call upon the true and living God, call upon no idol, or Mary, or some saint. Call upon the God of the Bible, not your religion. Call upon the God who was manifest in the flesh. Whosoever shall call upon this God who was made flesh shall be saved. Call upon Jesus' Blood and power to save your helpless soul. Call upon God at one in Jesus' name. Trust Christ Jesus, and live. If you neglect Christ - it will be your eternal peril. God be merciful to me a sinner.
Call upon Jesus' worthy name, and you shall be pardoned. From your very heart call upon His name at once. Your inward wickedness and polluted mind condemns you. Sin is a polluting thing. O how great is your guilt! Lie low before the Lord Jesus Christ. Confess your sins with a broken penitent heart. The pollution and burden of sin is taken away at the Cross. Receive by faith the free remission of sins. You are polluted with sins; your sins have ruined your mind, and diseased your soul. Have mercy upon me, O God, for Jesus' sake.
Be more eager to spread the Gospel. Give all diligence to increase the kingdom of God. Proclaim God's words, and according to your ability go forth into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature. Walk in secret with God, be concerned about private godliness. Charity and purity is the Bible way. *I Timothy 1:5; James 1:27* Charity, pure heart, good conscience, unfeigned faith. Unconfessed sins, wrongs not made right with others, false teaching, improper attitudes, resentment, worldly ambition, envy, and strife lead us away from God.
Be sick of self, and eager for more of Jesus' love. Be most willing and eager to hear what God says. Give up selfhood and do God's will cheerfully. Earnestly remember the Lord. Ask and it shall be given you. Men ought always to pray, and not to faint. Always ask God for more of His Faith. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. Fervent gratitude to the Lord Jesus who loved us to death. Godly fear makes fervent parer. Never listen to this world's vain chatter.
You need more real faith and true dealings with God, private study of the word of God, more secret prayer. Make your walk with God solid work, have it in reality not just in appearance. Get down to the Rock every time. Do nothing with careless superficiality. Plead with God with all your heart. Put your very soul into seeking the Lord Jesus Christ. Let this be your motto every day - Make sure work for Eternity. Look well to the unseen parts of godliness. God knows your inward impulses, desires and feelings. He knows your likes and dislikes, your desires and plans, your imaginations and tendencies. God knows what you do, and what you would do if you could. He knows which way you would take if restraints and consequences were removed. God knows you better than you ever will; that is why it is wise to trust in God, and not in yourself. God knows what you think about, what you wish for, and what you delight in, and what you are pleased with.
God knows not only the surface of your character, but the secrets of your heart and what makes you tick. The LORD knows you altogether. Think of that. The LORD reads all the secrets of your heart. The Lord knows them that put their trust in Him. Practice private prayer, do good by stealth, seek to conquer your evil passions, honor Jesus by patience, present gifts to God which nobody hears of, He knows it all. God's smile is more important than man's praise. Never put the praise of men before the approval of God. I am glad that God knows what I do, for His approval is heaven for me. The Holy Ghost probes and presses us. Do not resist the Holy Spirit, or harden your neck against His rebuke. Be on your knees in private begging for God's blessing and presence. Behold, he prayeth! Always be asking God for more of His Wisdom. *James 3:17*
Struggle against your evil habits. Addict yourself to Bible reading, prayer, hearing the word of God, striving for inward purity, ministry of the saints, and helping the helpless. What you delight in is what you throw money at. Our private struggles against our sins prove that the heavenly germ of the divine nature is alive, resisting the force of evil within us. Sweet sins become bitter at the Cross. Humbly hide yourself beneath the blood and merits of the Lord Jesus Christ. I am saved through the blood and righteousness of Jesus Christ alone. Plead the Precious Blood. My hope looks only to His blood and wounds. I look for mercy only through the atoning Sacrifice of the Lamb of God.
For it is written - that is the nail on which your everything must hang. Hold fast to God's words. God is always so good. God accepts me, because He accepts His Son, I trust Jesus alone, and now I am accepted in the Beloved all because Jesus died for me. I live for Christ out of gratitude, I strive to grow up into Christ, and become like Him in all things. The cause of Jesus is the one thing we must live for every day. Human nature wants health and wealth, but has no concern for imputed righteousness and private godliness. Be much in private prayer, seek to live near to God, to live in Him, to abide in Him, to be His disciple, and bring forth much fruit.
Sin to me is misery. God sees your secret sighs and mournings over sin, He hears your private prayers and praises, He knows your aspirations and consecration, He knows your lovings and longings. Delight in the Lord Jesus, trust His promises, look to His atoning blood, rejoice in His name. He knows my secret thoughts and desires. Each man must come into a individual relationship with the living God in Christ Jesus. Sit down at Jesus' feet, hearken to the Lord, derive strength from God's presence. In my life, Lord be glorified today.
