Jesus did for us what we could not do for ourselves. Jesus came to earth and He was unwelcome and unrecognized. Salvation only becomes yours when you willingly receive Christ Jesus Himself. *John 1:12* Lord Jesus, forgive my sin, enter in, be born in me today, abide in me forever. Prayer is the essence of begging. The spiritually poor man is not only positively, but utterly, thoroughly, terribly destitute. The things you have achieved have not fulfilled you. Young, healthy, famous, wealthy, but depressed and depraved. Accept Christ, the whole Christ, the Bible Christ, the Christ of God, the Man Christ, the God Christ, Immanuel - God with us. Make Jesus your trust. Jesus is our confidence, the pillar upon which our souls lean. The meditation of Christ crucified - keep to this. God has stepped down into time in the person of Jesus of Nazareth and died for sinners. Secret prayer, reading the word of God, vital contact with Christ in private, communion of the soul in secret with the living God. Mercy, grace, atoning blood, the precious promises.
Man resolved to do good and give up his vices in his own strength, but he can't. Belief in Jesus makes sin hateful. We must become new creatures in Christ by the Spirit's power. If you want to get rid of the guilt of sin, you must believe in Jesus and His Blood. Be rid of the bondage of sin, the tyranny of your vile passions, the domination of your lusts, your inward criminality, your bent and tendencies toward darkness. Henceforth you shall not serve sin. Look up to Calvary's bloody tree, Look to the Lamb of God. Only the Holy Spirit can rule your judgment, subdue your carnal passions, keep down your baser impulses, and keep your vile tendencies in check. The Holy Spirit must guide you, yield to Him. Godless idolatry, hurtful lusts, and private sins must be renounced. Ask for grace, seek for mercy, knock for wisdom. The promises of God are the essence of truth, the soul of certainty, the voice of faithfulness, the substance of blessing.
The self-righteous man objects to being saved simply by faith in Jesus' blood. The Gospel is the essence of simplicity. To believe is to trust, and whosoever trusts in the atoning blood is saved on the spot. To obey Christ is to trust Him, to believe on Him. The sum and substance of salvation is the Savior's Finished Work. Every man by nature is under the dominion of his lusts - pride, greed, sloth, love of ease and sinful pleasures. Man serves himself, revels in lust, makes his belly his god, lives for this present evil world, instead of loving the Creator. Yield not to your vile passions or indulge in your evil desires. Vanity, folly, forgetfulness, offenses. Bad habits, and filthy passions. The essence of Faith is to accept and rely on Christ alone. God with us - majesty and mercy, grace and glory in One person.
The very pith of faith's confidence lies in this - Christ for me. Christ died for the ungodly. The very pith of Bible theology is the Atonement in which grace and justice meet in the atoning Sacrifice of Jesus Christ. God is Just, and yet the Justifier of the ungodly that believes in Jesus. God smote sin on Jesus, and yet smites not the sinner. God was severe with Christ, and yet merciful to the guilty rebel, because the guiltless One bore it all. Tell all men this saving truth. Let Christ Crucified be your daily theme. The sinner's disease is his sins, and the sinner's remedy is Christ Jesus.
The very pith, core, marrow, essence, and soul of Faith is simple reliance upon Jesus, once offered for human sin, and now is risen from the dead. God HImself could not tarnish His divine justice, so He came down to earth in the person of Jesus of Nazareth. God Himself suffered on the Cross as if He had been guilty. The Judge of all the earth, He took the culprit's place and bore the vengeance due to the offender. God has loved us, we loved God, and now we must love one another. The essence of Christianity is charity, the bond of all perfectness. Submission to the divine will is the essence of Salvation.
Faith is an act of reliance on the Savior. If I believe in a man to get me out of trouble, when I am in trouble, and he says, Now leave that with me, I will get you through. I then rely upon Him to do it. I leave the whole matter in his hands, and I go my way. This is the very core and pith of saving faith. Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, I am a sinner, I trust Jesus to save me. Jesus on the Cross made Atonement for me, I am at peace with God. I rest on His Atonement alone. Your entire dependence on the finished work of Jesus Christ is an absolute necessity.
