Never Trust Yourself

Self-righteousness is a hopeless effort of human nature to save itself from the wrath to come. When sinners begin to be convinced of their lost and sinful state by the Holy Spirit, the one great mistake they make is they start trying to improve themselves. When the Law begins to condemn them, when they have the sentence of death ringing in their conscience – they turn to themselves for help. They try to search for life within their dark heart, and dig for water and light in the shadows of their minds. First, they try outward reformation and realize their own helplessness. Then they turn their eyes toward their feelings and strive after tears and mental guilt till they grow scornfully miserable, because their heart is so hard. They often rush to religious ceremonies and go far in formalism but find no peace, and still unable to quit their bad temper, proud eye, lustful looks, corrupt heart, covetous desires, rebellious will, and a lazy spirit.  Never trust yourself, always trust Christ Jesus.

And often they turn to the belief of orthodox doctrines and seek salvation in mere head knowledge of the word of God, not knowing what Jesus once said, “Ye search the scriptures, for in them ye think ye have eternal life; but ye will not come to Me that ye might have life.” In some shape or other, all natural men seek refuge in self and hasten there, again and again and again, though often driven from it. Their so doing is useless and foolish, dishonoring to God and defiling to themselves. They can no more save themselves than they can turn evil into good, or Hell into Heaven.

They need to understand they are only destroying themselves, and their only help for salvation lies wholly in Christ Jesus. When they are convinced of this, they will cast themselves upon the Gracious Redeemer, and peace and joy will fill their hearts by grace. It is an impossible thing for a preacher to rescue someone from his proud delusions, the make him see that salvation must come from above as the pure gift of Divine Grace. Salvation requires a miracle of Divine Grace. Looking unto Jesus puts an end to looking to self and feelings and works. The perfection of the Saviour will save you alone, but poor sinners habitually look for perfection in themselves, and search for fitness and strength in them. You need to flee to Jesus, where everything vital for salvation is so richly provided.

Christ is willing to save you. Why, then, O Sinner, do you continue to look to yourself? You say, “I am not perfect.” Why, do you want to be? The perfection is in Christ Jesus, not you. You say, “I am not this and I am not that.” What has that to do with anything? Jesus is all that you need. If you try to save yourself, you are in a bad situation, because you are full of faults and failings.

All Grace from God flows through Jesus Christ. He is All in All. He is the Designer, Creator, Worker and the Cause of Salvation. By Him, salvation has been accomplished. In love, the Holy Spirit gives you the first sense of your sin. Man cannot contribute one thing to Christ’s finished work. He has never asked for any human help. You may be to preface Christ’s work with your own efforts, but your carnal sweat is fruitless. Come to Jesus without any works, just as you are, filled up to the throat in the filth of sin, stained with the slime of sin. Come to Him without previous preparation and lay your heart open before Him and He may wash it clean. When Jesus saves, He saves completely. He does not ask us to perfect His work, it has been perfected by His obedience and suffering. You cannot add anything to His finished work. It is finished and you are accursed if you add one to it. Take His finished salvation and rejoice – never add to it.

What you have to do Sinner, is to take Christ’s salvation – not prepare for it, improve it, or add to it – but just take it as it is. There it is for you! It is to be had for the taking – hold out your empty hand and receive it. Bring your empty cup and hold it under the Divine Fountain and let it be filled. Faith is to accept it is all that is required.

Why is it that you delay? Are you trying to make yourself better before you believe in Jesus? That is to say, you want to be the ‘doer’ of your own salvation and elbow Christ out of His place! “Oh but,” you may say, “I cannot pray as I want.” If you could pray perfectly, would Christ then be able to save you? He needs your prayers to help Him, does He? “Oh, but I do not feel as I ought.” Are you going to help Christ with your feelings? “Oh, but I want to be better and different.” And if you were better or different, then would Jesus be able to save you?

Jesus can save you this very moment as you are reading – this very instant, just as you are, a sinful and all but damned sinner. Don’t be deceived by your own sinful heart – Jesus is able to save you now. You need to personally believe in Jesus today. Christ is both willing and able to save you. Jesus promised to save all that trust Him with His free grace and dying love. Jesus said, “Him that cometh to Me, I will in no wise cast out.” Trust Jesus wholly, simply, heartily, and alone! Recline your soul wholly on Jesus and you are saved now. I have led you to the Water of Life, but I cannot make you drink.