Around the Wicket Gate: or, a friendly talk with seekers concerning faith in the Lord Jesus ChristSpurgeon, C. H. (Charles Haddon)
Religion
Around the Wicket Gate: or, a friendly talk with seekers concerning faith in the Lord Jesus Christ
Spurgeon, C. H. (Charles Haddon)
Christian life; Faith; Salvation
We cannot, too often or too plainly tell the seeking soul that his
only hope for salvation lies in the Lord Jesus Christ. It lies in him
completely, only, and alone. To save both from the guilt and the power
of sin, Jesus is all-sufficient. His name is called Jesus, because "he
shall save his people from their sins." "The Son of man hath power on
earth to forgive sins." He is exalted on high "to give repentance and
remission of sins." It pleased God from of old to devise a method of
salvation which should be all contained in his only-begotten Son. The
Lord Jesus, for the working out of this salvation, became man, and
being found in fashion as a man, became obedient to death, even the
death of the cross. If another way of deliverance had been possible,
the cup of bitterness would have passed from him. It stands to reason
that the darling of heaven would not have died to save us if we could
have been rescued at less expense. Infinite grace provided the great
sacrifice; infinite love submitted to death for our sakes. How can
we dream that there can be another way than the way which God has
provided at such cost, and set forth in Holy Scripture so simply and
so pressingly? Surely it is true that "Neither is there salvation in
any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men,
whereby we must be saved."
To suppose that the Lord Jesus has only half saved men, and that there
is needed some work or feeling of their own to finish his work, is
wicked. What is there of ours that could be added to his blood and
righteousness? "All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags." Can these
be patched on to the costly fabric of his divine righteousness? Rags
and fine white linen! Our dross and his pure gold! It is an insult to
the Saviour to dream of such a thing. We have sinned enough, without
adding this to all our other offences.
Even if we had any righteousness in which we could boast; if our fig
leaves were broader than usual, and were not so utterly fading, it
would be wisdom to put them away, and accept that righteousness which
must be far more pleasing to God than anything of our own. The Lord
must see more that is acceptable in his Son than in the best of us.
_The best of us!_ The words seem satirical, though they were not so
intended. What best is there about any of us? "There is none that doeth
good; no, not one." I who write these lines, would most freely confess
that I have not a thread of goodness of my own. I could not make up
so much as a rag, or a piece of a rag. I am utterly destitute. But if
I had the fairest suit of good works which even pride can imagine,
I would tear it up that I might put on nothing but the garments of
salvation, which are freely given by the Lord Jesus, out of the
heavenly wardrobe of his own merits.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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