"The Bible does not say so, and I never heard any true child of God say so. The message of the Gospel is not a command to give up anything, or to be or do anything, of ourselves; it is just an invitation to receive something. It offers to lost sinners a Saviour, in whom God has provided every blessing, every gift, every supply of which we stand in need." "But, Mrs. Davis, am I such a sinner as that—a lost sinner? I'm sure I don't wish to sin; it is such a strong, disagreeable name to call people who do nothing very bad." "Do you love the Lord God with all your heart, and mind, and soul, and strength? And do you love your neighbor as yourself?" "No, I can't say that I do," replied Jane, coloring; "but then I have never done any harm to anybody that I know of." "But God's holy law demands that some thing must be done that is right, as well as nothing done that is wrong; so if you have failed at all, you are a sinner, and must not expect to escape the displeasure of an offended God, who sees only two classes of human character—saved believers and lost sinners. You are able to judge for yourself whether you have cast yourself, with all your sins and weakness, on the love and pity of the great Redeemer, who came to seek and to save that which is lost; or whether you are hoping to need no mercy, and get to heaven some other way. You read this evening what Scripture says of the people who do that in the tenth chapter of John's Gospel." "But what do you mean, Mrs. Davis? You say we must obey God's law, and yet that no one does obey it; how, then, can any one be saved?" "This is just the inquiry I like to hear you make, dear Jane. It takes your attention at once to an answer in the life and death, the love and power of the Son of God, who died for our sins, and rose again for our justification. The law man could not keep with his evil heart, Jesus kept and perfectly fulfilled; in place of the punishment man deserved, and could never have escaped from, Jesus offered his own sufferings and death for every sinner who believes in him; and all who will not trust him entirely must bear the consequences of their unbelief, 'for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.'" "Then it does not matter whether I obey God or not if Christ has died for me, does it?" "You must first be satisfied that the benefits of his death are made yours by faith personally. Do you think you could know positively that a friend had endured some dreadful suffering and disgrace that you might be spared, and not love that friend, and feel very deeply grateful for his love to you?" "No, indeed; I hope not, I think not." "And could you willfully grieve and disobey one whom you love, and take pleasure in what he disapproves and caused his sufferings?" "O Mrs. Davis, I see what you mean now."