By Gerald Inyang
Where must a man go for pardon? Where is forgiveness to be found? There is a way both sure and plain, and into that way I desire to guide every enquirer’s feet.
That way is simply to trust in the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour. It is to cast your soul, with all its sins, unreservedly on Christ – to cease completely from any dependence on your own works or doings, either in whole or in part – and to rest on no other work but Christ’s work, no other righteousness but Christ’s righteousness, no other merit but Christ’s merit, as your ground of hope.
Take this course and you are a pardoned soul. To Christ, says Peter, “give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins” (Acts as 10:43). “Through this man,” says Paul at Antioch, “is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: and by him all that believe are justified from all things” (Acts 13: 38). In Him, writes Paul to the Colossians, “we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:14).
The Lord Jesus Christ, in great love and compassion, has made a full and complete payment for sin, by suffering death in our place upon the cross. There He offered Himself as a sacrifice for us, and allowed the wrath of God, which we deserved, to fall on His own head.
For our sins, as our Substitute, He gave Himself, suffered, and died – the just for the unjust, the innocent for the guilty – that He might deliver us from the curse of a broken law, and provide a complete pardon for all who are willing to receive it. And by so doing, as Isaiah says – He has borne our sins; as John the Baptist says – He has taken away sin; as Paul says – He has purged our sins, and put away sin; and as Daniel says – He has made an end of sin and finished transgression.
And now the Lord Jesus Christ is sealed and appointed by God the Father to be a Prince and a Saviour, to give remission of sins to all who will have it. The keys of death and hell are put in His hand. The government of the gate of heaven is laid on His shoulder. He Himself is the door, and by Him all that enter in shall be saved. Christ, in one word, has purchased a full forgiveness, if we are only willing to receive it. He has done all, paid all, suffered all that was needful to reconcile us to God. He has provided a garment of righteousness to clothe us. He has opened a fountain of living waters to cleanse us. He has removed every barrier between us and God the Father, taken every obstacle out of the way, and made a road by which the vilest may return. All things are now ready, and the sinner has only to believe and be saved, to eat and be satisfied, to ask and receive, to wash and be clean.
Faith, or simple trust, is the only thing required, in order that you and I may be forgiven. That we will come by faith to Jesus as sinners with our sins – trust in Him – rest on Him – and forsaking all other hope, cleave only to Him – this is all and everything that God asks for. If you will only do this, you shall be saved. Your iniquities shall be found completely pardoned, and your transgressions entirely taken away.
Who, reading this message, desires to be saved by Christ, and yet is not saved at present? Come, I urge you: come to Christ without delay. Though you have been a great sinner, COME – Though you have long resisted warnings, advice, sermons, COME – Though you have sinned against light and knowledge, against a father’s advice and a mother’s tears, COME – Though you have plunged into every excess of wickedness, and lived without God and without prayer, yet COME – The door is not shut, the fountain is not yet closed, Jesus Christ invites you. It is enough that you feel weary and heavy-laden, and desire to be saved. COME: COME TO CHRIST WITHOUT DELAY!
Come to Him by faith, and pour out your heart before Him in prayer. Tell Him the whole story of your life, and ask Him to receive you. Cry to Him as the remorseful thief did, when he saw Him on the cross. Say to Him, “Lord, save me also! Lord, remember me!” COME: COME TO CHRIST!
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16).
“Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Acts 2:21) “And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” (Revelation 22:17).
“Whosoever shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.” (Matthew 10:32,33).
(Tract message by Dr. John Charles Ryle).
Dear Friend, the way of salvation is open to you today. God waits with great expectation for you to come and receive this free pardon Jesus Christ had purchased for us when He gave His life up for our salvation. Make today eternally memorable by coming to Jesus Christ and receiving this free salvation from sin, death and hell. God bless you as you do this today.