A Life of Faith on the Son of God

"And that He died for all, that they who live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto Him Who died for them, and rose again." -II Corinthians 5:15 [KJV]

Christ died for all, “Whom the Father gave to Him” (John 17:9.) Sooner or later, all these willingly and cheerfully come unto, or believe on Christ. Joyful to remember, we are drawn to Christ by the love of the Father, or else we never should have come to Him (John 6:44.) Now, we have done with working for life, and asking, What must we do to be saved? For now, we actually are saved, and really do live. 

(1st.) We are saved from the love of sin, from our natural hatred to the doctrines of grace, and from our aversion to full justification and final salvation by the word of Christ only. Legal self-righteous professors exclaim, ‘Do not tell us of doctrines of grace, but of what we must do to be saved.’ Truly, the way is plain: there is work enough for them to do. If they will enter into life by keeping the commandments, let them perfectly fulfil the law, and salvation is sure. So say they, no matter how you live; live as you like—your salvation is sure. This is very true. Salvation is not only possible, but sure and certain to every believer in Christ. And all such strive to live as they like. 

(2d.) We live—A life of faith on the Son of God: not under the legal threats and terrors of the law in our consciences, striving to pacify its wrath by fulfilling its commands, but perfectly justified from all its condemnation. We do not like to live and walk in our sinful lusts, to obey our depraved wills, to gratify our sensual affections, to live to sinful self at all; nor to righteous self neither. Our souls are equally averse to sinful lusts, as to self-righteous pride. Both are opposite to the love and glory of our dear, once dead, but now risen Saviour. 

As by Him we live, so to Him we live. This is what we like and prefer above all things. Say, O my soul! is not this thy chief, thy one desire? We have no greater pleasure on earth than to walk in the truth. O, Thou life of our souls! Thou Jesus and our all! without Thee we can do nothing: help us to consider, what a little while we have to live unto Thee, and to glorify Thee, before we shall live and reign with Thee. Lord, in the belief of this, fire our hearts with a holy zeal for Thy glory, unremitting diligence in Thy service, and unwearied constancy in obeying Thy will, “being ready to every good work” (Titus 3:1.) 

Christ died for us, that we should live 

No more to self and sin: 

This truth is precious to believe, 

And makes us pure within. 

O! may the love, the dying love, 

Of Christ possess my soul, 

By living faith to soar above, 

And all my pow’rs control!

 

-preacher William Mason (1724-1797 A.D.)