Preach Christ Alone! Repentance & Remission of Sins!

"That repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name among all nations." —Luke 24:47 [KJV]

This is God's method of saving sinners by Jesus Christ. Those who know the preciousness of Christ, have a regard to the glory of God, and love for immortal souls, make this the rule of their preaching: for this doctrine, where it is known and experienced in the heart, makes a true Christian. Evangelical repentance flows from a seeing eye, a hearing ear, and an understanding heart; and is an evidence and effect of gospel-faith. To see the evil nature and dreadful effects of sin, its punishment in the sufferings of Jesus, to hear the curses and condemnation of the law against sinners, its dreadful thunders and menaces in the conscience; to understand in the heart that nothing but the blood of Jesus could atone for the guilty, none but he could fulfil the perfect demands of a holy law for the unrighteous; this humbles the soul, cuts off false hopes, lays it low in self-abasement before Jehovah, causes it to cry out, "I am the man, the sinner! who am cursed by law, exposed to wrath, and deserve hell. I mourn without hope in myself; I hear of Jesus, the Saviour of sinners; I turn to Him for hope and salvation. Sin has destroyed me. JESUS SAVE, OR I PERISH."

This repentance, Jesus is exalted to give. This makes a proud sinner humble. Remission of sins makes a poor sinner a happy saint. Hath Christ obtained remission of sins by God's blood? hath He commanded this should be preached in His name? is He exalted to give it? hath He brought the poor sinner, by His Spirit, to His feet to sue (-plead) for it? and will He refuse to make the soul happy in the sense of it? Never, never, let such a thought be indulged by any poor sensible sinner. We read no such hard lines in His word. We find no such dejecting views from His life and death. The doctrine He prescribed is a lively transcript of all that was in His loving heart.

Be assured, O soul, there shall be a performance of all things that are promised of the Lord, to him that believeth. The same Jesus who gives the soul the humbling view of itself, and by repentance, to turn to Him, will give it the rejoicing knowledge of Himself, by the remission of sins, through faith in His blood. Repentance and remission of sins are joined together in preaching: they can never be separated in the heart. So sure as repentance is given to any soul by the Spirit of Jesus, that soul is forgiven, through the blood of Jesus, by God the Father.

Blest is the man to whom the Lord Imputes not his iniquities; He pleads no merit of reward, And not on works, but grace relies.

From guile his heart and life are free; His humble joy, his holy fear, With deep repentance well agree, And join to prove his faith sincere.

How glorious is that righteousness, That hides and cancels all our sins! While a bright evidence of grace Thro' his whole life appears and shines!

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

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