I SEE CHRIST ~ HE IS ALL MY SALVATION!

"We see Jesus." -Hebrews 2:2 [KJV]

Fine sights of human pomp and worldly grandeur captivate carnal minds, and delight natural senses. It is common to hear persons say in an ecstasy, O, I could sit all night to see a fine play! But one sight of the matchless charms, and dazzling glories of our Saviour, makes all things appear mean and contemptible. We turn our eyes from them, and say, I put away these childish things: I have an heavenly object, infinitely superior to such low, mean, perishing vanities. 

I know one, who, having heard that faithful minister of Christ, Mr. Whitefield, when he first preached in the fields, upwards of thirty years ago, on being asked which he liked best, to hear him preach, or see Vauxhall? profanely replied, “Whitefield only preaches of heaven, but Vauxhall is heaven itself.” Poor soul! he was then blind to his want of Christ, and to His glory and excellency. But, to the praise of His rich grace, that poor sinner is out of hell, and can now happily join the faithful in saying, We see Jesus. 

So then, the once profane sinner is changed into the visionary enthusiast. Enthusiasm to see Jesus! “Enthusiastic this? then all are blind but rank enthusiasts:” for the essence of the gospel, the joy of sinners, and the cry of faith consist in this sight. What is life itself without it? For, alas! we have lost all righteousness, holiness, and happiness in ourselves; but we see all these, with heaven and glory, restored to us in Christ. O, blessed day! happy hour! joyful moment! when the sight of our inestimably precious Saviour first saluted the eyes of our mind, and became the object of our faith! It was the beginning of days; yea, our birth-day to eternal blessedness. 

This sight is a feast to our souls all the year. We delight to begin the year with seeing Jesus. We salute one another with, “I wish you a happy new year.” What mean we, but I wish you to see Jesus? What can make the year happy without this? This creates heaven in the soul. Then, it is a happy year, indeed. But without this precious view of faith, we can obtain no ease from the burden of sin; therefore, our souls must be miserable. This world can afford us no real happiness. The thoughts of death will torment us; and the view of judgment, fill us with dread and terror. But, O, happy sinners! who can bless God with Simeon, and say, “Mine eyes have seen thy salvation!” (Luke 2:30.) 

I see Christ: He is all my salvation, and all my desire. Ye heaven-born, high-favoured souls, well may ye say, time hasten on, years roll round, moments fly swiftly, and bring me to the full enjoyment of my beloved Saviour, in His kingdom of glory. For, We see Jesus, Who saw us, loved us, pitied and saved us, when dead in our sins, cursed by the law, and polluted in our blood. We look back and see Him, an outcast babe—a despised man—crucified as a vile malefactor—bearing our sins on the cross—made a sacrifice for our souls, and redeeming us to God by His blood. 

We glory in Him, as the only atonement for our sins, and our one righteousness to justify our souls: for He is THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. (Jeremiah 23:6.) We look up, and see Jesus crowned with glory and honour, pleading our cause, and interceding for our persons at the right hand of God, and ever living to save us to the uttermost. We look forward to judgment; awful day! we see ‘A trembling world and a devouring God.’ But, O! how bright the prospect shines! we see Jesus coming, with power and great glory, to receive us to His kingdom, that where He is, there we may be also. 

Do we thus see Jesus, by faith, as revealed in the word of truth? Then, we are new creatures in Him. We are called, with Moses, “to endure (every fight of affliction) seeing Him Who is invisible.” (Hebrews 11:27.) We are exhorted to “lay aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and to run with patience the race set before us, looking unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith.” (Hebrews 12:1, 2.) Thus, we obey the will of God our Father, Who commands us, “Behold Mine elect, in Whom my soul delighteth," (Isaiah 42:1.) “My beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased.” Matthew 3:17. 

Jesus is the chiefest good, 

He has sav’d us by His blood; 

Let us value nought but Him, 

Nothing else deserves esteem. 

Jesus, when stern justice said, 

“Man his life has forfeited, 

Vengeance follows by decree,” 

Cried, “Inflict it all on Me!” 

Jesus gives us life and peace, 

Faith, and love, and holiness: 

Ev’ry blessing, great and small, 

Jesus for us purchas’d all. 

Jesus therefore let us own; 

Jesus we’ll exalt alone: 

Jesus has our sins forgiv’n: 

Jesus’ blood has bought us heav’n.

 

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