CHRIST JESUS Came To Save Sinners

"Good and upright is the LORD, therefore will He teach sinners in the way." -Psalm 25:8 [KJV]

Here are two characters the most opposite: a good and upright Lord—wicked and perverse sinners. Good and upright as the Lord is, He might justly damn sinners. But no, O condescending grace! He will not leave sinners to perish, in their ignorance and obstinacy: He will teach them. It is said of one, that after his conversion, he could scarcely mention the name of JESUS, without a tear. O had it not been for his redemption, no sinner would have had divine teaching! but all whom Christ has redeemed by His blood, the Spirit teaches by His power. 

This is His office in the covenant of grace. This implies, that so ignorant are sinners of divine truths, that no teaching besides the Lord the Spirit, can instruct and make them wise unto salvation. Come sinner, come down from the altitudes of thy fancied wisdom and boasted knowledge, and learn this humbling truth tonight. If thou seest thy own ignorance, and thy want of being divinely taught, rejoice at this declaration. Cry to the Spirit, Lord teach me. He will teach. Whom? Only such as are good and upright like Himself? No, but such as are of a contrary character, Sinners: whose carnal minds are enmity against His holy law, who “are sold under sin, and in whose flesh dwelleth no good thing.” 

Is this thy character? The Lord will teach such. In the way. What way? Not in the way of sin, that is contrary to His holiness. Not in the way of self-righteousness, that is contrary to His truth. But in the knowledge of Christ, Who is the way: the way of access to God, acceptance with God, justification before God, and everlasting life as the free gift of God, according to the covenant-grace and everlasting love of God. By repentance unto life in this way of peace, in this walk of faith, in this path of love, truth and holiness, the Spirit will teach redeemed sinners on earth, till He brings them to glory. His teaching shall be as effectual to their glorification, as the death of Christ for their salvation. 

Poor sinner, who like me, art often distressed and dejected with thy wicked nature, take comfort tonight from these two truths. Till Satan can blot them out of God’s book, or make us worse than sinners, they stand on record for our comfort: “Christ Jesus came to save sinners.” God will teach sinners, Look then to the finished salvation of Jesus. Look to the Spirit to teach thee the glory of it, to bear witness to thy soul of interest in it, and to fill thee with joy and peace by it. 

 

When we consult with flesh and blood, 

We quit the pow’r of faith, 

And cry, the news of truth’s too good! 

Rejecting what God saith. 

Saints, if you’d live and walk in peace, 

Your reas’ning pride forego; 

Look simply to the God of grace, 

Whose pow’r can all things do.

 

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

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