Di^OMflSOil 
 
Uo. loe. 
 
 RECEIVING CHRIST. 
 
 I CANNOT doubt that you have at some 
 time felt alarmed in view of jour sins, and 
 uttered the inquiry, *' What must I do to 
 be saved?" The answer is given in the 
 words of Paul ta the jailor, ** Believe on 
 the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be 
 saved." 
 
 Do you inquire what is the meaning of 
 these words, or what it is to believe in 
 Jesus Christ ? This inquiry is indeed one 
 of infinite moment. ' It is written, "He 
 that believeth on the Son hath everlast- 
 ing life ; and he that believeth not the 
 Son, shall not see life; but the wrath of 
 God abideth on him." To this inquiry I 
 reply: 
 
to believe in Jesus Christ is to receive 
 him in the heart as a Saviour. It is writ- 
 ten, " As many as received him, to them- 
 gave he power to become the sons of God, 
 even to them that believe on his name." 
 John 1 : 12. Here we learn that receiv- 
 ing is believing, and that believing is re- 
 ceiving ; and thus we are taught by the 
 Scriptures, that saving faith is the receiv- 
 ing of and resting on Jesus Christ, as he 
 is offered in the gospel. In order to this. 
 
 1. The soul mnat feelits need. ITo one 
 will accept of Christ, until he realizes 
 that Christ alone can remove the burden 
 of sin. No soul ever believea in Christ, 
 until it found itself to be lost and con- 
 demned. 
 
 ^2. The soul must not only feel its need, 
 but it must see in Christ one who is able 
 and willing to save even to the uttermost. 
 The devil often blinds anxious eouls, so 
 that while burdened with sin, they can- 
 not see the way to Jesus. They know he 
 is able and willing to save others ; but 
 when the thought of their own acceptance 
 occurs to them, it seems dark and doubt- 
 ful. Their sins appear too threat for even 
 
thegraceof Christ ; they think they have 
 sinned so boldly and against so much 
 light, that their day of grace is past. But 
 Christ is willing to save you. Hear him : 
 " Come unto me, all ye that labor and 
 heavy-laden, and I will give you rest." 
 In that word all, is there not room for 
 you ? Hear him again : " Him that Com- 
 eth unto me I will in no wise cast out.'* 
 In that word in no wise, is not your case 
 included ? Think much on the fulness 
 of Christ, and you will see that it is infi- 
 nite. Doubt not, lest you add sin to sin : 
 only believe. He is as willing as he is able. 
 Your doubts may appear to you to savor 
 of humility ; but tliey are the highest dis- 
 honor to the name of Him, of whom it 
 was said, ^' Ihis man receiveth sinners.*^ 
 Yes, Christ can save you now, even at this 
 late hour, if you will receive him. 
 
 3. To believe in Jesus, is to receive 
 him as a complete Saviour, and to renounce 
 all other hopes of salvation. To receive 
 Jesus as a Saviour, is to cast yourself on 
 on him wilhout reserve, accepting him as 
 your only hope. Your own righteousness 
 may have often pleased you, but now you 
 
see it to be ^'filthy rags;" your goop 
 works afford no hope of removing sin. 
 You see that even the deepest repentance 
 could not save you, unless, it lead yon to 
 accept Him. 
 
 " This for sin could not atone ; 
 Thou must save, and thou alone.'^ 
 
 The believing soul will exclaim with the 
 dying Lambert, " ^one but Christ ; nouQ 
 but Christ." In receiving Christ by faith 
 the soul has a view of his excellence, and 
 desires him above all things ; so that it is 
 written, " To you which, believe, he is 
 precious.'' The"believer finds all fulness 
 in Christ. Such' is the completeness of 
 his work, as our " wisdom, righteousness, 
 sanctification, and redemption," that no- 
 thing can be added. A believing soul 
 desires Christ above all things. So Paul 
 prays for his people '' that Christ may 
 dioell in tJieir hearts by faitliJ- Believing 
 in Christ, will cut the cords of sin. As 
 sin must be repented of, and abandoned 
 and hated, so faith exclaims, "I must 
 nave Canst, evciji .. ^ ...^:t c.b?.r! don what 
 
once I loved." Right eyes can be pluck- 
 ed out, and right bands cut oft, rather 
 than lose a Saviour. The language of 
 such a soul is, "I must have Christ, be 
 the terms never so hard. Be my sins 
 never so many, I will yet go to Him, and 
 venture my soul upon Him. H I perish, 
 I will perish at -his feet." That soul truly 
 receives him, and is saved. Thus to be- 
 lieve in Christ, is to receive him in our 
 hearts as he is ottered in the gospel, and 
 to place our whole trust in him as an all- 
 sufficient Saviour. 
 
 If the reciving of Jesus Christ be be- 
 lieving on him, then those who have the 
 least degree of saving faith, have cause t^ 
 admire the rich grace bestowed upon 
 them ; for the smallest measure of saving 
 faith receives a full and complete Christ. 
 O believer, though the arms of thy faith 
 be weak, yet they embrace a great Christ; 
 no sooner hast thou received him, but he 
 is formed within thee the hope of glory, 
 and thou hast the broad seal of heaven to 
 confirm thy title to eternal life. 
 
 As you hope to meet God in peace, re- 
 ceive his offered Son, tor ^' there is none 
 
other name given among men, whereby 
 we must be saved." Consider a moment 
 what is in Christ : 
 
 1. The righteousness of God is in him, 
 by which God can be just and justify the 
 sinner that believeth. By this righteous- 
 ness only can the sinner be justified. He 
 is '*the lord our righteousness," and we 
 are made the " righteousness of God in 
 him." 
 
 2. The love of God is in Christ; the 
 mercies and compassions of God are in 
 Christ. Merc}^ and compassion are what 
 poor sinners want. If you receive Christ, 
 you receive mercy ; but out of him " our 
 God is a consuming fire." 
 
 3. The salvation of God is in Christ; 
 wherefore, if you believe not, you exclude 
 yourselves from all hope of salvation. 
 
 Consider also how Christ is offered — 
 freely^ as the gift of God ; you are not to 
 purchase him, but to receive him. ^'Ho, 
 every one that thirsteth, come J e to the 
 waters, and he that hath no money; come 
 ye, buy and eat without money and with- 
 out price." Isa. Iv: 1. You are eatreat- 
 ©d to receive him. ** As though God did 
 
beseech you by us, we pray you in Christ's 
 stead, be ye reconciled to God." 2 Cor. 
 v: 20. Oh, what amazing condescension 
 is here shown us ! God now beseeches 
 thee to believe. What say est thou? canst 
 thou cry out, "Lord, I believe ; help thou 
 mine unbelief?" 
 
 Consider also the sin and danger there 
 is in neglecting the present offer of Christ ; 
 here is the very malignity ot sin in refusi 
 ing to believe. Hereby a man murders 
 his own soul. " I said therefore unto you, 
 that ye shall die in your sins; for if ye be- 
 lieve not that I am he, ye shall die in your 
 sins." John viii : 24. Unbelief is self- 
 murder; you are guilty of the death of 
 your own soul : life and salvation w^re 
 offered, and you rejected them. The re- 
 fusing of Christ by unbelief, will "aggra- 
 vate your condemnation above that of 
 others who perish in ignorance of him. — 
 Oh, it will be more tolerable for the hea- 
 then than for you, who have rejected a 
 Saviour whom they never knew. 
 
 In receivicg Christ, beware of danger- 
 ous delays, "Take heed to the things 
 which ye have heard, lest any time ye let 
 
them slip." You have read of pome that 
 were almost persuaded, and of Some that 
 were " not far from the kingdom of God," 
 yet they perhaps perished, after alL See 
 that you receive him v^Wh all your heart. 
 " Lay hold on eternal life," wMeh is giv- 
 en to all that believe. Thus " make your 
 calling and election sure." 
 
 *' That blest moment T received him 
 Filled my soul with joy and peace ^ 
 Love I much, I've much lorgiven, 
 Tm a miracle of grace." 
 
 'I'O^- 
 
Hollinger Corp. 
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