by A. W. Pink
What must I do to be saved? Saved from what? What is it that you wish to be saved from? Hell? That proves absolutely nothing. Nobody truly wants to go there. The real issue between God and man is that of sin. Do you wish to be saved from it?
What is sin? Sin is a species of rebellion against God. Sin is the transgression against God's holy law (1 John 3:4). It is self pleasing; it is the utter ignoring of God's claims; being completely indifferent as to whether your conduct and actions please or displeases Him. Or that you spend your time seeking to please Him, or doing those things that give only Him glory (rejecting those things that don't, or that bring any glory to yourself).
Before God saves a man, He convicts him of his sinnership. By this I do not mean that which he says with everybody else, "Oh yes, we are all sinners, I know that.'' Rather do I mean that the Holy Spirit makes him feel in his heart that he has been a life long rebel against God, and that his sins are so many, so great, so black, that he feels that he has transgressed totally beyond the reach of divine mercy and grace.
Have you ever had that experience? Have you seen yourself to be totally unfit for heaven? Unfit for the presence of a thrice Holy God? Do you now perceive that there is no good thing in you, nothing good to be credited to your account or favor, that all the way through you have loved the things that God hates and have hated the things God loves?
Has the realization of this broken your heart before God? Has it made you mourn that you have so despised His mercies, misused His blessings, broken His Sabbaths, neglected His law and His Word, and given Him no real place at all in your thoughts, affections and life? If you have not yet seen and felt this personally, then at the present time there is no hope for you, and God says, "... except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish" (Luke 13:3). And if you were to die in your present condition, you will be lost forever.
But if you have been brought to the place where sin is your greatest plague, where offending God is your greatest grief, and where your deepest desire is now to please and honor Him in all things you do; then there is hope for you. "For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost" (Luke 19:10). And He will save you providing you are ready and willing to throw down the weapons of your warfare against Him, bow to His Lordship, and surrender yourself to His complete control.
His blood can wash the foulest clean. His grace can support and uphold the weakest. His power can deliver the tried and tempted. "Behold now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation" (2 Cor. 6:2). Yield yourself to Christ's claims. Step down, and give Him the throne of your heart and the regulation of your life. Trust in His atoning death. Love Him with all your soul. Obey Him with all your might and He will conduct you to heaven. "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved" (Acts 16:31).
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