The Christian’s Strength
“With the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the
mouth confession is made unto salvation.”
Romans 10:10
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According to this, there is something to believe, also something
to confess. The heart must first accept the truth as it is in Jesus. This
is the foundation of true religion. Conviction of sin then begins to
be felt; the sin-sick soul, feeling his need of a physician, comes to
Jesus of Nazareth for pardon. Taking up the warfare against the enemy,
he looks to Jesus for strength to resist temptation. He watches unto
prayer, and searches the Scriptures. The truths of the Bible are seen
in a new and intensely interesting light, and the Spirit of God opens
to him their solemn importance. He studies the life of Christ, and the
more clearly he discerns the spotless purity of the Saviour’s character,
the less confidence he has in his own goodness; the more steadily and
closely he views Jesus, the less he discovers of perfection in himself.
His self-righteousness disappears, and he falls, all helpless and broken,
upon the Rock, Christ Jesus. He will be sorely pressed by the tempter,
and at times may have feelings of discouragement, and be tempted to
think that God will not accept him; but, taking God at his word, and
pleading his sure promises, he presses through the darkness into the
clear sunlight of Christ’s love.
“And with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” If the
heart is indeed the treasure-house of grace and the love of Christ,
these will be expressed in the words and deportment. There will be
a constant attraction to Christ. All will be tested; hence the need of
divine grace, and of sound religious faith and principles. The lips
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should be sanctified, that the words spoken may be few and well
chosen.
Oftentimes professed Christians bring upon themselves great spiri-
tual weakness by dwelling upon their trials and grievances. Not only
does the matter become magnified by every repetition, but they as
surely separate from Jesus as they allow themselves to transgress in
this particular. Satan seeks to draw their attention to themselves, and to
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