Chapter 171—So Costly—and Yet Free
By the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto
justification of life.
Romans 5:18
.
Money cannot buy it, intellect cannot grasp it, power cannot command it;
but to all who will accept it, God’s glorious grace is freely given. But men
may feel their need, and, renouncing all self-dependence, accept salvation
as a gift. Those who enter heaven will not scale its walls by their own
righteousness, nor will its gates be opened to them for costly offerings of
gold or silver, but they will gain an entrance to the many mansions of the
Father’s house through the merits of the cross of Christ.
For sinful men, the highest consolation, the greatest cause of rejoicing,
is that Heaven has given Jesus to be the sinner’s Saviour.... He offered to
go over the ground where Adam stumbled and fell; to meet the tempter on
the field of battle, and conquer him in man’s behalf. Behold Him in the
wilderness of temptation. Forty days and forty nights He fasted, enduring the
fiercest assaults of the powers of darkness. He trod the “winepress alone; and
of the people there was none with” Him (
Isaiah 63:3
). It was not for Himself,
but that He might break the chain that held the human race in slavery to
Satan.
As Christ in His humanity sought strength from His Father, that He might
be enabled to endure trial and temptation, so are we to do. We are to follow
the example of the sinless Son of God. Daily we need help and grace and
power from the Source of all power. We are to cast our helpless souls upon
the One who is ready to help us in every time of need. Too often we forget
the Lord. Self gives way to impulse, and we lose the victories that we should
gain.
If we are overcome let us not delay to repent, and to accept the pardon
that will place us on vantage ground. If we repent and believe, the cleansing
power from God will be ours. His saving grace is freely offered. His pardon
is given to all who will receive it.... Over every sinner that repents the angels
of God rejoice with songs of joy. Not one sinner need be lost. Full and free
is the gift of saving grace.
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