Nicodemus
137
that it had no more value than that serpent of brass. It was to lead their
minds to the Saviour. Whether for the healing of their wounds or the
pardon of their sins, they could do nothing for themselves but show
their faith in the Gift of God. They were to look and live.
Those who had been bitten by the serpents might have delayed to
look. They might have questioned how there could be efficacy in that
brazen symbol. They might have demanded a scientific explanation.
But no explanation was given. They must accept the word of God to
them through Moses. To refuse to look was to perish.
Not through controversy and discussion is the soul enlightened.
We must look and live. Nicodemus received the lesson, and carried
it with him. He searched the Scriptures in a new way, not for the
discussion of a theory, but in order to receive life for the soul. He
began to see the kingdom of heaven as he submitted himself to the
leading of the Holy Spirit.
There are thousands today who need to learn the same truth that
was taught to Nicodemus by the uplifted serpent. They depend on their
obedience to the law of God to commend them to His favor. When
they are bidden to look to Jesus, and believe that He saves them solely
through His grace, they exclaim, “How can these things be?”
Like Nicodemus, we must be willing to enter into life in the same
way as the chief of sinners. Than Christ, “there is none other name
under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”
Acts
4:12
. Through faith we receive the grace of God; but faith is not our
Saviour. It earns nothing. It is the hand by which we lay hold upon
Christ, and appropriate His merits, the remedy for sin. And we cannot
even repent without the aid of the Spirit of God. The Scripture says of
Christ, “Him hath God exalted with His right hand to be a Prince and
a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.”
Acts 5:31
. Repentance comes from Christ as truly as does pardon.
How, then, are we to be saved? “As Moses lifted up the serpent in
the wilderness,” so the Son of man has been lifted up, and everyone
who has been deceived and bitten by the serpent may look and live.
“Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.”
[176]
John 1:29
. The light shining from the cross reveals the love of God.
His love is drawing us to Himself. If we do not resist this drawing, we
shall be led to the foot of the cross in repentance for the sins that have
crucified the Saviour. Then the Spirit of God through faith produces