Journey Around Edom
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removed only by the provision that God has made. The Israelites saved
their lives by looking upon the uplifted serpent. That look implied
faith. They lived because they believed God’s word, and trusted in the
means provided for their recovery. So the sinner may look to Christ,
and live. He receives pardon through faith in the atoning sacrifice.
Unlike the inert and lifeless symbol, Christ has power and virtue in
Himself to heal the repenting sinner.
While the sinner cannot save himself, he still has something to do
to secure salvation. “Him that cometh to Me,” says Christ, “I will in
no wise cast out.”
John 6:37
. But we must come to Him ; and when
we repent of our sins, we must believe that He accepts and pardons us.
Faith is the gift of God, but the power to exercise it is ours. Faith is
the hand by which the soul takes hold upon the divine offers of grace
and mercy.
Nothing but the righteousness of Christ can entitle us to one of the
blessings of the covenant of grace. There are many who have long
desired and tried to obtain these blessings, but have not received them,
because they have cherished the idea that they could do something to
make themselves worthy of them. They have not looked away from
self, believing that Jesus is an all-sufficient Saviour. We must not
think that our own merits will save us; Christ is our only hope of
salvation. “For there is none other name under heaven given among
men, whereby we must be saved.”
Acts 4:12
.
When we trust God fully, when we rely upon the merits of Jesus as
a sin-pardoning Saviour, we shall receive all the help that we can desire.
Let none look to self, as though they had power to save themselves.
Jesus died for us because we were helpless to do this. In Him is our
hope, our justification, our righteousness. When we see our sinfulness
we should not despond and fear that we have no Saviour, or that He
has no thoughts of mercy toward us. At this very time He is inviting
us to come to Him in our helplessness and be saved.
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Many of the Israelites saw no help in the remedy which Heaven had
appointed. The dead and dying were all around them, and they knew
that, without divine aid, their own fate was certain; but they continued
to lament their wounds, their pains, their sure death, until their strength
was gone, and their eyes were glazed, when they might have had
instant healing. If we are conscious of our needs, we should not devote
all our powers to mourning over them. While we realize our helpless