The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1866-10-25
Why must I Believe?

OF the many objections to the details
OF the plan Of salvation, often urged
both by the caviIing and the thoughtful,
the following is one of the most specious
t"If the obedience and death of our
Saviour have been accepted by God as
q complete satisfaction, if the demands
of justice have been met and fulfilled
by the Substitute for sinners, why is the
exercise Of faith on Him demanded as a
future condition precedent to salvation?
How can God be just and condemn any
human sinner. now that the law has
been obeyed, and the penalty has been
suffered by Jesus Christ? Whether
man believes or not justice has been
satisfied, the majesty Of Gods law has
been vindicated both in the obedience
of its precepts and the payment Of its
penalty; and if He now consign the
'unbelieving to perdtion, will He not
assert by so doing, that the claims of
His law and justice are not fully met by
the atonement, but that something more
10 lClulSlNS w oaLloll Illtlu
The objector forgets that the plan Of
salvation was not designed to force men
out of their ruined condition and into
Heaven against their own inclinations
God does not propose to save men in
opposition to their own desires. Such
a salvation would be no salvation at ALL
Heaven would he hell to one whose
heart did not beat in concord with those
Of its blessed inhabitants. Hence the
necessity of faith. There must be
something done or felt by man to indi-
cate his desire to be rescued from his
present lost and ruined condition, and
to be rescued By Christ He must trust
TO Him for salvation. He must dppro-
pirate to himself the Saviour's obedience
and passion. Faith is not the atonement
that satisfies God, nor any portion of it,
The atonement was completed by it (;
but to be Of any avail to man, it must
be accepted by him, and the act of faith,
is the act of acceptance. Faith is no
part of the righteousness that saves us
It is only the hand Of man put forth to
receive that righteousness from the
benifcent God. 1t is thus, not the
meritorlous ground, but the instrument
or our justification: but the instrument
Of classification is as necessary to secure
it as the ground of Justification was tc
make it possible. Let me be dying o.
thirst in dry and parched country--o
what advantage is the fountain thai
springs up before me, unless / drink o.
its refreshing waters, unless drink The
life,renewing draught The gate i,
open--but men must walk therein
through the narrow way, if they woulC
reach the city OF the King Christ /,
lifted up upon the Cross, but the end
of the Earth must look to Him if they
would be saved. He will give rest tC
the tired souls Of men, but the weary
and heavy-laden must come to Him i
they would realize it. There is an in,
heritance undefled, that passeth no
away--proffered to all men, but those
only will enjoy it who accept it at thC
hands of God From the very nature
of the case then, he alone that belevetl
can be saved. lie that beleveth not
he that will not appropriate to himsel
the righteousness of Christ, must re
main in his present state of guilt ant
consequent condemnation, with thu
wrath of God abiding on him.