The Divine Work
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"Jesus answered and said unto them — This is the work of God, that you believe on Him whom He has sent." John 6:29.
It is evident that true faith in the Lord Jesus is something more than a mere assent to the things concerning Him. It is a belief that is invariably connected with certain results, the first and chief of which is a personal application to Him for life and salvation. Faith has always respect to some testimony, to some statement made, or assurance given. To have faith in one of our fellow-creatures, is to place reliance upon the veracity of his declarations. In like manner faith in Christ has reference to the Word of Christ. "The one who comes unto Me, I will never cast out," is one of the most precious and encouraging of His many gracious sayings.
Now the sinner, convinced of his lost condition, and conscious of the danger to which he is exposed, believes this promise to be true; but is he satisfied with merely assenting to it as such? No! he resolves to apply to the Saviour on the strength of it. While prostrate at His footstool, his language is, "You have said that You will not reject those who come to You, and I praise Your blessed name for having made such a statement. I, therefore, a poor, guilty, hell-deserving creature, present myself before You, not doubting but that You will be as good as Your Word. O Friend of sinners, in infinite love and mercy remember me. You are able to save to the uttermost, and this is my humble, heart-felt cry — Lord, save me, or I perish!"
Such, we conceive, is saving faith. It is not a mere notional belief in the person, or work, or character, or sufferings of Christ; but it leads the soul in its deep distress to apply to Him, in order to obtain the salvation which He procured by His perfect obedience and sacrificial death, and which He has promised to bestow without money and without price.
We have a striking emblem of the sinner believing in Christ, in the conduct of the children of Israel, when they were stung by the serpents in the wilderness. See the serpent-bitten Israelite writhing in the agonies of death. The poison is in his blood; the fever is burning through his convulsed and agonizing frame. But in his extremity he is exhorted to look to the bronze serpent which is lifted up on a pole in the midst of the camp. The bronze emblem of the Redeemer appears before him, and he casts his languid eye upon it. The ravages of the disease are at once stayed; the pulses of health begin to beat within him; and with renovated vigour he is restored to the bosom of his family and friends.
Now in reference to this memorable scene, the Saviour says, "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up; that whoever believes in Him should not perish — but have eternal life." We are thus clearly shown that if we only look to Him in the exercise of faith, the blessed consequence will be — that we shall live. He is now lifted up, not on the cross — but at the right hand of the Majesty on high; and from yonder radiant throne on which He sits as a Prince and Saviour, His language is, "Look unto Me, and be saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other!"
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