Good News for Guilty Sinners

“This is a faithful saying worthy of ALL acceptation that Jesus Christ

came into the world to save SINNERS, of whom I am chief.”

(1 Timothy 1:15)

It is very difficult to find any today who know themselves to be sinners before God, worthy of condemnation. Many would say they have faults but where are those who justify God in condemning them? It is just as difficult to find any who, by His unmerited Grace, have been taught of God through the Gospel by the Spirit, the GOOD NEWS of the pardoning blood and imputed righteousness of the LORD Jesus, by Whom He put their sin away, once for all and justified (acquitted) them of all guilt forever when He died on the cross. “For by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified.” (Hebrews 10: 14)

If the LORD ever teaches a sinner by His Grace and reveals Christ in them, He will put a cry in their heart like that of the publican, “God be merciful to me THE SINNER.” The Greek text has the definite article, accentuating the reality of being not just ‘a’ sinner but ‘THE’ guilty and needy one. The Spirit of God will stop that sinner from attempting to establish their righteousness and will cause them to submit to God’s Righteousness (the LORD Jesus). He came and earned and established that Righteousness necessary to answer God’s law and justice in the place of those SINNERS that the Father gave Him before the foundation of the world, John 17:24. It’s not what we must do to have forgiveness but what God has done by the obedience unto death of His Son that His chosen ones have been forgiven when He died, Colossians 2:13-15.

Many in hearing this message of the complete satisfaction of God the Father by the Son at the cross, pass by in unbelief. Nevertheless, if they are the ones for whom the LORD Jesus paid their horrible sin debt, He will draw them to Him by His Spirit and to the Word, in His time. He said, “Of all which He [the Father] hath given me I should lose nothing.” (John 6:39) There is a number which no man can number, who shall by His Almighty Grace be brought to look to Him as their Blessed Redeemer and cling to Him as the Hope of their souls because He purchased them, putting away their sin and justifying them by His death, Romans 5:9-11.

Isaiah declared, “He shall see of the travail of His soul and be satisfied.” (Isaiah 53:11) He will in the day of His power, make them willing to believe the LORD Jesus in Truth as ALL their salvation, Psalm 110:3. They may now be hardened in sin but He will break their hearts, bend their knees and make them run to Christ according to HIS good pleasure! Salvation is of our LORD in the planning, procuring and performing of it, Philippians 1:6.