Evening, February 8
Go To Morning Reading
“He shall save his people from their sins.”
Matthew 1:21
Many persons, if they are asked what they understand by salvation,
will reply, “Being saved from hell and taken to heaven.” This is one result of salvation, but it is not one tithe of what
is contained in that boon. It is true our Lord Jesus Christ does redeem
all his people from the wrath to come; he saves them from the fearful
condemnation which their sins had brought upon them; but his triumph
is far more complete than this. He saves his people “from their sins.” Oh! sweet deliverance from our worst foes. Where Christ works a saving
work, he casts Satan from his throne, and will not let him be master
any longer. No man is a true Christian if sin reigns in his mortal
body. Sin will be in us—it will never be utterly expelled till the spirit enters glory; but
it will never have dominion . There will be a striving for dominion—a lusting against the new law and the new spirit which God has implanted—but sin will never get the upper hand so as to be absolute monarch
of our nature. Christ will be Master of the heart, and sin must be
mortified. The Lion of the tribe of Judah shall prevail, and the dragon
shall be cast out. Professor! is sin subdued in you? If your life is unholy your heart is unchanged, and if your heart is unchanged you are an unsaved person.
If the Saviour has not sanctified you, renewed you, given you a hatred
of sin and a love of holiness, he has done nothing in you of a saving
character. The grace which does not make a man better than others
is a worthless counterfeit. Christ saves his people, not in their
sins, but from them. “Without holiness no man shall see the Lord.” “Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.” If not saved from sin, how shall we hope to be counted among his
people. Lord, save me now from all evil, and enable me to honour my
Saviour.