An anointed missionary said to us young people once in the U.S., as he held forth the grace of Christ, “We never come beyond the plea of the tax collector, “God be merciful to me, the sinner!”  Literally (in Greek) it says, “God be propitious to me, the sinner”, i.e. “I plea for the propitiation (the atoning sacrifice) provided for me, the sinner!”  (Luke 18:13).

I thought, is that all?  Doesn´t he have more to say?  What about all the good things he has done?  But I myself had to see this as my own plea especially as I´ve grown older with maybe just one step from the eternity.

My grandfather who had his share in my life said on his death bed (from an old Danish hymn), “I sink into the crimson fountain of Jesus!” – That praise of grace was indeed the main thread in the message preached at his funeral 68 years ago.  On that grace he went to God saying, “Light lies ahead!”  He said no more and immediately passed on to the eternity.

I just talked to a dear old sister.  She said, “I thank God that I´ve got a bright and cheerful mind!”  She meant well, but I said to her, “No, you have not!  You are as corrupt as the worst sinner.  Your only source of brightness is Him and “the glory of God in the face of Christ”(2 Cor. 4:6).  That dear sister (92) could wholeheartedly say “Amen” to that truth.

That kind of “Amen” I didn´t get from one young man in America when the message God gave me emphasized the corruptness of our inbred nature, including that of “good” Christians. The message also emphasized  our free, perfect standing in Christ and in Him only.  “I disagree”, he said,  “you can´t just belittle what has been done in our lives!”

But he should have understood how much he needed to say too, “Just as I am without one plea…” boasting of nothing but the blood of Jesus.

A true Christian knows about the filth in himself , but also of the “festal robes” in Christ.  (Zech. 3:4).  Both are solid truth to the honest believer.

June 8, 2021 - jn