The task set before us is by no means easily executed. On the one hand, we wish to be kept from taking the
“children’s” bread and casting it to the “dogs”; on the other, it is our earnest prayer that we may be delivered
from casting a stumbling block before any of God’s “little ones.” That which occasions our difficulty is the desire
to expose an empty profession and to be used of God in writing that which, under His free Spirit, may be used in
removing the scales from the eyes of those who, though unregenerate, are resting with carnal confidence on some
of the Divine promises given to those who are in Christ—for while a sinner is out of Christ, none of the promises
belong to him: see 2 Corinthians 1:20. Notwithstanding, it behooves us to seek wisdom from above so that we
may write in such a way that any of Christ’s who are yet unestablished in the faith may not draw the conclusion
they are still dead in trespasses and sins.
Having before us the twofold object named above, let us ask the question, Is a simple faith in Christ sufficient
to save a soul for time and eternity? At the risk of some readers turning away from this article and refusing to
read further, we unhesitatingly answer, No, it is not. The Lord Jesus Himself declared, “Except ye repent, ye shall
all likewise perish” (Luke 13:3). Repentance is just as essential to salvation as is believing. Again, we read that,
“wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead” (James 2:20). A “simple faith” which remains
alone, a faith which does not purify the heart (Acts 15:9), work by love (Gal. 5:6), and overcome the world (1
John 5:4), will save nobody.
Much confusion has been caused in many quarters through failure to define clearly what it is from which the
sinner needs saving. Only too often the thought of many minds is restricted to Hell. But that is a very inadequate
conception, and often proves most misleading. The only thing which can ever take any creature to Hell is
unrepented and unforgiven sin. Now on the very first page of the New Testament the Holy Spirit has particularly
recorded that the incarnate Son of God was named “Jesus” because “He shall save His people from their sins”
(Matt. 1:21). Why is it that that which God has placed at the forefront, is relegated to the rear by most modern
evangelists? To ask a person if he has been saved from Hell, is much more ambiguous than to inquire if he has
been saved from his sins.
Let us attempt to enlarge on this a little, for thousands of professing Christians in these days have but the
vaguest idea of what it means to be saved from sin. First, it signifies to be saved from the love of sin. The heart of
the natural man is wedded to everything which is opposed to God. He may not acknowledge it, he may not be
conscious of it, yet such is the fact nevertheless. Having been shapen in iniquity and conceived in sin (Psa. 51:5),
man cannot but be enamoured with that which is now part and parcel of his very being. When the Lord Jesus
explained why condemnation rests upon the unsaved, He declared, “men loved darkness rather than the light”
(John 3:19). Nothing but a supernatural change of heart can deliver any from this dreadful state. Only an
omnipotent Redeemer can bring us to “abhor” (Job 42:6) ourselves and loathe iniquity. This He does when He
saves a soul, for “the fear of the Lord is to hate evil” (Prov. 8:13).
Second, to be saved from our sins is to be delivered from the allowance of them. It is the unvarying tendency
of the natural heart to excuse evildoing, to extenuate and gloss it over. At the beginning, Adam declined to
acknowledge his guilt, and sought to throw the blame upon his wife. It was the same with Eve: instead of
honestly acknowledging her wickedness, she attempted to place the onus on the serpent. But how different is the
regenerated person’s attitude toward sin! “For that which I do, I allow not” (Rom. 7:15): Paul committed sin, but
he did not approve, still less did he seek to vindicate it. Nay more—the real Christian repents of his wrongdoing,
confesses it to God, mourns over it, and prays earnestly to be kept from a repetition of the same. Pride, coldness,
slothfulness, he hates, yet day by day he finds them re-asserting their power over him; yet nightly he returns to
the Fountain which has been opened “for sin and for uncleanness” (Zech. 13:1), that he may be cleansed. The
true Christian desires to render perfect obedience to God, and cannot rest satisfied with anything short of it; and
instead of palliating his failures, he mourns over them.
Third, to be saved from our sins is to be delivered from the reigning power or mastery of them. Sin still
indwells the Christian, tempts, annoys, wounds, and daily trips him up: “in many things we all offend” (James
3:2). Nevertheless, sin is not the complete master of the Christian, for he resists and fights against it. While far
from being completely successful in his fight, yet, on the other hand, there is a vast difference between him and
the helpless slaves of Satan. His repentings, his prayers, his aspirations after holiness, his pressing forward unto
the mark set before him, all witness to the fact that sin does not have “dominion” over (Rom. 6:14) him.
Undoubtedly there are great differences of attainment among God’s children: in His high sovereignty, God grants
more grace unto one than to another. Some of His children are far more plagued by constitutional sins, than
others. Some who are very largely delivered from outward transgressions, are yet made to groan over inward
ones. Some who are largely kept from sins of commission, have yet to bewail sins of omission. Yet sin is no
longer complete master over any who belong to the Household of Faith.
“children’s” bread and casting it to the “dogs”; on the other, it is our earnest prayer that we may be delivered
from casting a stumbling block before any of God’s “little ones.” That which occasions our difficulty is the desire
to expose an empty profession and to be used of God in writing that which, under His free Spirit, may be used in
removing the scales from the eyes of those who, though unregenerate, are resting with carnal confidence on some
of the Divine promises given to those who are in Christ—for while a sinner is out of Christ, none of the promises
belong to him: see 2 Corinthians 1:20. Notwithstanding, it behooves us to seek wisdom from above so that we
may write in such a way that any of Christ’s who are yet unestablished in the faith may not draw the conclusion
they are still dead in trespasses and sins.
Having before us the twofold object named above, let us ask the question, Is a simple faith in Christ sufficient
to save a soul for time and eternity? At the risk of some readers turning away from this article and refusing to
read further, we unhesitatingly answer, No, it is not. The Lord Jesus Himself declared, “Except ye repent, ye shall
all likewise perish” (Luke 13:3). Repentance is just as essential to salvation as is believing. Again, we read that,
“wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead” (James 2:20). A “simple faith” which remains
alone, a faith which does not purify the heart (Acts 15:9), work by love (Gal. 5:6), and overcome the world (1
John 5:4), will save nobody.
Much confusion has been caused in many quarters through failure to define clearly what it is from which the
sinner needs saving. Only too often the thought of many minds is restricted to Hell. But that is a very inadequate
conception, and often proves most misleading. The only thing which can ever take any creature to Hell is
unrepented and unforgiven sin. Now on the very first page of the New Testament the Holy Spirit has particularly
recorded that the incarnate Son of God was named “Jesus” because “He shall save His people from their sins”
(Matt. 1:21). Why is it that that which God has placed at the forefront, is relegated to the rear by most modern
evangelists? To ask a person if he has been saved from Hell, is much more ambiguous than to inquire if he has
been saved from his sins.
Let us attempt to enlarge on this a little, for thousands of professing Christians in these days have but the
vaguest idea of what it means to be saved from sin. First, it signifies to be saved from the love of sin. The heart of
the natural man is wedded to everything which is opposed to God. He may not acknowledge it, he may not be
conscious of it, yet such is the fact nevertheless. Having been shapen in iniquity and conceived in sin (Psa. 51:5),
man cannot but be enamoured with that which is now part and parcel of his very being. When the Lord Jesus
explained why condemnation rests upon the unsaved, He declared, “men loved darkness rather than the light”
(John 3:19). Nothing but a supernatural change of heart can deliver any from this dreadful state. Only an
omnipotent Redeemer can bring us to “abhor” (Job 42:6) ourselves and loathe iniquity. This He does when He
saves a soul, for “the fear of the Lord is to hate evil” (Prov. 8:13).
Second, to be saved from our sins is to be delivered from the allowance of them. It is the unvarying tendency
of the natural heart to excuse evildoing, to extenuate and gloss it over. At the beginning, Adam declined to
acknowledge his guilt, and sought to throw the blame upon his wife. It was the same with Eve: instead of
honestly acknowledging her wickedness, she attempted to place the onus on the serpent. But how different is the
regenerated person’s attitude toward sin! “For that which I do, I allow not” (Rom. 7:15): Paul committed sin, but
he did not approve, still less did he seek to vindicate it. Nay more—the real Christian repents of his wrongdoing,
confesses it to God, mourns over it, and prays earnestly to be kept from a repetition of the same. Pride, coldness,
slothfulness, he hates, yet day by day he finds them re-asserting their power over him; yet nightly he returns to
the Fountain which has been opened “for sin and for uncleanness” (Zech. 13:1), that he may be cleansed. The
true Christian desires to render perfect obedience to God, and cannot rest satisfied with anything short of it; and
instead of palliating his failures, he mourns over them.
Third, to be saved from our sins is to be delivered from the reigning power or mastery of them. Sin still
indwells the Christian, tempts, annoys, wounds, and daily trips him up: “in many things we all offend” (James
3:2). Nevertheless, sin is not the complete master of the Christian, for he resists and fights against it. While far
from being completely successful in his fight, yet, on the other hand, there is a vast difference between him and
the helpless slaves of Satan. His repentings, his prayers, his aspirations after holiness, his pressing forward unto
the mark set before him, all witness to the fact that sin does not have “dominion” over (Rom. 6:14) him.
Undoubtedly there are great differences of attainment among God’s children: in His high sovereignty, God grants
more grace unto one than to another. Some of His children are far more plagued by constitutional sins, than
others. Some who are very largely delivered from outward transgressions, are yet made to groan over inward
ones. Some who are largely kept from sins of commission, have yet to bewail sins of omission. Yet sin is no
longer complete master over any who belong to the Household of Faith.
