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A Miracle of Mercy

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A Miracle of Mercy

7 minuten leestijd Arcering uitzetten

“And we indeed justly” (Luke 23:41a).

Rev. A.H. Verhoef, St. Catharines, ON

Have you ever made this confession? Have you ever been brought to own your guilt? Have you ever experimentally learned that your condemnation is the due reward of your deeds?

The thief on the cross was brought there by a wonder of sovereign grace, and what a wonder that was! First he also railed on Christ. First he also reviled the Savior. First he also cast into the teeth of God’s own Son, “If Thou be Christ, save Thyself and us.” There this malefactor hung on the cross—for his robbery, for his murder, but no fear of God was before his eyes. No prayer crossed his lips. With a dreadful death enclosing him, an awful eternity of never-ending woe before him, and a yawning hell ready to swallow him up, he was busy the final fleeting hours of his sinful life scorning the suffering Savior.

However, when the moment of God’s good pleasure arrived, so determined in God’s counsel from all eternity, it was done. Then he was snatched from the brink of hell by God’s almighty power. Then he was plucked as a brand from the burning by saving mercy alone. The Holy Spirit powerfully and savingly convinced him of sin, righteousness, and judgment. The thief was given to bow under God, “We indeed justly.”

Do you know that spot? Did God’s Spirit ever bring you so low? Did you come to fear God truly? “When I confessed transgression”—but further you could not come? Was there an accepting of the punishment of your iniquity? Did your soul ever weep, “In Thy judgment Thou art just, and in Thy sentence right”? Can you come into that case of this transgressor, “We indeed justly”? Then it is: Lord, I deserve this punishment, this condemnation, this curse, this death. Your life behind you is ruined, and that is your own fault. Now you are lost, undone, soon perishing forever. The precious time of grace is wasted, and death draws nigh.

Are there still a few of those creepers and groaners among us, or are such sighs and such sighers vanishing more and more? Is it forgotten that God’s justice must be satisfied? Is it no longer experienced that we do not have a penny to pay, yet daily we increase our debt? Do we imagine we are saved, without ever realizing we are lost? The poet sang:

In judgment do not cause Thy servant to be tried; Before Thy holy laws No man is justified.

A remnant that is visited in grace trembles before God in His glorious perfections, yet it is also drawn to Him so irresistibly. Why? How can this be? His love is shed abroad in their heart, and that love returns unto Him. Such brokenhearted sinners long for His communion and His favor. Seeing their own wretched ruin, they also begin to admonish others. They cannot let them go merrily onwards to eternity on the broad way leading to destruction. No, then you do not stand above them, but you wish others to bow before God and confess their sins. Then you desire your companions to beg for mercy as well. “Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds.”

Come, do you not know where to go, or to whom you should send up your petitions? This thief had learned it, for it had been revealed unto him. Except the Holy Spirit opens our eyes and directs our eyes, this remains concealed for us, but this murderer knew it. He testified, “But this Man hath done nothing amiss.”

Although Jesus is crucified, He is innocent of great and small transgressions. He is that Lamb without blemish. He is holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners. He is God, yet also Man, made like unto His brethren in all things, sin excepted. No guile was ever found in His mouth. When He was reviled, He reviled not again. Oh, hearken then, hearken guilty sinners—nothing, nothing has this Man done amiss. No fault could ever be found in Him.

Hellworthy wretches, do as this thief has done. Lay your case before Him, even as death draws nigh. He can still be your salvation. He is able to save to the uttermost. He is mighty to save. “Lord, remember me when Thou comest into Thy Kingdom.” Such a Savior, such a Lord, and such a Surety you need. Nothing less but a doing and dying Savior must be our portion. His law-fulfilling life and His sin-atoning death must be applied unto us if it is to be well with us for eternity. In this way God’s justice is magnified and the sinner saved.

“Remember me,” begged the guilty thief. Lord, think upon me. I am unworthy to come into Thy presence, undeserving to enter into Thy Kingdom, but, oh, do remember me. Nehemiah prayed, “Remember me, O my God, for good.” This thief was brought lower yet. He did not dare to say, “My God,” and he had so forfeited everything, that all he could yearn for was this, “Remember me.”

Have your prayers also grown shorter and shorter? Has the need of your soul increased greatly and the burden of guilt become heavier? Are you more and more unworthy, undeserving, condemnable? Must you ascribe justice unto God even if He will never show His favor? Is it, “We indeed justly”?

Hearken then unto this wonder upon a wonder, “Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with Me in paradise.” Guilty thief, you shall have no condemnation and no curse. Instead you shall have acquittal and everlasting blessing. Soon your pain and woe shall be ended. You shall enter into glory. You shall be with Me, and near Me all is well. I have entered into condemnation for you. I have borne the heavy wrath of God against sin. I have become the curse by being crucified and dying this accursed death. That open hell is for Me, so that heaven shall be open for you. I satisfy Divine justice, I pay the ransom, I am obedient even unto death, even the death of the cross. I am delivered for your offences and will be raised for your justification. Therefore, thief on the cross, “Today shalt thou be with Me in paradise.” I confirm it with an oath, “Verily I say unto thee.”

Who shall be able to fathom the riches of God’s mercy that reached even this thief? The chief of sinners can be saved by this Savior, who has suffered on the cross. In Him there is plenteous salvation for all who seek His face. That thief had sunk so low in the mire of iniquity. That thief had been taught to bow so low before God, but that thief also was brought so low in humble acknowledgment of the Lord and amazement at that miracle of mercy.

Why me, why me, O blessed God, Why such a wretch like me? Who must forever lie in hell, Were not salvation free.

Young and old, shall acquittal and favor and communion and everlasting blessing be your portion? Shall you die as this penitent thief on the cross and enter into that blessed Kingdom? Shall you be with the King in His Paradise, or shall you die as the other thief? Shall you go to the end of your life cursing and reviling and rejecting the Savior? Shall you then curse God forever and ever and perish in your misery? Bow your knees and beg the Lord to be converted as that blessed thief. Beg to learn this lesson, “And we indeed justly.”

Are there some who know these ways? Are there some who experimentally know the suffering of the only Savior? Beg that you may follow on to know Him also in His passion. He, the Just for the unjust, bore your sins in His own body on the tree, writes Peter. And why? “That we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness.”

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