There is hope in the Gospel for any man, so long as he lives. There is infinite willingness in Christ to pardon sin. There is infinite power in the Holy Spirit to change hearts. There are many diseases of the body which are incurable. The cleverest doctors cannot heal them. But, thank God! there no incurable diseases of soul. All manner and quantity of sins can be washed away by Christ! The hardest and most wicked of hearts can be changed.
I say again, while there is life - there is hope. The oldest, the vilest, the worst of sinners may be saved. Only let him come to Christ, confess his sin, and cry to Him for pardon - only let him cast his soul on Christ, and he shall be cured. The Holy Spirit shall be sent down on his heart, according to Christ's promise, and he shall be changed by His Almighty power, into a new creature.
I never despair of anyone becoming a decided Christian, whatever he may have been in days gone by. I know how great the change is from death to life. I know the mountains of division which seem to stand between some men and heaven; I know the hardness, the prejudices, the desperate sinfulness of the natural heart. But I remember that God the Father made the glorious world out of nothing. I remember that the voice of the Lord Jesus could reach Lazarus when, four days dead, and recall him even from the grave. I remember the amazing victories the Spirit of God has won in every nation under heaven. I remember all this - and feel that I never need despair.
Yes! those very people who now seem most utterly dead in sins, may yet be raised to a new being, and walk before God in newness of life. Why should it not be so? the Holy Spirit is a mighty, merciful, and loving Spirit. He turns away from no man, because of his vileness. He passes by no one, because his sins are black. There was nothing in the Corinthians that He should come down and quicken them. Paul reports of them, that they were fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, homosexuals, thieves, covetous, drunkards, revilers, extortioners." "Such," he says, "were some of you!" Yet even them, the Spirit made alive. "You are washed," he writes, "you are sanctified, you are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God" (1 Cor. 6:9-11).
There was nothing in the Colossians that He should visit their hearts. Paul tells us that they walked in sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desire, and greed, which is idolatry". Yet these also, the Spirit quickened. He made them "put off the old man with his deeds, and put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of Him that created him" (Col. 3:5-11).
There was nothing in Mary Magdalene that the Spirit should make her soul alive. Once she had been possessed with seven devils; that she had been a woman of vileness and iniquity - yet even her, the Spirit made a new creature, separated from her sins, brought her to Christ, made her last at the Cross, and first at the tomb! Never, never will the Spirit turn away from a soul, because of its corruption. He never has done so - He never will. It is His glory that He has purified the minds of the most impure, and made them temples for His own abode. He may yet take the worst of those who read this tract - and make him a vessel of grace.
Why indeed should it not be so? The Spirit is an Almighty Spirit. He can change the stony heart into a heart of purity. He can break the strongest bad habits like wax before a fire. He has done it often - He will do it again.
The arm of the Holy Spirit is not shortened! His power is not delayed! He is like the Lord Jesus - the same yesterday, today, and forever.
We ministers might well despair, when we look at our own performances. We are often sick of ourselves. When we look at some who belong in our congregations; they seem as hard and insensible as the hardest stone! But we remember the Holy Spirit, and what He has done. He has not changed. He can come down like fire and melt the hardest hearts. He can convert the worst man or woman among our hearers, and mold their character into a new shape. And so we preach on. We hope, because of the Holy Spirit.
Oh, that our hearts would understand that the progress of true religion depends not on human might or power - but on the Holy Spirit! Oh, that many of them would learn to lean less on ministers, and to pray more for the Holy Spirit! You must go at once to the Lord Jesus Christ in prayer, and beseech Him to have mercy on you, and send you the Spirit! (John 7:39). The Holy Spirit is promised to those who ask Him. Give Him no rest until He comes down and makes you a new heart! The Spirit is a loving and good Spirit. But he who despises means of grace, resists the Holy Spirit.
Reader, remember these two things. I firmly believe that no man ever acted honestly and perseveringly on these two pieces of advice, who did not, sooner or later, have the Spirit, and find by experience that He is "mighty to save!"
~J. C. Ryle~
(The End)
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