The True Remedy!
James Smith, 1856
Nothing is so important when the body is badly diseased — as to
procure and apply the right remedy in good time. For lack of this,
many have suffered long, and at length died. It was not
because there was no remedy — but because they did not know it; or
knowing, did not apply it. Just so is it, in reference to spiritual
things. We are surrounded by the spiritually diseased, the suffering, and
the dying — but there is a remedy! Some imagine that there is none; others
are led away by lying advertisements, a few know and employ the true remedy.
Let us look at some DISORDERS — and then point out the TRUE REMEDY for them.
1. There is
SIN. This is the root and cause of all other diseases and sufferings. No sin — no disease, no suffering, either in this world or in eternity. But even sin, the root of all diseases — is not incurable. Sinners have been cured. Sinners may be cured. It would be infidelity to say of any sinner, where the gospel comes — that his case was desperate. We know of no desperate cases — if the true remedy is employed.That remedy is the blood of Jesus. Jesus died that we may live. He shed His blood to heal our souls. This is the true balm of Gilead. This is the sovereign catholicon (universal remedy). It is placed within our reach in the everlasting gospel. All we have to do is to fix the eye upon it, place confidence in it, and pray the Holy Spirit to apply it.
We must look away from everything else.
We must fix the eye intently upon it.
We must exercise a steady confidence in it.
We must entreat the Holy Spirit to sprinkle it on our hearts.
And, as soon as ever this is the case . . .
the guilt of sin is removed,
the power of sin is undermined,
the love of sin is destroyed, and
we are perfectly and eternally delivered from all the penal consequences
of sin!
There is no remedy for sin — but the blood of Jesus! And
that is an infallible remedy! It was never applied in vain — it never
can be. It cleanses us from all sin. It justifies us perfectly before God.
But to prove its efficacy — we must give up all other medicines! Religious
services, sacraments, prayers, praises, priests, and presbyters — all must
be renounced, and the blood of Jesus alone must become . . .
the sole object of our trust,
the sole ground of our hope, and
our sole plea for pardon and peace at the throne of grace.
This is the true remedy for both sin and sinners. It is exactly suited to them, for its healing properties are infinite and eternal! It is to be obtained gratuitously, without money and without price — and its efficacy may be proved a thousand times over!
Reader, if you would obtain a full pardon of all sin, perfect peace in the presence of God, and an unquestionable title to everlasting glory — then exercise simple faith in the blood of Jesus, and these invaluable blessings are yours, and yours forever. This is the only true remedy!
2. Another soul-disorder is
FEAR, slavish fear! This springs either from . . .The true remedy for fear, is faith in God — in God
. . .
as revealed in Jesus;
as pledged to us by his precious promises;
as at peace with us, through the perfect work of His beloved Son.
"Let not your heart be troubled, you believe in God,
believe also in me," said Jesus. If I believe . . .
that God is love;
that he has received full satisfaction at the hands of His Son for all my
sins;
that He will rejoice over me to do me good;
that He will never leave me, nor forsake me;
that He will cause all things to work together for my welfare
— then how can I fear? What shall I fear? And, as a disciple
of Jesus, how can I believe the gospel, the glorious good news — if I do not
believe these things? They are spoken to all believers. They are the common
property of every member of the living Church of God. Every slavish fear,
then — must arise . . .
from taking the eye off the great atonement, or
from not understanding the everlasting gospel, or
from unbelief!
And the true remedy for slavish fear is to . . .
trust simply and entirely to what Christ has done for acceptance with God,
to keep the promises of grace continually before the mind, and
simply believe what God has said, because God has said it. He said it . . .
because He meant it,
because He wished us to believe it, and
because He was willing to give us strong and everlasting consolation.
In every time of trial,
in every season of darkness,
in every severe conflict —
turn then to the Lord's Word, and with David say, "The Lord Almighty is with
us, the God of Jacob is our refuge, therefore will we not fear!" Or, "The
Lord is my light and my salvation — whom shall I fear?" This is the only
true remedy!
3. Another soul-disorder is
ANXIOUS CARE.
Worry or anxiety is prohibited by the gospel, because it is
injurious to us, and reflects badly upon the care and kindness of God. Yet
we, like Martha — are anxious and troubled about many things. We lose sight
of the fact that God is our Father, and as such is engaged to provide for
us. We forget that we . . .
are in our Father's world,
are living under our Father's eye,
are fed by our Father's hand, and
that our interests lie near our Father's heart!
The true remedy for anxious care is to realize daily, and
every hour of every day . . .
that the Lord cares for us,
that he knows where we are, and what we are,
that he has fixed the bounds of our habitation,
that his feeding the sparrows is a proof that he will never neglect His
children.
Anxiety! As a believer in Jesus, as a child of God — about what should I be anxious?
God is my Father, and he loves me — loves me just as he loves Jesus.
He cares for me — cares for me as much as he cared for the apostle Paul.
He watches over me, as a tender mother watches over her precious infant.
He keeps me — keeps me as the apple of his eye; and lest anything should hurt me, he will keep me night and day. He bids me cast every care upon him. He exhorts me not to worry about anything — but in everything, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, to let my requests be made known unto him.
This is the true remedy for care:
to live in close and intimate fellowship with God, and cast all my cares
upon him as they come in;
to live realizing the fact, that I am the object of the constant, tender,
loving care of God — that my God cares for me, for my best interests, for my
everlasting welfare. Yes, this is the only true remedy!
4. Another soul-disorder is
SPIRITUAL WEAKNESS. This we deeply and daily feel. The longer we live — the weaker we appear to be; that is — we feel and realize our weakness more. When we look at our duties, on our foes, on our difficulties — we feel at times almost overwhelmed under a sense of our weakness! We are not sufficient of ourselves so much as to think a holy thought; and yet . . .But there is a remedy for our weakness; it is
union to Jesus. When united to Jesus . . .
his wisdom becomes ours,
his righteousness becomes ours,
his strength becomes ours;
his fullness is placed against our emptiness;
his wealth is placed against our poverty; and
his strength is placed against our weakness.
His grace is sufficient for us, and his strength is made perfect in our weakness.
Our needs are to drive us to his fullness;
our weakness is to cause us to lean upon his arm;
and our sense of nothingness to make him all in all.
If I am one with Christ — all that he has is mine!
Let us, then, seek daily to realize our union to Christ —
that we are members of his body; and let us obtain mercy and grace from him
to help us in time of need. Then our weakness will . . .
endear his strength,
increase our dependence,
stimulate us to earnest fervent prayer,
and glorify the riches of his free grace.
This is the only true remedy!