The Question of Questions

The Question of Questions

A SERMON DELIVERED ON LORD'S-DAY, MAY 4, 1890,

BY C. H. SPURGEON, AT THE METROPOLITAN TABERNACLE, NEWINGTON.

INTENDED FOR READING ON LORD'S-DAY MORNING, APRIL 20, 1890.

"Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when He had found him, He
said unto him, Do you believe on the Son of God?"

John 9:35.

THE eyes of the Lord Jesus are always on His chosen and He knows every
circumstance which occurs to them. "Jesus heard that they had cast him
out." Our Lord had done too much for this man to forget him. Where
Divine Grace has worked a great work its memory lingers. As it is
written, "You will have a desire to the work of your hands." In this
let us take comfort–if anything has happened to grieve us–Jesus has
heard of it and will act accordingly. Our Lord sought for the outcast
one. Unasked, He had opened his eyes. Unsought, He looks after him in
his hour of trouble. He was not easy to find but our Lord is great at
searching out His lost sheep and He persevered until He found him. If
we, at any time, should seem cast off from Christ as well as cast out
by proud religionists, He will find us when we cannot find Him. Blessed
be His name!

Our Lord's objective was to do this man real service–he had been cast
out of the synagogue and he, therefore, needed comfort–and it would be
a grand thing so to comfort him as to lead him onward and upward in the
Divine life! Our Lord's way of comforting was to ask a question which
would lead to heart-searching and suggest spiritual advance. It is not
the way that you and I might take, but His ways are not our ways,
neither are His thoughts our thoughts. Wisdom is justified of her
methods. It is the best thing, when a man is in soul trouble, to make
him look to his own condition before God and specially to his
faith–for when he finds that he is right on the main point–this
assurance will be to him a wellspring of comfort.

We are sure that our Lord took the very best means to bring this man to
well-grounded confidence when He said to him, "Do you believe on the
Son of God?" He helped him, by this question, to make a considerable
advance in faith, for although the poor man had believed in Jesus up to
the measure of his knowledge, his knowledge had been slender. But now
he was to learn that the opener of his eyes was the Son of God! This is
such faith as the Person of our Lord deserves, but such as many have
never rendered to Him and for lack of this they miss the great power of
His Grace.

The man was excommunicated and was then placed under the ban of the
Jewish Church–but trust in the Son of God would quickly remove from
him any alarm which he might feel on that account. He that enjoys the
favor of the Son of God will not tremble at the frown of the Sanhedrim!
Oh, that the Lord would comfort many this morning while I press upon
each one of you this one personal question, "Do you believe on the Son
of God?" To young and old, to rich and poor I shall direct this solemn
enquiry.

It is not a perplexing question upon an abstruse point, but a simple
and urgent enquiry relating to everybody here present. It is not a
problem profound and intricate–a question of free will or
predestination, of postmillennial or premillennial advents–it is a
practical question–pressing and present and one that concerns every
man in his everyday life at this very moment. I wish each one of you to
think that I now put my hand on your shoulder and look you in the face
and say earnestly, "Do you believe on the Son of God?" This is not a
question out of which angry controversy can possibly arise, for it has
to do with yourself and yourself only!

Whatever discussion there may be will be confined within your own
bosom. It concerns yourself, only, and it is put in the singular, "Do
you believe on the Son of God?" It was put by Jesus Himself to this
man–consider, then, that Jesus puts it to you, also this morning, even
to you, apart even from your spouse or friend.

I. I shall begin pressing home the question, by the help of the Holy
Spirit, by making the remark that THE QUESTION NEEDS TO BE RAISED. It
must not be taken for granted that you believe on the Son of God. "Oh,
yes, I am a Christian," says one. "I was born in a Christian country. I
was taken to Church while a babe and was duly christened and I now
repeat the creed. Surely this is sufficient proof of my faith!" Or
possibly you say, "My mother took me to the Meeting House before I
could walk and ever since I have never quit the ways of old-fashioned
Nonconformity."

All this may be so, but it is not to the point. "Do you believe on the
Son of God?" This is a spiritual and vital question which cannot be
thus set aside. You reply, "My moral character has always been correct.
In business I have always discharged my liabilities and I have always
been ready to help every charitable institution." I am glad to hear all
this. Still, it does not touch the matter now in hand–this query goes
deeper than outward conduct. Hear it again–"Do you believe on the Son
of God?"

Numbers of moral, amiable, generous and even religious people have not
believed on the Son of God. Excuse me, I cannot let you slip through in
the crowd. I must lay hold upon you with a holy vehemence that even
forgets courtesy for the moment and I must say to the best of you, "Do
you believe on the Son of God?" Though this man had been scrupulously
obedient, yet our Lord asked the question! It may be I speak to some
who say, "I have been at all times obedient to the duties of religion.
Whatever I have found to be commanded of God in His Word I have
carefully carried

out."

Was it not so, also, with this man born blind? The Savior put clay upon
his eyes and told him to go to the pool of Siloam and wash off the
clay–the man did exactly as he was told. He did not go to another
pool, but to the pool of Siloam. And he did not attempt to get the clay
from his eyes by any other process than that of washing. He was very
obedient to Christ, yet the Lord said to him, "Do you believe on the
Son of God?" No outward observances, however carefully carried out,
will obviate the need of the enquiry, "Do you believe on the Son of
God?"

I am afraid some of you have not been very careful in fulfilling
outward ordinances and for this you are blameworthy–but if you had
been scrupulously exact–no outward observances, however carefully
followed out, can exempt you from the question, "Do you believe on the
Son of God?" This man, in addition, had passed through a very
remarkable experience. He could say, "One thing I know, that whereas I
was blind, now I see." He could never forget those long nights while a
child, a youth and a man. All those years no ray of light had ever
gladdened him–to him night and day were much the same. He had sat in
deep poverty all through that dreary darkness and learned no art but
that of begging.

As the cooling water touched his eyes and washed away the clay, the
sunlight streamed in upon the midnight and he saw! He had undergone all
that change and yet the Savior said to him, "Do you believe on the Son
of God?" So, my dear Hearer, you may be a very altered man and yet you
may not be a believer on the Son of God! You, my dear Sister, may be a
very different woman from what you used to be–and when you tell your
experience it may be very remarkable and well worthy of being recorded
in a book–and yet this question must be pressed upon you!

Whatever your experience may be, do not forget self-examination. Say
not, "I never need question myself–such experience as I have had
settles my position. I am not so childish as to look within or have a
doubt about my faith. So remarkable a case as mine may not be
suspected." Talk not so–for if our Lord, who knew the change this man
had undergone, yet said to him, "Do you believe on the Son of God?" I
also must take liberty to press home, upon the most remarkable person
here, the same personal enquiry–"Do you believe on the Son of God?"

This man, in addition to his reception of bodily sight, had exercised a
degree of faith in the Lord Jesus. If you follow the chapter through
you will see that he had some sort of faith in Christ while he was
blind, or he would not have gone to Siloam to wash away the clay. And
when he saw, he did not doubt that Jesus had really made him whole–and
he avowed the fact. He also said, "He is a Prophet." He went further
still, for he said, "If this Man were not of God, He could do nothing."
He had believed as far as his light helped him to believe so that the
germs of faith were in him. Yet our Lord Jesus Christ pressed him with
the enquiry, "Do you believe on the Son of God?"

Beloved Friends, you, too, may never have been troubled with
skepticism. It may be you have not even examined the grounds of your
faith because you have never been tempted to suspect them. You have
taken in the Gospel from your youth as clearly true and so you have
believed it without being much perplexed. I am thankful that you have
done so. Still, do you believe in Jesus Christ as the Son of God? Is
Jesus God to you? Do you trust Him as able to do anything and

everything for you? Is He to you "able to save to the uttermost them
that come unto God by Him"? If not, may the Lord help you to take this
higher step, for short of this you have not received the true Christ of
God!

It is of very small use to say, "Oh, yes, I believe in Christ, the
noblest of examples. I believe in Christ, the most instructive of
Prophets." Do you believe in Him also as the Sacrifice, as the Priest,
the Savior, the Salvation? And gathering all up in one, do you believe
in Him as the Son of God? Do you believe in the Son of God, as revealed
in Holy Scripture? Furthermore, this man had spoken out bravely for
Christ, as you saw in the chapter which we read just now. "He spoke out
like a Trojan," said one. Say, rather, "like a Spartan." He was cute,
shrewd, sharp, and unanswerable.

The learned doctors were nowhere in comparison with the blind beggar
whose eyes had been opened! He stood up for the Man who had given him
sight and allowed no charge to lie against Him. His statements were
short but full and his answers were, themselves, unanswerable. Who
would have thought that a blind beggar could have fashioned such a
logical argument as he did? Yet to this bold confessor the Savior had
to say, "Do you believe on the Son of God?"

Ah, my Friend! As a preacher you may be able to declare the Gospel very
clearly to others and you may enforce it with powerful arguments–but,
"Do you believe on the Son of God?" Even in your case the question must
be plied. Some of you may remember that story which is told in one of
Krummacher's books. I half forget it myself, but it was somewhat on
this wise. The preacher had delivered himself of a solemn discourse and
was waited upon, on the following Monday, by one of his hearers, who
said, "Sir, if what you said last Sunday was true, what will become of
us?"

Now, if he had said, "What will become of me?" the preacher would have
explained still further to him the Gospel in the usual way. As it was,
he parried the word, "us." But his visitor almost unconsciously, said,
"Alas, dear Sir! If these things are so, what shall we do?" The Lord
used that plural pronoun to the awakening of the preacher who had not
been converted though he thought he had been! Oh, that we who speak for
God may also hear the Lord speak to us! I know the good preacher and
love him right well, who, when he was himself preaching, as he had done
for years, was saved through the personal application of his own
sermon.

He is a minister of the Church of England but he did not know the Lord.
While he was preaching the Lord applied to his heart with power a
Gospel Truth which so affected him that he spoke with the accent of
conviction which is natural to the renewed man. At last a Methodist,
who was in the church, shouted out, "The parson's converted!
Hallelujah!" and all the people broke out with cries of praise. The
preacher himself joined in the universal joy and they sang together,
"Praise God, from whom all blessings flow!"

Oh, what a mercy it is when the waiter at the Lord's feast is himself
fed! Should not those who are to bear the healing balm to the sick be
themselves healed? I have not been ashamed to speak in my Lord's name,
nor have I blushed to defend His cause before His enemies. Yet I would
remember that I may have done all this and yet I may not know the King
to whom I have been a herald. O Friends, how terrible it would be to
have cast out devils in His name and yet to be unknown of Him!
Therefore, we press the question, "Do you believe on the Son of God?"

This man had gone further, still, for he had suffered for Christ. He
had been put out of the synagogue for bearing witness to the power of
Jesus–but none the less for this he had to hear the question–"Do you
believe?" Yes, you, dear Friend, may have been laughed at by your
relatives for your religiousness. You may have had to quit a good
situation because of your determination to be honest, temperate and
pure. You may at the present moment stand under the ban of some
cold-hearted Church because you have been more earnest than was
desired. But as much as I appreciate your fidelity, you must excuse me
if I buttonhole you in the Lord's name and say, as Christ did to this
man, "Do you believe on the Son of God?"

It is one thing to play the hero before our fellowmen and another to be
true in the secret chamber of our own soul. You are bold in your
confession but do you really believe in the Lord Jesus? Can that bold
confession be supported by your life? I hope you are not a Defender of
the Faith after the manner of Henry the Eighth who wore the title but
was by no means worthy of it! Come, my eloquent Friend, do you live as
you talk? Do you feel, yourself, as you would make me feel? "Do you
believe on the Son of God?" You will see, dear Friends, from the run of
my talk, that I am not for letting anybody here escape the personal
question.

My venerable Friend who has been an officer of this Church longer than
anybody else will not refuse to ask himself this question. My beloved
Sister in Christ who has conducted a Bible class for years and that
other who has been so useful in the schools–neither of these will
refuse to answer this searching word, "Do you believe on the Son of
God?" I must

dare to make enquiry of yonder minister. My father in Christ whose shoe
lace I am not worthy to unloose–I must even ask of you, as I do ask of
myself, "Do you, for yourself, in very deed, believe on the Son of
God?" This question must thus be raised and raised for everybody
because many people nowadays do not believe on the Son of God.

There are many about who would be mightily offended if we denied their
right to the name of Christian, who, nevertheless, know not "the Son of
God." These folks admire a man who will concoct a sermon to show that
they may be Christians and not believe on Jesus as God. I shall preach
no such sermon until I lose my reason–but I shall press upon this
unbelieving age this vital question–"Do you believe on the Son of
God?" Man, if you do not so believe, your faith falls short of that
which Christ would have you possess and you had need take heed lest it
fall short of landing you in Heaven.

With a Savior less than Divine you have a religion less than saving.
How is it with you? Will you believe on the Son of God, alone, or run
with the vain multitude who see nothing in Him but a man? I think every
man here will say, "You need not apologize, dear Sir, for asking the
question, for it is one we have to ask ourselves." Indeed, I know it is
so. Who is there that lives after so pure a sort that he never has to
try this issue? We have heard persons cry out against the hymn–

"'Tis a point I long to know

Oft it causes anxious thought: Do I love the Lord or no? Am I His, or
am I not?"

But if a man never has an anxious thought about his state, I should
have a great many anxious thoughts about him! One of our poets has well
said–

"He that never doubted of his state He may, perhaps, he may too late."

There are so many things about us all which we need to mourn over and
these set us asking the questions, "Is my faith the faith which works
by love and purifies the soul? Do I truly believe on the Son of God?"
At times we rejoice in an absolute certainty as to our faith in Christ
and the Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are the
children of God. But at other seasons we are exercised with great
searchings of heart and no question causes us greater anguish than
this–"Do I believe on the Son of God?" It will be woe to us if, after
all our profession, experience and effort we should, after all, have no
more than the name of faith and the notion of faith–but be found
devoid of the life of it in our souls. Yes, the enquiry of our text is
a question which ought to be raised.

II. But, secondly, THE QUESTION CAN BE ANSWERED. I am sure it can be
answered, or our Lord would not have asked it, for He was never so
unpractical as to go about the world asking men questions about
themselves which it was not possible to answer. "Do you believe on the
Son of God?" is an inquiry to which you can give the answer if you
will–"Yes," or, "No." I beg to press you to practical action upon it.

It were, indeed, a most unhappy thing if this question could not be
answered. Suppose we were condemned to live in a state of perpetual
doubt as to our being believers in the Lord Jesus? This would involve
an awakened man in a condition of constant anxiety. If I am not sure
whether I am in the favor of God or not, I am in a condition of decided
sorrow. I remember hearing a Christian minister say one day in company
that no man could be sure that he was saved. Then I wondered what he
had to preach that was worth preaching–for if we cannot know that we
are saved, then we cannot be sure that we are at peace with God–and
this is to be in jeopardy every hour!

There can be no peace to the mind of the awakened man if he does not
know that he is saved. It is like one at sea who is half afraid that
his ship is out of the track and may soon strike upon rock or
quicksand, but is not quite sure whether it is so or not. The captain
should take no rest till he has taken his bearings and found out his
position in reference to the dangers of the sea and the hope of
reaching the desired haven. To leave his position a moot point would be
to continue in fear and to court danger. To leave your faith in
question is to imperil a vital point. He must be sadly seared in
conscience who can leave this hinge of the soul's condition unexamined.

There is a possibility of knowing to a certainty that you believe on
the Son of God. Did I say there is a possibility of it? Thousands have
attained to this certainty. You can know that you believe on the Son of
God as surely as you know that there is a Queen of England or as surely
as you know that you, yourself, exist–and this without falling into
fanaticism or presumption! Many among us are so habituated to faith in
the Lord Jesus that we could no more question the existence

of faith in our own hearts than we could dispute the fact that our
hearts beat! Such assured persons shirk no examination–for them the
more examination the better–for their hope has firm and deep
foundations. They can give a reason for the hope that is in them.

As sure as mathematical certainty is the confidence of the Believer in
the Lord Jesus–for we know whom we have believed–and we are persuaded
that He is able to keep that which we have committed to Him. There are
Believers in our Lord Jesus who have gone on for the space of 30 years
without a doubt of their faith in Him because that faith has been in
daily, happy exercise upon Him. You can answer the question, "Do you
believe?" because you are at this moment believing–distinctly and
intensely believing. Those who abide in the Light of God's Countenance
and feel the Holy Spirit within them, bearing witness with their
spirits, are in no doubt as to their possession of faith!

If we feel a burning love to God, a growing hatred of sin, a struggle
against the evil which is in the world and somewhat of the likeness to
Christ, we may safely infer that these fruits of faith come from the
root of faith. By the work of the Holy Spirit upon life and heart we
know and are sure that we have believed in Jesus as the Son of God. I
hope I speak to many this morning who are enjoying assurance and know
that they have passed from death unto life. It is with some a matter of
consciousness. How do I know that I live, breathe, stand, walk? I
cannot explain to you the mode by which I arrive at certainty on this
matter, but I am quite sure that I do live and breathe, and so on.
Indeed, the power to question the fact implies it!

So a Believer may be sure that he believes that Jesus is the Son of
God–and while he may not be able to give logical proof–yet he may be,
none the less, conscious in his own soul that it is so. And he is
correct in his assurance, for even the very power to be anxious after
Divine Grace is an evidence of Divine Grace. If there is any question
about whether you have been a Believer or not for the last 20 years, do
not fight that question–begin at once to believe, the Lord helping
you! Turn your eyes to the Cross and trust yourself wholly with Christ
from this good hour, and then you will believe, and the act will shine
out its own proof! Say from your heart–

"Just as I am–without one plea

But that Your blood was shed for me

And that You bid me come to You–

O Lamb of God, I come!"

Thus coming you will know that you have come and by continuing to come
you will grow assured that you have come! Let not the past be the main
enquiry, but settle the immediate present. May the Holy Spirit cause
the sacred fire to burn and then you will feel the flame before long.
To say, "I do now believe on the Son of God," is the best way of
answering the question about your condition. If you want further help
to solve the question, there are marks and evidences of true faith by
which you can readily test yourself. Do you enquire, "Do I believe on
the Son of God?" Then answer this–Is Christ precious to you? "For unto
you who believe He is precious." If you love and prize Him as the most
precious thing on earth or in Heaven, you could not have this
appreciation of Him if you were not a true Believer.

Tell me again, have you undergone the change called the new birth? Have
you passed through a process which could be described as being brought
out of darkness into marvelous light? If so, your new birth is a sure
evidence of faith, for these things go together. Faith is a proof of
regeneration and regeneration is also a proof that you have faith in
the Son of God. Again, are you obedient to Christ? For faith works by
love and purifies the soul. Is it so with you? Has sin become bitter?
Do you loathe it? Has holiness become sweet? Do you follow after it? I
do not ask whether you are perfect–but is the whole current of your
soul towards being perfect?

Can you say that if you could live entirely without sin it would be the
greatest delight you could have? That absolute perfection would be
Heaven to you? Ah, then it shows which way your mind goes! It shows
that there is a change of Nature for no unrenewed heart pines after
perfect holiness! Your heart is bending towards Christ's perfect rule
and sovereignty and I am sure that you have believed that He is the Son
of God. You are resting upon Him with a true and living faith if you
take up His Cross heartily and follow Him.

Again, do you love God? Do you love His people? "We know that we have
passed from death unto life because we love the Brethren." Do you love
His Word? Do you delight in His worship? Do you bow in patience before
His rod so that you take up the bitter cup and say, "Your will be
done"? These things prove that you have faith in Jesus. Look well to
them. But supposing, after using all enquiries and tests, you still
say, "Sir, this is a grave question and requires great

care. I have not settled it yet"? Then follow this man in his method.
When he was asked, "Do you believe on the Son of God?" he turned to the
Lord and replied with another question to the Lord Jesus.

We may resort to Jesus for aid. He who had once been blind eagerly
asked, "Who is He, Lord, that I may believe on Him?" Turn, then, O
Enquirer, in the moment of your distress and cry, "Lord Jesus, I
beseech You teach me to know You better, that I may have more faith in
You." Go to Jesus for faith in Jesus! Moreover, there are certain great
Truths upon which faith feeds and, to be sure that you have faith you
had better think of these Truths of God. May the Lord be pleased
especially to reveal Himself to you so that you may know Him and thus
may believe on Him! O Soul, you will not long be in any doubt if you
perceive those glorious things which concern your Lord! Know who He is
and what He is, and what He has done and this will enable you to
believe in Him as the Son of God.

As men were accustomed, when hardly pressed before the courts to say,
"I appeal unto Caesar," so do you appeal unto Christ Himself and rest
assured that in Him you will find deliverance! If your faith is hidden
from yourself it is not hidden from Him–and if you cannot call it
forth by thoughts of the work of Grace within, turn your mind towards
your Savior and Covenant Head in Heaven–and faith will open itself as
the cups of the flowers open to the sun. The question can be answered.

III. Thirdly, THE QUESTION SHOULD BE ANSWERED AND SHOULD BE ANSWERED AT
ONCE. If I could, I would concentrate all your thoughts upon this one
investigation which to each man so vitally concerns himself–"Do you
believe on the Son of God?" Answer this from your own soul. I am no
father confessor–be father confessors to yourselves. Let each man give
his verdict at the bar of his conscience. Answer, also, as in the
Presence of Christ for, like the man in the narrative, you are in His
Presence now.

Answer for yourself before the heart-searching, heart-trying God.
Answer it to men, also, for this your Savior deserves of you. Be not
ashamed to say outright, "I do believe on the Son of God." This fact
must not be hidden away in a corner. Remember how our Lord in Holy
Scripture always puts open confession side by side with faith as a part
of the plan of salvation? You will never find anywhere in the Word of
God–"He that believes and takes the Lord's Supper shall be saved"–but
you do find it written, "He that believes and is baptized shall be
saved." Why does baptism take such a prominent place? Partly because it
is the ordained form of open confession of faith in the Lord Jesus
Christ.

The passage is parallel with that other, "He that with his heart
believes and with his mouth makes confession of Him, shall be saved."
What less can Christ expect than an outspoken faith if there is any
faith at all? Will you bring to Him who redeemed you a cowardly faith?
To Him that intercedes for you a dumb faith? To Him that opened your
eyes a faith which dares not look your fellow men in the face? No! No!
Speak! And speak out and let the world know that He who died on Calvary
is to you, if not to anybody else, the Son of God! The question ought
to be answered–answered before men–and answered at once. Do not
delay, but make haste to keep your Lord's command.

The question ought to be answered at once because it is of first
importance. If you do not believe on the Son of God, where are you? You
are not alive unto God, "For the just shall live by faith." You cannot
stand, for it is written, "You stand by faith." You cannot work for
God, for it is faith that works by love. Where is your justification if
you have no faith? "We are justified by faith." Where is your
sanctification? Does not the Lord say, "Sanctified by faith that is in
Me"? Where is your salvation without faith? "Believe on the Lord Jesus
Christ and you shall be saved." You cannot be or do anything acceptable
without faith for, "without faith it is impossible to please God."

You are in an evil case and will soon be in a worse one unless you can
say–"I believe that Jesus is the Son of God, and I trust Him as my All
in All." He that does not believe on the Lord Jesus Christ is under
present condemnation for, "He that believes not is condemned already."
Condemned already–and therefore this question must be answered
immediately–unless you are content to abide under wrath and content to
live unreconciled to God! While sitting here you are in danger of the
wrath to come. Can you be at ease? Remember, you are losing time while
you are in ignorance as to your faith. If you are not believing in
Jesus you are spending your days in death and in alienation from God.

If it is a question whether you have believed on the Son of God, it is
no question that you are losing comfort and happiness. If you go up and
down this troubled world without a knowledge of your own
salvation–without an assurance of your acceptance with God–you are
losing power to honor the name of the Lord by a joyful conversation.
You are in an inconsistent position and in an inconvenient one. If you
really have not believed in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, you are
resting short of eternal life!

Meanwhile, you come up to the Lord's house and unite avowedly in
worshipping Him while you deny Him the first essential of true
worship–namely, your faith in Him! Ah, dear Friend, if you have not
believed that Jesus is the Son of God, the hope that you will ever do
so grows fainter every day. The longer a man lingers in any state, the
more likely it is that he will continue there. When men have long been
accustomed to do evil the Prophet cries over them, "Can the Ethiopian
change his skin or the leopard his spots?" It is an awful thing to have
heard the Gospel so long in vain. If even the appeals of Calvary are
lost on you, what remains? Gospel-hardened sinners are hardened,
indeed. Some of you have been unbelievers in the Lord Jesus Christ for
50 years and, I fear, will die in unbelief–and what then?

The portion of unbelievers is terrible. "If you believe not that I am
He, you shall die in your sins." Horrendous words! "Die in your sins."
That is what will, in all probability, happen to many of you–no, it
will surely happen unless you believe on the Son of God! Come,
therefore, to this question at once. Do not delay for an hour. If the
answer is unsatisfactory, the case can be altered if attended to at
once. He that has not as yet believed on the Son of God may yet do so.
Still is time afforded you–do not despise the respite of mercy. Upon
you shines the light of another Sunday–long-suffering is not yet
exhausted. The Gospel is still preached in your ears–the day of hope
is not over!

The Bible is still open before you and the gate of Mercy is open, also,
for all who will enter by faith. Therefore I pray you to now believe on
the Son of God! You may not live to see another Lord's-Day–therefore
snatch the present opportunity. Soon will the tidings come to us about
you, as they have so often come about others, "He is dead," or, "She
has gone." Since eternity can be molded by today, I pray you, awaken
yourselves! Look to your faith in Jesus, for if that is right, all is
well–but if that is found wanting, all is wanting.

IV. So I close with my fourth point which is this–THE QUESTION MAY BE
OF THE UTMOST IMPORTANCE TO US IF WE ANSWER IT. "Do you believe on the
Son of God?" Suppose that the question has to be answered in the
negative. If you are compelled to sigh and say, "No, no!" then be it so
and look the truth in the face. It will tend to awaken you from your
carelessness if you know where you are.

One came to join the Christian Church the other day who said, "While I
was at my work in the parlor, this thought suddenly came to me, 'You
are an unsaved woman.' I could not shake it off. I went down to my
cooking in the kitchen but it followed me. From the fire and from the
water I seemed to hear the accusation, 'You are an unsaved woman.' When
I went in to my meals I could scarcely eat my bread because of this
choking thought. It haunted me, 'You are an unsaved woman!'" It was not
long before that unsaved woman sought the Lord and became a saved woman
by faith in Christ Jesus!

Oh, that I might put this idea into some minds this morning! You are an
unsaved man! You do not believe on the Son of God and therefore you are
in the gall of bitterness and in the bonds of iniquity! I would like to
make the seat you sit upon grow hard and the very house to grow
uncomfortable, so that you should vow, "Please, God, I can but stagger
home. I will seek my bedside and cry for mercy." I wish you were under
even greater urgency and would entreat the Lord for mercy at once, on
the spot! You would do so, I think, if you fairly answered this
question and felt that the reply must

be, "No."

But, supposing you are able to say, "Yes"–this question will have done
great service–for it will have brought you great peace. As long as you
leave this matter in doubt you will be tossed about. But when it is
decided, you will enter into rest. Peace, like a river, shall flow into
your soul when you can say–

"I do believe, I will believe, That Jesus died for me; That on the
Cross He shed His blood, From sin to set me free."

Know that He is yours and you will rejoice in Him! You cannot obtain
settled peace till you settle this question. This done, you will try to
do something for Jesus to show your gratitude for His salvation. Until
I know that I am saved I shall have no heart for holy work. A wise man
stops at home and looks after his own concerns when he feels that they
are in peril–but when they are all safe he can look to the interests
of his neighbors.

When I know I am saved and that there is nothing more for me to do in
that matter, for Christ has finished it all, then I enquire what I can
do for Him who has done so much for me! Where is the child or the man I
can talk to about my Savior? I will go and hunt up lost ones and tell
them of a present salvation. Perhaps I have never dared to speak to my

wife or to my children about eternal life–but now that I possess it
and know that I do–because I believe on the Son of God I will begin to
instruct others in this good doctrine. Yes, diligence grows out of
assurance.

And what a help assurance will be in the time of trouble! You have a
great affliction coming on, but if you can say, "I know that I believe
in Jesus Christ the Son of God," you will face it with quietness. Is it
a surgical operation? You will lie still and yield yourself up to the
surgeon's knife, come life or death–and you will do it easily. Is it a
cruel persecution which you have to face tomorrow? You will not be
afraid–but, believing in Jesus–you will take up His Cross. Are you
growing old and thinking of the time when you must die? It will not
matter–for you know that you will only be going Home since you believe
on the Son of God!

He never lets a soul believe on Him in vain. He never casts away a poor
heart that trusts Him. What strength your faith will give you! You will
be a hero whereas you might have been a coward. Now that you know and
are sure that you believe on the Son of God, you will fear no evil.
This, I think, will fire you with holy zeal and praise. You have been
saying, "I do not know how it is that I am so dull and stupid! I go to
the house of God and I do not feel the power of the Word–I am afraid I
am not a Christian." Just so. As long as you have that chilling fear
upon you, you will not be sensitive to the cheering truth–but when you
know that you believe on the Son of God and are sure of your
salvation– your heart will beat to another tune and the music of the
upper spheres will take possession of your bosom. I should not wonder
if you should sing, as Toplady does–

"Yes, I to the end shall endure

As sure as the earnest is given;

More happy, but not more secure,

The glorified spirits in Heaven."

You will begin to taste heavenly happiness when you have a sense of
heavenly certainty. Being thus moved with gratitude and filled with
joy, the result will be a great concern for others who have not
believed on the Son of God. You will look upon unbelievers with sorrow
and alarm. They are very wealthy, perhaps–but you will despise their
gold because it blinds their eyes. They are very clever, perhaps–but
you will not worship their abilities because the eternal light is hid
from their eyes. You will say to yourself, "They may have all their
wealth and all their cleverness, but I have the Son of God!" In having
Christ, you have more than Alexander possessed when he had won the
world! He could conquer the earth, but he could not win Heaven, for he
knew nothing of believing on the Son of God!

In this respect you have done more than an angel could do–for an angel
has no lost soul to trust with the Son of God–no sin to wash away in
the Savior's blood. But you have trusted Him and you have been washed
in His blood– and you are clean. Go home and sing, my Brothers and
Sisters! Go home and tell it out among your fellows that Jesus is the
Son of God and abundantly able to save! Go home and weep some poor
sinner to Jesus! Go home and never rest until you can say to God–"Here
am I, and the souls that You have given me. We are believing on the Son
of God." Peace be with you! Amen.

PORTIONS OF SCRIPTURE READ BEFORE SERMON– John 9.