“Now I See”
John 9:25
David Brainard
described his experience of God’s saving grace by declaring that five powerful
truths dawned upon his soul, by which all his carnal hopes were slain, by which
he was at last brought to faith in Christ. My own experience of grace is an
echo of his.
I saw my sin. God the Holy Spirit convinced me of my sin (John 16:8), of the sinfulness of my sinful deeds, the sinfulness of my heart and nature, and the sinfulness of my righteousness. I saw that even my noblest deeds are filthy rags in God’s sight.
I saw the infinite holiness of God’s law.
The law of God requires perfection. God cannot and will not accept anything
less than absolute perfection (Lev.
I saw that the only hope for sinners is a
perfect substitute. I must have someone to obey the law and accomplish
righteousness for me. I must have someone to make an infinite, justice
satisfying atonement for my sins. That Substitute I found in Jesus Christ the
Son of God (Rom.
I saw that faith in Christ is the only way
a sinner can ever find acceptance with God. God’s gracious salvation comes
to sinners through faith in Christ (Eph, 2:8). All who believe on the Son of
God have everlasting life (John
And I saw that faith in Christ is the gift
of God. Faith in Christ is not within the realm of human ability. It is the
gift of God (John
By
these five truths I was slain; all hope in myself was gone. And I was compelled
to fall down before Christ, suing for mercy, crying, “God, be merciful to me, the sinner…Lord, if you will, you can make me
whole.”
Now, “I
through the law am dead to the law,” because I have been crucified with
Christ (Gal.
Don Fortner