The cry of the heart for the salvation of others is a holy echo of the Savior’s own intercession, yet there is a sharp and solemn truth that must first be laid upon your own soul: unless we are the sons of God the Holy Spirit’s indwelling shall not be ours; we are shut out from the intercession of the Holy Ghost, ay, and from the intercession of Jesus too, for he hath said, ‘I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me.’ His intercession is not in or for the unregenerate. Come, then, escape from that refuge of lies and go to Jesus, wait upon God because you cannot go anywhere else for salvation! There is no salvation to be obtained from priests, or forms and ceremonies. I know him well, Mr. Legality and Mr. Morality and all that brood, but they are refuges of lies; there is no salvation anywhere but in Christ Jesus. I can do no other if I would find salvation. At any rate, leave the whole matter of your salvation with Him in unquestioning confidence. Depend upon Him without fear as to your present and eternal salvation. This is the faith which saves the soul.
When we pray for our fellow sinners we are in sympathy with our Divine Savior who made intercession for the transgressors. It is a great advance upon anxiety for our own salvation when we have risen out of the narrowness of dread about ourselves into the broader region of care for a Brother's soul. He meanly shirks the duty of a husband, who, being a working man, does not take his turn at home and give his wife as good an opportunity of learning the way of salvation as himself; and so it is with every relationship. If I desire the salvation of anyone, I ought to tell him, as best as I can, what his condition is and what the way of salvation is and how he may find rest. All men are approachable at some time or in some way. What more can I do? I can bring the horse to water but I cannot make him drink! But you have done well to pray, and I charge you by the living God, do not cease from that holy labor. If nothing else shall come from children’s attending our worship, the holy habit of going up to God’s house will be a perpetual heritage to them; and who knows but while they are yet young their hearing the word shall be the means of their salvation. Faith is an instantaneous act at its beginning, and then it remains as an abiding grace; its first act, by the power of God, puts a man into the present possession of immediate salvation.
As for the legal entanglements of states and the suits of men, the hearts of kings and judges are in the hand of the Lord, and he turns them as the rivers of water. Yet what is the settlement of an earthly dispute compared to that great assize when all shall stand before the King? Salvation! salvation! SALVATION! Nothing on earth can match it, for the merchandise of it is better than silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold. The possession of the whole universe would be no equivalent to a lost soul for the awful damage it has sustained and must sustain for ever. Remember, too, that lost souls think salvation important. Here is salvation for the blackest of sinners, salvation for all manner of sin, forgiveness for all manner of sin, salvation so full of grace that only God could have conceived it. “Who is a pardoning God like thee?”
This salvation is not your own in one sense; it is God's. The only salvation that is worth being our own is that which is God's. “I will rejoice in thy salvation.” How simple is that way of salvation! and O, how instantaneous! It takes us some time to move our hand, buy a look does not require a moment. “Look! look! look!” This is the simple method of salvation. Yes, sir; there is only one way of salvation for all. He hath concluded all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all. I will send you away with no other word than this: the plain Gospel of salvation by Divine Grace through faith in Christ Jesus! The Scripture says, Whoever believes on Him shall not be ashamed. This is the wine and milk which is proclaimed without money and without price. Neglect not this great salvation but may the grace of God work with thee to make thee seek, for thou shalt find, to make thee knock, for the door shall be opened, to make thee ask, for he that asketh shall receive!