“But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5).

In the book of Isaiah, in chapter 53, we find a portion of Scripture of unrivalled beauty and poignancy. Please read the whole passage, where, so clearly and graphically Isaiah foretold the propitiatory death of Christ. But bear in mind that Isaiah prophesied thus seven hundred years before the event actually took place. That is yet another unique aspect of the Bible. The prophets foretold that the Saviour of all mankind would come and become the supreme sacrifice for man’s sin.

The deep-seated desire in the human heart to somehow appease the just wrath of God at man’s rebellion and sin found expression in a variety of sacrifices being offered. Many of these sacrifices were intended to atone for man’s sin. But how can any offering, animate or inanimate, expensive or inexpensive, please the heart of the Holy God, to whom our sins are unutterably loathsome and immeasurably offensive? It is inconceivable that we can please the Living God by some gift and buy our way to Heaven. 

But God found the Lamb for the sacrifice—His own Son, who is the express image of His person. Thus while we were without hope, the Saviour came. At a location called Calvary, just outside the walls of Jerusalem, He gave His life as the sacrifice for our sins and the sins of all mankind. It was on a cruel cross, rejected, despised, spat upon and sneered at, that He died. 

The colossal cost of Calvary’s cross is impossible to calculate. Sin was foreign to Him—He never knew sin. Yet He took upon Himself your sins and my sins. Even we ordinary mortals abhor our sins at times and even make many futile resolutions not to dirty ourselves again, though all in vain. But the sinless Saviour left Heaven’s holy clime and came down to identify Himself with you and me. This is love at its highest and purest level.

The Bible says, “Being found in fashion as a man, He humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross” (Philippians 2:8). To pay the penalty for man’s sin, He had to humble Himself further and the Immortal had to bear the indignity of death and that too the death of a criminal.

His own disciple Judas Iscariot betrayed Him and literally sold Him for thirty pieces of silver. There are many today who betray Christ for far less money than that.

Think of all the greed which our sick modern society has produced. A lie is nothing to them; deceit is a trifle; their body they will give to immorality; their souls they will sell away in acquiring ill-gotten money.

Judas had to choose between money and Christ; he chose money. Many, like Judas, choose money today and throw moral values to the winds and their souls to the devil.

“He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from Him; He was despised, and we esteemed Him not” (Isaiah 53:3). How tragically true these words are even today! Never did God come as a man to dwell with man until Jesus came; never did a man walk on earth, sinless and untainted by impurity, until Jesus walked on earth; and yet He was rejected and despised of men. His matchless purity reproves them too severely of their impurity, so even today men would rather have someone else than Jesus.

It was no sin of His that brought this shameful death upon Him. He was wounded for our transgressions and sin. Taking our sins upon His body not only caused Him physical suffering but was a crushing weight upon His soul.

Let me illustrate. In an army camp an offence was committed by the men in a tent. The major was a strict man and wanted the culprit to own up to his crime as someone in the tent would have to pay the penalty. He would have to bear 50 lashes with the heavy whip. Almost everyone knew who it was but none admitted having done the crime. To the officer’s dismay, Willie the little drummer boy stepped forward and asked to be whipped.

It was a cruel scene. The penalty could be no less severe because it was a weak boy who was under the heavy whip. As the stripes were counted out, Willie bravely took the whipping until he could bear no more and collapsed. Unable to bear the sight of innocent Willie taking his whipping, the real culprit stepped out and asked to be whipped. But once again the penalty was meted out to Willie.

Willie never recovered from the whipping. At Willie’s death-bed, the real culprit Robert was found sobbing, “Willie, why did you do it, why did you take my whipping?”

Now, the little drummer boy Willie loved Jesus and simply felt he had to take Robert’s whipping, although it cost him his life.

Yes, our precious Lord Jesus took our sins upon His own body and died in our place, so that we may be freed from our sins and live this most beautiful and victorious life, which He gives.

 —Joshua Daniel

“She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more” (John 8:11).

Children of God do not condemn but correct. Condemnation and correction are two different things. The natural man condemns every man but himself. A spiritual man condemns himself and gives a very favourable interpretation to the actions of others. Jesus said he did not come to condemn the world. The world is already condemned. There is no need for further condemnation.

“He that believeth on Him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God” (John 3:18). Jesus Christ has not come to judge the world but to save the world. “And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world” (John 12:47). It is a saving love—not a condemning or accusing love. The Word is established in heaven. The eternal Word is equal to God. The world is judged and condemned by that Word. Jesus understood the fallen nature of man, which could fall into different temptations. But if it comes under the alchemy of the Cross, then his mind will be turned from sin into holiness.

Who is then the accuser of the world? “…[F]or the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night” (Revelation 12:10). The accusing attitude is not the Christian attitude. Sometimes we commit mistakes because of our great zeal for the Word. We must then be careful in the words we choose. Our words must not be accusing like the natural man’s words. The devil is the accuser. The moment we sin, he accuses us before God. When we sin, he says we are his. The devil disputed for the body of Moses. “Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee” (Jude v. 9). Note the language of the angel!

When we are converted we want to bring everybody to God, especially our relatives. But our loved ones may resist. The more zealous we are, the more they resist, and we are sadly disappointed. But your life and the change that has come over you have a great effect. The more patient you are, the most powerful a sermon your life will be. The Lord told me when I was a young man that I was not to point out all the errors which I was able to see in people. He said, “You will make enemies of them.”

“If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth” (1 Peter 4:11). When we follow the instructions of the Holy Spirit, we become the oracles of God. Our advice becomes a driving force to change people. The peculiar purity and holiness of Jesus were not repelling to sinners but attractive. The natural man’s righteousness is repelling but the spiritual man’s righteousness is attractive. If you have Christ in you, you attract sinners and the power in you is able to neutralize their evil and impart holiness to them.

 —N. Daniel

“I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6).

Out of Christ as the way, there is nothing but wandering; out of Christ as the truth, nothing but error; out of Christ as the life, nothing but eternal death.

“Look unto Him and be saved.”

—Echoes of Grace (1943-44)

I was born in a Hindu family in India, and I was a strong believer in the caste system. I worshipped idols from my youth. At the age of seven, my family went to Canada, and there also I continued to believe in Hinduism for some time. But at a young age, I became interested in finding out more about God. Then someone told me about Christianity. I began to read a New Testament in secret, not wanting my parents or anyone else to find out.

In those days, I was very afraid of what would happen to me after death. I wondered whether there was a heaven and hell and if Jesus Christ was real. Thus, in a way, I was searching for God. But when I went into grades 7, 8, and high school, the sins of the flesh began to take a stronger hold on me and I began to seek the things of the world. I was too afraid to go to church at that time. I began to read pornographic magazines and ran after girls. My thoughts became very corrupt and I could not look on a girl with clean eyes.

I started to go to the youth group and to the Sunday services. As I went regularly to church, the people there took me for a Christian. I would come forward at the altar-call saying that I accept Christ, and I would raise my hand when they asked for a decision. But even when I did all these things, there was no change in my life. There was no deliverance from my unclean sins. I felt that God was real only when I was in a meeting. When I went home, I would spend only five minutes every night in prayer. I felt very empty and wondered if Christianity was real.

I was growing very restless in my life. I was beginning to wonder about the validity of the Bible. I was talking to many people about different religions, and they told me that their religion was the true religion! I was very uncertain because I lacked true conversion. Although I was going to church for several years, no one had ever told me that I must confess and forsake my sins. As a result, God was becoming very unreal to me. I even thought of throwing away the Bible and turning to some other religion.

At this time, in my confusion, I was praying and asking that the one true God should reveal Himself to me—the God who could save me from my sins, the God who could give me peace and deliverance in my life—that was the God whom I wanted to follow. When I was praying this prayer in 1981 in the summer, I met one brother from the Laymen’s Evangelical Fellowship. He told me that Jesus Christ is a living and a speaking God, and that Jesus Christ can give a young man the deliverance and the victory over sin in the days of his youth. I had gone to so many Christian leaders and youth retreats and youth camps, but no one had ever told me that it is possible for a young man to live a holy life. When this brother told me these things, I was first suspicious because he came from India. I felt that the gospel should go from Canada to India and that I should be teaching him. I had invited him to my Bible study to teach him. But when he told me these things, the Word of God began to burn into my heart. During this time, many in the Fellowship were praying for me. As I began to pray with this brother and as he talked with me, I began to see the depth of my sins. For the first time, I saw that I needed to confess my sins before God.

As I waited upon the Lord and studied His Word, God convicted me deeply that I needed to restitute the things I had stolen. As the Spirit of God convicted me, I obeyed God in these steps. I went to my parents and asked their pardon because I had stolen money from the house. And I went to places where I worked, at a gas station, and returned money. I humbled myself before people to whom I had lied. In all the areas that God showed me, I set my conscience right with man, and I humbled myself deeply before God.

Then the cross of Christ stood before me, and I saw that the Lord Jesus had died for my sins. A great joy and peace began to take hold of my life, and a new power came into my life. God gave me victory over all my unclean sins. God began to give me victory in my thoughts, and God spoke to me from Psalm 73 that He had forgiven me. “So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before Thee. Nevertheless I am continually with Thee: Thou hast holden me by my right hand. Thou shalt guide me with Thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but Thee? And there is none upon earth that I desire beside Thee. My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever” (Psalm 73:22-26).

When I read these words, I was really filled with joy and praise and I knew for the first time, after over ten years of doubting and questioning, that Jesus Christ is the only way to God.

After this, God taught me how to pray. God showed me that I should spend one-tenth of my time every day in prayer and Bible study. He also taught me to keep the Lord’s Day, to sanctify it and to keep it holy. Even when I had examinations early Monday morning, I would close my books Saturday night. As I obeyed God in these things, a new grace came into me to concentrate more on my studies in the other six days of the week, instead of my thoughts wandering all over the place. God put me at the front of the class in some of the subjects I was taking, much to my surprise. How I praised God for these things. God began to teach me and lead me in every step. He also strengthened me through the fellowship of His children.

“Chaplain, one of our boys is badly wounded, and wants to see you right away.” Following the soldier, I was taken to the hospital and led to a bed, where lay a young man, pale and blood-stained from a terrible wound above the temple. I saw at a glance that he had but a few hours to live.

Taking his hand, I said, “Well, my boy, what can I do for you?” He looked up in my face, and said, “Now, Chaplain, I want you to kneel down by me and return thanks to God.”

“For what?” I asked.

“For giving me such a mother. O, Chaplain, she is a good mother; her teachings comfort and console me now. And Chaplain, thank God that by His grace I am a Christian. O, what would I do now if I was not a Christian! I know that my Redeemer liveth. I feel that His finished work has saved me. And, Chaplain, thank God for giving me dying grace. He has made my bed feel ‘Soft as downy pillows are.’ Thank Him for the promised home in glory. I'll soon be there—there, where there is no more war, nor sorrow, nor desolation, nor death—where I'll see Jesus and be forever with the Lord.”

I kneeled by him, and thanked God for the blessings He had bestowed upon him—a good mother, a Christian hope, and dying grace to bear testimony to God's faithfulness. Shortly after the prayer, he said, “Good-bye, Chaplain; if you see mother, tell her it was all well.”

Dear reader, have you heard the gospel? Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures. Are you a true believer in Christ? or are you yet unsaved? How long is this to continue? Will you go to the Lord Jesus and thank Him that He had died for you? Thank Him that He is your Savior.

“There is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth” (Luke 15:10).

Mothers, be encouraged to go on teaching your children. Look at this young soldier. Do not say, “I have nothing I can do for Christ.”

How important is your work, raising these boys and girls in the fear of the Lord. You are weak and have no wisdom. Yes, but the Lord gives us all we need to go on to serve Him. And the hum-drum of life is brightened by going to Him for grace to do all things in the name of the Lord Jesus, “Whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him” (Col. 3:17).

If the Lord was on earth standing by your side, would you say to Him, “No, I cannot do this”? Would you not rather say, “Yes, Lord, by Thy grace, I will.”

You will have the glorious answer in the day of rewards.

“Drawn by such cords we’ll onward move, Till round the throne we meet, And, captives in the chains of love, Embrace our Savior’s feet.”

—From Echoes of Grace (1943-44)

“Where are you reading, my dear?” said a lady to a dressmaker, who was busily reading the New Testament.

“I am reading the fifth chapter of Romans,” she respectfully replied.

“Why do you choose that chapter?” said her friend.

“O, I delight in it so much.”

“On what account?”

“Because,” answered the girl, “it just suits my case. See, is not this delightful?” pointing to the sixth verse, “‘For when we were yet without strength, in due time, Christ died for the ungodly.’ I am, indeed, a sinner, and without strength,” continued the girl, “but here is the remedy, ‘Christ died for the ungodly.’”

—See Echoes of Grace (1943-44)