GOSPEL TRUTH: Only by Surrender!
Applying Jeremiah 21:8-10…..
8 And unto this people thou shalt say, Thus saith the Lord; Behold, I set before you the way of life, and the way of death. 9 He that abideth in this city shall die by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence: but he that goeth out, and falleth to the Chaldeans that besiege you, he shall live, and his life shall be unto him for a prey. 10 For I have set my face against this city for evil, and not for good, saith the Lord: it shall be given into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall burn it with fire. [Jeremiah 21:8-10]
For those who are prepared to look, the theme of God’s Salvation can be found latent within many passages of Scripture. One such example is in the verses printed above. God was speaking to His rebellious people through His servant Jeremiah, explaining how their lives might be spared. Salvation, for them, could not be obtained by means of their own wits: strangely, it could only be found by surrender to the Babylonians. Similarly, the New Testament makes it clear that we are saved through surrendering ourselves to God. Notice in these few verses five points concerning biblical Salvation.
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1. A DISCERNED WAY
On account of their sin, God had already planned to deliver Jerusalem and its people into the hands of the Babylonians (v.10). With ruin ahead because God’s face was against them, the inhabitants of Jerusalem urgently needed a remedy.
For us, the background is similar. We are guilty of sinning against God and deserve His wrath to fall upon us. How can this be avoided? We, too, need a remedy – otherwise we will face eternal loss.
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2. A DECLARED WAY
God had chosen His messenger who would declare a message to the doomed people. Although He was not obliged to act, God – in pity and yet with authority – told Jeremiah what he was to say (v.8a).
The New Testament makes clear to us how God has spoken finally through His Son (Heb.1:2). Could anything be more authoritative than this? The message has been declared through evangelists ever since the formation of the Church at Pentecost.
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3. A DISTINCT WAY
Jeremiah could be in no doubt about the message he had received. It was explicit, for it concerned “the way of life, and the way of death” (v.8b). Using the word “behold” as he addressed his listeners, Jeremiah was to explain “the way” clearly.
In this twenty-first century, the Way of Salvation is distinct from any other, “for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).
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4. A DEFINED WAY
How certain was the message of Jeremiah! Nobody could be left in any doubt. Its content was compelling. The person who remained in Jerusalem would “die by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence” (v.9a). Escape from each of these threats would be impossible.
Can we not see a parallel for ourselves? If we remain where we are and trust in our own resources we will be lost. Such knowledge ought to cause us great consternation.
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5. A DECISIVE WAY
To be saved, the people of Jerusalem had to surrender to the Babylonians (v.9b). What a surprise! This was certainly not what they would have expected to do.
For us, surrender to God and to Christ is vital. In our sin we must yield ourselves to Jesus Christ, calling upon Him for mercy. We can plead no merits of our own. The way of salvation stands in stark contrast to the works-based “way of salvation” found in the religions of man.
Through the finished work of Christ the Saviour we can be forgiven and saved, but we must accept what He has done for us and yield our sinful lives to Him. In the eyes of the world this is “foolishness”, but there is no other way to be saved (1 Cor.1:18). Salvation is a free gift offered to poor, helpless sinners. To receive it we must come empty-handed and receive God’s free pardon offered in Christ. As for the person who is willing to come God’s way, “He shall live” (v.9). Will you?