1. The "I Will" of Salvation

      The first "I will" is to be found in John's Gospel, chapter 6 and verse 37: "Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out."

      I imagine someone will say, "If I were what I ought to be, I would come. But when my mind goes over my past record, it is too dark. I am not fit to come."

      You must bear in mind that Jesus Christ came to save not good people, not the upright and just, but sinners like you and me who have gone astray and sinned and come short of the glory of God.

      Listen to this "I will"–it goes right into the heart: "Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out." Surely that is broad enough–is it not? I don't care who the man or woman is nor what his or her trials, troubles, sorrows or sins are, if that one will only come straight to the Master, He will not cast him out.

      Come then, poor sinner; come just as you are and take Him at His word.

      So anxious is He to save sinners that He will take everyone who comes. He will take those who are so full of sin that they are despised by all who know them; who have been rejected by their fathers and mothers; who have been cast off by the wives of their bosoms. He will take those who have sunk so low that upon them no eye of pity is cast. His occupation is to hear and save. That is why He left Heaven and came into the world; that is why He left the throne of God–to save sinners. "The Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost" (Luke 19:10). He did not come to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

      A wild and prodigal young man running a career headlong to ruin came into one of our meetings in Chicago. The Spirit of God got hold of him. Whilst I was conversing with him and endeavoring to bring him to Christ, I quoted Luke 19:10. Then I asked him, "Do you believe Christ said that?"

      "I suppose He did."

      "Suppose He did? Do you believe it?"

      "I hope so."

      "Hope so? Do you believe it? You do your work, and the Lord will do His. Just come as you are. Throw yourself upon His bosom, and He will not cast you out."

      This man thought it was too simple and easy.

      At last, light seemed to break in upon him, and he seemed to find comfort from it. It was past midnight before he got down on his knees, but down he went and was converted.

      I said, "Now, don't think you are going to get out of the Devil's territory without trouble. The Devil will come to you tomorrow morning and say it was all feeling, that you only imagined you were accepted by God. When he does, don't fight him with your own opinions, but fight him with John 6:37: 'Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.' Let that be the 'sword of the Spirit.'"

      I don't believe any man ever starts to go to Christ but that the Devil strives somehow to trip him up. Even after he has come to Christ, the Devil tries to assail him with doubts and make him believe there is something wrong in it.

      The struggle came sooner than I thought in this man's case. While he was on his way home, the Devil assailed him. He used John 6:37, but the Devil put this thought into his mind: "How do you know Christ ever said that after all? Perhaps the translators made a mistake."

      Into darkness he went again till about two in the morning. At last he came to this conclusion: "I will believe it anyway; and when I get to Heaven, if it isn't true, I will just tell the Lord I did not make the mistake–the translators did."

      When kings and princes of this world issue invitations, they call round them the rich, the mighty, the powerful, the honorable and the wise; but the Lord, when He was on earth, called round Him the vilest of the vile.

      That was the principal fault the people found with Him. Those self-righteous Pharisees were not going to associate with harlots and publicans. The principal charge against Christ was: "This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them."

      Who would have such a man around him as John Bunyan in his time? He, a Bedford tinker, couldn't get inside one of the princely castles.

      I was very much amused when I was over in England. They had erected a monument to John Bunyan, and it was unveiled by lords and dukes and great men. While he was on earth, they would not have allowed him inside the walls of their castles, yet he was made one of the mightiest instruments in the spread of the Gospel.

      No book that has ever been written comes so near the Bible as John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress; and yet the author was a poor Bedford tinker.

      Thus it is with God. He picks up some poor lost tramp and makes him an instrument to turn hundreds and thousands to Christ.

      George Whitefield, standing in his tabernacle in London and with a multitude gathered about him, cried out, "The Lord Jesus will save the Devil's castaways!"

      Two poor, abandoned wretches standing outside in the street heard his silvery voice ring out on the air. Looking into each other's faces, they said, "That must mean you and me." They wept and rejoiced. They drew near and looked in at the door at the face of the earnest messenger, the tears streaming from his eyes as he pled with the people to give their hearts to God. One of them wrote him a little note and sent it to him.

      Later that day, as he sat at the table of Lady Huntington, his special friend, someone present said, "Mr. Whitefield, did you not go a little too far today when you said that the Lord would save the Devil's castaways?"

      Taking the note from his pocket, he gave it to Lady Huntington. "Will you read that note aloud?"