Letters to a Soul Seeking Jesus II: Seek the righteousness of Christ

Dear Friend,

I trust the Lord is dealing gently with you.  Above all I pray that the Holy Spirit may sweetly and silently open your heart, to relish the way of salvation through the blood and obedience of Immanuel.  Through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins, and by Him all that believe are justified from all things (Acts 13:38-39).  You would be deeply concerned to hear that your room-mate, ___________, has been so suddenly and awfully called away.  Should it not be a solemn warning to you?  Oh that you may be even now clothed in the righteousness of Jesus! so that, if you were called away, you may meet God in peace, and hear Jesus say, "Enter into the joy of your Lord."  In yourself you will never stand righteous before Jehovah.  Psalm 130:2 answers your case.  "Enter not into judgment with me," must be your cry.  In your nature, in your past life, in your breaking of the holy law, in your contempt and neglect of Jesus, in your indwelling sin, God can see nothing but what He must condemn.  Oh that you would be of the same mind with God about your own soul!  Do not be afraid to look upon its loathsomeness; for God offers to clothe you in Jesus Christ.  "By the obedience of One shall many be made righteous" (Rom. 5:19).  There is only One in all the world on whose face God can look and say, "He is altogether lovely."  Jesus is that one.  Now God is willing that you and I should hide in Jesus.  I feel at this moment that He is my righteousness.  "This is His name whereby He shall be called, The Lord our Righteousness," (Jer. 23:6).  I feel that the love of God shines upon my guilty soul through Jesus.  This is all my peace.  Your tears will not blot our sin; they do nothing but weep in hell, but that does no justify them.  Your right views of the gospel will not justify you; you must be covered with a spotless righteousness.  Your change of heart and of life will not justify you; it cannot cover past sins—neither is it perfect.  Your amended life is still fearfully sinful in Jehovah's sight, and yet nothing but perfect righteousness can stand before Him.  Jesus offers you this perfect righteousness; in Him you may stand and hear God say, "You are all fair, my love."  There is no spot in me.  Do you thus look to Jesus?  Do you believe the record that God has given concerning Him?  Do you receive Christ with open arms?  Do you cry, "My Lord and my God;" my Surety—my all?  Dear friend, do not tarry.  Eternity may be near.  Now is your best time, perhaps your only time, of closing with Christ.  How many worlds would a lost soul in hell give for such an opportunity of cleaving to Christ as you have now!  "He that has the Son has life."  This is all my prayer and desire for your precious, precious soul. 

Ever yours in the gospel,

Robert Murray M'Cheyne