We also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement. – Rom. 5:11
Having obtained the king's free pardon for a poor man sentenced for transportation, I carried it to the jail to him: seeing the poor fettered creature fall down upon his knees to return thanks, caused a burst of tears from mine eyes of heart-felt joy. I thought, this is just what thou, O my precious Saviour, hast done for me: thou hast obtained a free and full pardon of all my sins, set my soul at liberty, and filled it with peace and joy, by the one atonement of thy precious blood. The poor convict had not read his pardon: he had not seen the king's name to it. I only made the report to him that I had it: he believed me; hence he was happy, joyful and thankful. Thus he received his pardon.
Now here is a simple and plain idea of faith–of receiving the atonement of Christ and of joy in God. You are a poor sinner: the Spirit of God comes and convinces you of sin: you are arraigned, tried, brought in guilty, and condemned in the court of conscience: you are concluded under sin and shut up in unbelief: here you wait in sorrow and distress for the sentence of the law to be executed upon you: you find you can do nothing that can obtain pardon and liberty for your poor soul: but, the Gospel brings the glad tidings of the atonement of Christ to your ears, and that by it a full and free pardon is obtained for sinners.
Now, what reception does it meet with in your heart Say you, I believe it from the very bottom of my heart, but I fear it is not for me? It is free for all who will receive it by faith. You believe it, therefore you have received it: you ought to joy in God for it. Examine into the grounds of your fears and doubts. Is the atonement of Christ sufficient to satisfy divine justice and obtain pardon and peace? This you cannot doubt. Is it not free for all sorts of sinners? Of this you can have no fear: "For this is a faithful saying, and worthy of an acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners." I Tim. 1:15. Do you fear that you are too great a sinner? This cannot be. Paul says, of sinners I am chief: yet he received the atonement, and was saved by it. Learn hence, that all joy in God springs from the one atonement of Christ for sin, and that only, exclusive of every thing else. Every one who believes in Christ has now received this atonement; and therefore ought constantly to joy in God the Father's everlasting love.