In precisely the same way, the appointment in the case of Naaman, in
itself, had no virtue to cure leprosy. If another leper had gone to the
place the next day, and dipped himself, he would not have been healed.
Naaman did not go home praising the waters of Jordan, nor exulting in
his dipping, nor his faith, but he said: “Behold, now I know that there
is no God in all the earth, but in Israel.” II. Kings v. 15. The Lord
purposely selected an appointment that had not in it, in itself, any
curative efficacy, that the man might know the cure came directly from
God, and might believe and put his trust in the God of Israel. The same
is true of the appointment for the Israelites, bitten of the fiery
serpent. The Lord wisely selected something that all men would know had
no efficacy, in itself, to heal the bite of the serpent, that the glory
might be given to God and not to the brazen serpent. It is no question
about whether the Lord _could_ have saved the Israelites in some other
way. No one doubts that he _could_. But the question, in this case, is
simply about what _he did_. The people did not heal themselves. Their
faith did not heal them. Their prayers did not heal them. Their looking
did not heal them. The brazen serpent did not heal them. _God healed
them._ When did he do it? When they obeyed him. Where did he do it? In
his own appointment.
The faith of the army of Joshua did not throw down the walls of
Jericho. There is nothing in faith, in itself, to do a work of this
kind. The marching round Jericho, did not throw down the walls, nor
have any tendency to throw them down, if they had continued to march
round till this time. The blowing of the trumpet did not throw down
the walls. Nor did the shout of the army. God broke down these massive
walls. When did he do it? When they obeyed him. Where did he do it?
In his appointment. The work was just as much of God, as divine and
miraculous, done in this appointment, as if it had been done without
any appointment at all. The appointment was precisely such an one, as
to direct the heart of the people to God, as the author of the victory.
But had they refused to march round the walls, shout and blow the
trumpet, though they might have prayed till now, the Lord would not
have answered them nor saved them. In all these cases, they might
have prayed for saving power till they breathed the last breath, and
no saving power would have come. The saving power was promised, but
promised in certain appointments—not because the Lord _could not_, but
because he _would not_ save in any other way, only as he had appointed.
The same is true of saving men in our time. We have no dispute about
what the Lord _can_ do. The only question we have is about what the
Lord _will_ do. The Lord will do precisely what he has promised, and
no man in the world can produce one particle of evidence that he will
do anything else, to save any man. If the Lord had said, “He that
believeth and prays, and is prayed for, shall be saved,” every one that
prays and is prayed for, would be saved. But such, it is admitted on
all hands, is not the fact. Many pray, and are prayed for, who, it is
admitted, are not saved or pardoned. The Lord’s appointment is, “He
that believeth, and is baptized, shall be saved. Repent and be baptized
every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of
sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Why tarriest
thou? arise and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the
name of the Lord.” Here is the Lord’s appointment, and he who comes
here, has the promise of the Lord that he shall be saved, or pardoned.
This appointment is like those we have been looking at. It is evident
to all, there is no virtue or merit in faith, in itself, to save a man.
It is equally evident that there is no merit or virtue in repentance,
in itself, to save any one. It must be equally evident to all, that
there can be no virtue, merit, or efficacy in baptism, in itself, to
save or pardon. It is God that pardons. Who does he pardon? Those who
obey him. When does he pardon them? When they obey from the heart, that
form of doctrine delivered to them. “Being _then_ made free from sin,
they have their fruit unto holiness and the end everlasting life.”
Where does he pardon them? In his appointments.