Chapter VIII: EVANGELICAL MOTIVES
gatherings in taverns and feasts, people should discuss hell so that frequent thoughts of it may help them avoid it.
There is a story of a grave and virtuous woman who was tempted to commit a foolish act with a wicked ruffian. After a long conversation, she asked him to hold his finger in a pan of burning coals for just one hour for her sake. He replied that it was an unkind request. To this, she responded that since he would not endure even holding one finger in a few coals for a short hour, she could not consent to do something for which she would be tormented body and soul in hellfire forever. All people should reason in a similar manner against themselves. No one would willingly do something that causes even the slightest pain to their finger or tooth. Therefore, we should be extremely cautious in abandoning our sins, which bring endless torment to both body and soul in hell.
Chapter VIII:
EVANGELICAL MOTIVES
Evangelical motives are particularly twofold. The first is derived from the contemplation of man's redemption. The one who redeemed humanity is God Himself. As Paul states, God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself. Man's sin is so vile and abominable in the sight of God that no angel or creature could appease His wrath for even the smallest offense. Instead, the Son of God had to descend from heaven and assume human nature. Not only that, but He also had to endure the accursed death of the cross and shed His precious blood to satisfy the justice of His Father on our behalf. If a father were afflicted with a disease that could only be healed by the lifeblood of his own child, he would immediately consider his condition perilous. He would also vow to do everything possible to avoid that disease if he ever recovered. In the same way, since
nothing could heal the deadly wound of our sin except the remedy of Christ's heartblood, it should make us recognize our pitiful state, acknowledge the grievousness of even our smallest sins, and motivate us to live a new life.
Furthermore, considering that the purpose of Christ's redemption was to deliver us from our sinful and unrighteous way of life, we should not persist in continuing and indulging ourselves in sin. It would be akin to a prisoner who, after being ransomed and having their shackles removed, is released from the prison to go wherever they please but chooses to return and lie in the dungeon again.
The second motive is that God has made a promise to those who truly repent.
I. The promise of forgiveness of sins: "Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes; cease to do evil... though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool." And, "Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon."
II. The promise of eternal life: "I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live." And, "Seek me, and live."
III. The promise of mitigating or removing temporal calamities:
"Stand in the court of the Lord's house, and speak to all the cities of Judah... It may be they will listen, and every one turn from his evil way, that I may relent of the disaster that I intend to do to them because of their evil deeds."
As God has made these merciful promises to repentant sinners, He has faithfully fulfilled them as soon as they have begun to repent.
Examples include David, who confessed his sin and received