DISCOURSE: 1841
THE BELIEVER’S SECURITY IN CHRIST
Romans 5:6-10. For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. for if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
IT is pleasing to see with what delight the Apostle Paul dwells upon the transcendent excellency and unbounded love of our Lord Jesus Christ. Whatever he is insisting on, he is sure to introduce the Saviour’s name; and, when once he has introduced it, he scarcely knows when to leave the heart-reviving topic: and, if he have left it for a moment, he is ever eager to recur to it again. Hence the connexion of his sentences is frequently remote; as we apprehend it to be in the instance before us. We conceive that the proper connexion of our text is with the two first verses of the chapter; in which the Apostle has spoken of Christ as the true and only source of our acceptance with God, and of that hope of the glory of God, which animates our souls. Then, after expatiating on the further benefits which we receive through him, he comes to state more explicitly, How it was that Christ procured these blessings for us; and, Why we may be assured of the ultimate possession of them. In this view of the text we shall be led to shew,
I. What Christ has done for us, as enemies—
Our state by nature is here but too justly described—
[We are “ungodly,” we are “sinners,” “enemies” to God and to all vital religion: at the same time, we are also “without strength,” altogether impotent to that which is good — — — What a description is this! how humiliating! and yet how just! — — —]
Yet, when we were in this state, did the Lord Jesus Christ undertake our cause—
[He assumed our nature, and in that nature died. Nor was it merely for our benefit that he died, but in our place and stead. “He bare our sins in his own body on the tree,” and suffered, “he, the Just, for us the unjust [Note: 1 Peter 2:24; 1 Peter 3:18. This may be illustrated by the substitution of the ram in the place of Isaac. Genesis 22:13.].” We were exposed to the wrath of God; and that wrath he bore for us: “He became a curse for us [Note: Galatians 3:13.].” The cup which we must have been drinking to all eternity, he drank to the very dregs — — —]
What a stupendous exercise of love was this!
[Well may it be said, that God, in this act of mercy, “commendeth his love towards us:” for it is indeed such a display of love as finds no parallel in the whole universe. There could scarcely be found on earth, one person, who would consent to die in the place of another, who was confessedly “a righteous man,” and just in all his dealings: though possibly there might be some who would lay down their lives for “a good man [Note: For this import of the term ἀγαθὸς, see Mark 10:18.],” who was eminently pious and useful in the world [Note: See Romans 16:4.]. But who ever made such a sacrifice for his enemy? The utmost stretch of human affection is, “to lay down one’s life for a friend [Note: John 15:13.].” But such was not the love of Christ: “while we were yet sinners and enemies, He died for us [Note: How different was this from all that ever occurred on earth, either before or since! If one man has ever died for another, it has been from the consideration of his being either peculiarly excellent in himself, or a great benefactor to others, or from a very high degree of friendship for him: but when Christ died for us, we, so far from having any thing to recommend us to him, were ungodly in ourselves, and enemies to him.].” Truly this was “a love that passeth knowledge;” a love, the heights and depths whereof can never be explored [Note: Ephesians 3:18-19.] — — —]
From this love of Christ to his enemies the Apostle takes occasion to declare,
II.
What we may expect from him, as friends—
Nothing can be plainer or more conclusive than the Apostle’s argument, that, ‘if Christ has already done so much for us under circumstances so unfavourable, much more shall, whatever remains to be done for us, now that we are in a state of friendship with him, assuredly be completed in due season.’
To elucidate the force of this argument, we would call your attention to the following positions. If Christ should now abandon the work in which he has proceeded so far, and should leave his people to perish at last,
1. He would defeat all his Father’s counsels—
[The Father from all eternity predestinated unto life a number of the human race, who therefore are called, “A remnant according to the election of grace [Note: Ephesians 1:4-5; Ephesians 1:11; 2 Thessalonians 2:13.Romans 2:5.]:” and these he gave unto his Son [Note: John 17:2; John 17:6; John 17:9; John 17:11; John 17:24.], that he might redeem them by his blood, and have them as “his portion for ever and ever [Note: Isaiah 53:10.].” These in due time he calls by his word and Spirit; he adopts them into his family, transforms them into his image, and will finally exalt them to a participation of his glory [Note: See the 17th Article.]. That this counsel may be carried into effect, he commits them to his Son, that they may be kept by his power and grace, and “be preserved blameless unto his heavenly kingdom.” But if Christ should relinquish his care of them, and leave them ultimately to die in their sins, all these counsels would be defeated; and with respect to those who were so deserted, it would be said, “Whom he did predestinate, them he also called; and whom he called, them he also justified; and whom he justified,” them he left to perish [Note: Romans 8:28-30.]. But shall God’s purposes be so frustrated? Shall this golden chain, which reaches from eternity to eternity, be so broken? No: “Of those whom his Father gave him, he never did lose any, nor ever will [Note: John 17:12.].” We say not that he will save them in their sins: God forbid, that such a blasphemous idea should enter into the mind of any: but from their sins he will save them [Note: Matthew 1:21.]; and “through sanctification of the Spirit [Note: 1 Peter 1:2.],” “he will keep them from falling, and present them faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy [Note: Jude, ver. 24.].”]
2. He would render void all that he himself had done—
[He has given up his own life a ransom for us, and has actually reconciled us to God by his own obedience unto death. Can we conceive, that, after he has done all this, he should become indifferent to those whom he has thus redeemed? Will he be satisfied thus to shed his blood in vain? If he has “bought us with a price,” will he be content to lose what he has so dearly purchased? After he has actually “justified us by his blood,” will he leave us to be condemned? Will he, now that nothing is wanting on his part, but to supply us with his grace, and to uphold us in his arms, will he, I say, relax his care of us, and leave us to perish? Having done the greater for us, when enemies, will he forbear to do the less for us, as friends? Having done the greater unsolicited, will he refuse to do the less when entreated night and day? In the days of his flesh, notwithstanding all the obstacles in his way, he ceased not to go forward till he could say, “It is finished.” And will he now leave his work unfinished? Having been “the Author of faith” to us, will he decline to be “the Finisher [Note: Hebrews 12:2.]?” Justly does David argue, like the Apostle in our text: “Thou hast delivered my soul from death; wilt not thou then deliver my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living [Note: Psalms 56:13.]?” In like manner, we also may be “confident of this very thing, that he who hath begun a good work in us, will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ [Note: Philippians 1:6.].” Our great “Zerubbabel hath laid the foundation of his house; and his hands will finish it [Note: Zechariah 4:9.].”]
3. He would forget all the ends of his own exaltation—
[He is “exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour [Note: Acts 5:31.],” and to “put under his feet all his own, and his people’s enemies [Note: 1 Corinthians 15:25.]:” and do we suppose that he will neglect this work? After “having spoiled principalities and powers, and triumphed over them openly upon the cross [Note: Colossians 2:15.],” will he, now that he is invested “with all power in heaven and on earth” on purpose to complete his triumphs, give up the palm of victory, and suffer Satan to rescue from his hands those, whom with such stupendous efforts he has delivered? It is not as a private person that Jesus has ascended, but as the “Forerunner” of his people [Note: Hebrews 6:20.]. Will he then forget those whom he has left behind? Will the Head be unmindful of his members [Note: Ephesians 5:30.]? And shall the first-fruits be waved, and no harvest follow [Note: 1 Corinthians 15:20. with Leviticus 23:10-11.]? “Living, as he does, on purpose to make intercession for us,” will he forget to intercede [Note: Hebrews 7:25.]? and having all fulness treasured up in him for his Church [Note: Colossians 1:19.], will he forget to impart of it to those for whom he has expressly received it [Note: Psalms 68:18.]? As our High Priest, he must not only enter with his own blood within the vail, and there make continual intercession for us, but must come forth to bless his people [Note: Deuteronomy 10:8.]: and, having fulfilled his office thus far, will he now abandon it? The Apostle had certainly no such apprehension, when he laid so great a stress on the resurrection of our Lord, as to make it more efficacious for the salvation of men, that even the whole of Christ’s obedience unto death [Note: Romans 8:34.]. We may be sure, therefore, that as he, in his risen state, “is able to save to the uttermost all that come unto God by him,” so he will do it, and “will bring Satan himself shortly under their feet [Note: Romans 16:20.].”]
4. He would falsify all his own great and precious promises—
[How express is that promise which he has made to all his sheep, that “none shall ever pluck them out of his hands [Note: John 10:27-30.]!” Will he be unmindful of this? or is he become so weak that he is not able to fulfil it? He said to his Disciples, “Ye have not chosen me; but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that you should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain [Note: John 15:16.]:” but how can this be true, if he suffer them to become barren, and to be cut down at last as cumberers of the ground? Why did he say, “Believe in God: believe also in me,” if he meant, after all, to disappoint our confidence? Can we conceive, that, after comforting his Disciples with the assurance, that he was “going to prepare mansions in his Father’s house for them, and would come again and receive them to himself [Note: John 14:2-3.];” can we conceive, I say, that he should leave them to take up their abode in the regions of everlasting darkness and despair? No: he is “the Amen, the true and faithful Witness;” and “every promise that is made to us in him, is yea and Amen,” as immutable as God himself [Note: 2 Corinthians 1:20.]
Address—
1.
Those who are inquiring after the way of salvation—
[Nothing can be more plain than the way of salvation, as it is marked out in our text. How must we “be reconciled to God? Through the death of his Son.” How must we be justified and saved from wrath? We must “be justified by his blood,” and “saved from wrath through him.” How, after having been reconciled to God by the death of Christ, must we finally attain complete salvation? We must be “saved by his life;” that is, we must from first to last live by faith on the Son of God, looking to his death as the meritorious ground of our acceptance, and to his renewed life in heaven as the one source of all our stability, and the surest pledge of our eternal happiness. But, it may be asked, Am I among the number for whom these blessings were purchased? If you are among the number of those who feel themselves “ungodly and sinners, and enemies to God, and without strength,” then are you the persons for whom Christ died, and for whom he is improving every moment of his renewed life. What, I would ask, can be more plain than this? What room is here left for doubt? Verily, if salvation be not altogether by Christ Jesus, that is, by the efficacy of his death, and the operation of his grace, St. Paul must have been the most incautious and erroneous writer that ever lived. But, if he was neither ignorant nor deceitful, then is the way of salvation so plain, that not any poor “way-faring man, even though he be a fool, can err therein.” We charge you then, brethren, to flee for refuge to the hope that is set before you; and to “determine to know nothing as a ground of hope, but Jesus Christ and him crucified.”]
2. Those who, having sought for reconciliation through Christ, are afraid of being cast off, and left to perish—
[What is it that fills you with such fears as these? Is it on account of Christ that you are distressed? or on account of your own weakness and unworthiness? If you are afraid of Christ, what is it in Him that you stand in doubt of; his power, or his willingness to save? Surely there can be no doubt on either of these points. If your fears arise from a view of your own weakness and sinfulness, why should that prove a bar to your acceptance with him, which was, I had almost said, a reason for his dying for you, and which constantly calls forth his compassion towards you? True, if you continue ungodly, you have no hope: for “the unrighteous cannot inherit the kingdom of God.” But, if you desire truly to be delivered from all your corruptions, and to receive constant supplies of grace from him, then you may safely trust in him to carry on and perfect the work he has begun. He that first sought you, will not be sought by you in vain. He that bore your sins in his own body, will carry them all away into the land of oblivion. He that reconciled you to God, will maintain your peace with God: and he that has completed every thing as far as it depended on his death, will much more perfect what depends upon his life. Be strong then, and of good courage; and hold fast your confidence, and the rejoicing of your hope, firm unto the end.]