DISCOURSE: 1879
GOD’S GIFT OF HIS SON A GROUND FOR EXPECTING EVERY OTHER BLESSING
Romans 8:32. He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?
IF we contemplate the mysterious work of redemption, and the grace of God as displayed in it, we shall be filled with wonder and amazement [Note: ver. 30.]; and in the view of it we shall defy all the enemies of our salvation [Note: ver. 31.]: but if we contemplate the means by which redemption has been effected, even by the gift of God’s only dear Son, our exultation will rise to the highest summit of confidence and triumph. We may then assure ourselves, as the Apostle does in the text, that God’s past goodness to us is a just ground for expecting every other blessing at his hands.
In these words we notice,
I. What God has done for us—
The state of fallen man was desperate: no possible way was left whereby we might restore ourselves to God’s favour. God, in compassion to us, “spared not his own Son [Note: Οὐκ ἐφείσατο may either mean that he spared him not in a way of justice, i.e. that he exacted of him the utmost farthing of our debt (see 2 Peter 2:4.) or that he spared him not in a way of bounty, i. e. withheld him not. The latter seems to be the sense in this place.].”
[Nothing less than the incarnation and death of the Son of God could remedy the miseries which mankind had brought upon themselves; yet, such was God’s regard for our sinful race, that, rather than they should perish, he would not withhold his only Son.]
He even “delivered him up” to death—
[God sent not his Son merely to instruct us: he gave him to make atonement for our sins: he sent him to die even the accursed death of the cross.]
We “all” were the persons for whose sake God thus delivered him—
[All indeed are not alike benefited by this gift; but it was designed alike for all, and there is a sufficiency in the death of Christ to expiate the sins of all. If any receive not salvation through him, they owe it, not to any want of love and mercy in the bosom of Jehovah, (for he willeth not the death of any sinner,) nor to any want of merit in the Saviour, (for his blood can cleanse from all sin,) but altogether to their own obstinate unbelief. Every one, who desires acceptance through him, may confidently say, He was delivered up for me.]
This manifestation of Divine goodness affords abundant ground for,
II.
The inference drawn from it—
God will “give us all things” that are needful—
[The general expression “all things” must be understood in a limited sense. God will not give worldly riches and honours to his people; but all things that are good for them he will bestow, whatever they need for body or soul, for time or eternity.]
He will give us all things “freely”—
[He does not need to have blessings extorted from him by importunity: he is far more willing to give than we are to ask; nor does he give because we ask, but stirs us up to ask, because he before determined to give: he will bestow every thing on his people as a father on his own children.]
This may be inferred from what he has already done—
[Will not he, who has given his own Son, give smaller things? Will he, who was so gracious to his enemies, forget his friends? Will he, who did so much unsolicited, refuse those who cry day and night unto him? This inference is so obvious, that the Apostle appeals to the reason of every man to judge of it. He insinuates that to doubt it would be the height of absurdity: he seems to think that God could not act otherwise.]
By way of improvement,
1.
Let us endeavour to estimate aright this gift of God—
[God’s own Son is infinitely above all creatures: all the hosts of angels and all the glory of heaven were nothing in comparison of him. Had he been a mere creature, the Apostle’s inference had been inconclusive [Note: If our Lord were only a creature, the reasoning would be to this effect:—‘If God delivered up one creature to endure temporal pain, how shall he not deliver millions of creatures from enduring eternal misery? If he gave one creature, who was infinitely below himself, to be deprived of life for a time, how shall he not give himself, who is infinitely above all creatures, to be our everlasting portion?’ What force or propriety would there be in such reasoning as this?]. He, against whom the sword of vengeance was put forth, was Jehovah’s fellow [Note: Zechariah 13:7; 1 Timothy 3:16.]. Let our gratitude rise in proportion to the excellency of this gift: let us contemplate its excellency, till we exclaim with the Apostle [Note: 2 Corinthians 9:15.]—]
2. Let us avail ourselves of the encouragement given us to ask for more—
[We daily need many things both for our bodies and souls, and we have the fullest assurance that God will grant us what we need. Let not any one then say, “I am too unworthy to ask.” What worthiness was there in man to obtain the gift of God’s own Son? After him, can there be any thing too great for God to bestow? Surely then the weakest and the vilest may enlarge their petitions. If we “open our mouths wide, God will fill them.”]
3. Let us be chiefly solicitous to receive Christ himself—
[God will bestow every thing “with Christ:” we cannot receive his blessings without him, nor him without his blessings. Let us then in every state labour most to secure our interest in Christ. If he be ours, we cannot but have every thing in, and with him [Note: 1 Corinthians 3:21-23.]