Works of John Bunyan Volume I Part 120

SECOND. But, secondly CHRIST WAS MADE UNDER THE LAW--'When the fulness of the time was come, G.o.d sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law' (Gal 4:4).

Of right, being found in flesh, he must needs be under the law, for that there is not any creature above or without law to G.o.d; but this is not to the point in hand. Christ was not therefore under the law because he was found in flesh, but he took flesh, and designedly put himself, or was made under the law; wherefore it is added, He was made under the law to 'redeem,' to redeem them that were under that law. Wherefore, here is a design, a heavenly contrivance and device on foot; Christ is made--that is, by design subjected--under the law, for the sake and upon the account of others, 'to redeem them that were under the law.'

Made under the law--that is, put himself into the room of sinners, into the condition of sinners; made himself subject to the same pains and penalties we were obnoxious to. We were under the law, and it had dominion over us, bound us upon pain of eternal d.a.m.nation to do completely all things written in the law. This condition Christ put himself into that 'he might redeem'; for a.s.suredly we had else perished.

The law had dominion over us, and since we had sinned, of right it p.r.o.nounced the curse, and made all men subject to the wrath of G.o.d. Christ, therefore, did not only come into our flesh, but also into our condition, into the valley and shadow of death where we were, and where we are, as we are sinners. He that is under the law is under the edge of the axe. When David was to go to visit his brethren, and to save them from the hand of Goliath, he was to look how his brethren fared, and to 'take their pledge' (1 Sam 17:18). This is true of Jesus Christ when he came to save us from the hand of death and the law; he looked how his brethren fared, took to heart their deplorable condition, and put himself into the same plight--to wit, under the law, that he might redeem them that were under the law.

I told you before that he came sinless into the world, that he had a miraculous conception, and wonderful birth; and here you see a reason for it, he was to be put, or made, under the law, 'to redeem.'

He that will be made under the law to redeem, had need be sinless and spotless himself; for the law findeth fault with the least, and condemneth man for the first beginning of, sin.

Without this, then, there could not have been redemption, nor any the sons of G.o.d by adoption: no redemption, because the sentence of death had already pa.s.sed upon all; no sons by adoption, because that is the effect of redemption. 'G.o.d sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.' Christ, then, by being made under the law, hath recovered his from under the law, and obtained for them the privilege of the adoption of sons.

For, as I told you before, Christ stood a common[3] person, presenting in himself the whole lump of the promised seed, or the children of the promise; wherefore he comes under the law for them, takes upon him to do what the law required of them, takes upon him to do it for them.

He began, therefore, at the first t.i.ttle of the law, and going in man's flesh, for man, through the law, he becomes 'the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.' The END of the law--what is the end of the law but perfect and sinless obedience?

that is the end of the law, both with respect to its nature, and the cause of its being imposed. G.o.d gave the law, that complete righteousness should by that be found upon men; but because sin was got into man's flesh, therefore this righteousness, by us, could not be completed. Now comes Christ the Lord into the world, clothes himself with the children's flesh, addresseth himself to the work of their redemption, is made under the law; and going through every part of the law without sin, he becometh 'the end of the law for'

justifying 'righteousness to every one that believeth' (Rom 10:4).

For he obeyed not the law for himself, he needed no obedience thereto; it was we that needed obedience, it was we that wanted to answer the law; we wanted it but could not obtain it, because then the law was weak through the flesh; therefore G.o.d sent his own Son, and he did our duty for us, even to become the end of the law to every one that believeth. In this, therefore, Christ laboured for us, he was made under the law to redeem. Therefore, as I said before, it behoved him to be sinless, because the law binds over to answer for sin at the bar of the judgment of G.o.d. Therefore did his G.o.dhead a.s.sume our human flesh, in a clean and spotless way, that he might come under 'the law, to redeem them that were under the law.'

For, consisting of two natures, and the personality lying in the G.o.dhead, which gave value and worth to all things done for us by the manhood, the obedience takes denomination from thence, to be the obedience of G.o.d. The Son's righteousness, the Son's blood; the righteousness of G.o.d, the blood of G.o.d (Heb 5:8,9; Phil 3:9; Acts 20:28; 1 John 3:16).

Thus Jesus Christ came into the world under the law to redeem, not simply as G.o.d, but G.o.d-man, both natures making one Christ. The G.o.dhead, therefore, did influence and give value to the human flesh of Christ in all its obedience to the law, else there would have been wanting that perfection of righteousness which only could answer the demands and expectation of the justice of G.o.d; to wit, perfect righteousness by flesh.

But the second Person in the G.o.dhead, the Son, the Word, coming under the law for men in their flesh, and subjecting himself by that flesh to every t.i.ttle and demand of the law; all and every whit of what was acted and done by Jesus Christ, G.o.d-man, for us, it was and is the righteousness of G.o.d; and since it was not done for himself, but for us, as he saith in the text, 'to redeem,' the righteousness by which we are set free from the law is none other but the righteousness that alone resideth in the person of the Son of G.o.d.

And that it is absolutely necessary thus it should be, is evident, both with respect to G.o.d and also with respect to man.

With respect to G.o.d. The righteousness is demanded by G.o.d; therefore he that comes to redeem must present before G.o.d a righteousness absolutely perfect; this can be done by none but G.o.d.

With respect to man. Man was to present this righteousness to G.o.d; therefore must the undertaker be man. Man for man, and G.o.d for G.o.d, G.o.d-man between G.o.d and man. This daysman can lay his hand upon us both, and bring G.o.d and man together in peace (Job 9:33).

Quest. But some may say, what need of the righteousness of one that is naturally G.o.d? Had Adam, who was but a mere man, stood in his innocency, and done his duty, he had saved himself and all his posterity.

Answ. Had Adam stood, he had so long secured himself from the wages of sin, and posterity so long as they were in him. But had Adam sinned, yea, although he had not defiled his nature with filth, he could never after that have redeemed himself from the curse of the law, because he was not equal with G.o.d; for the curse of the law is the curse of G.o.d; but no man can deliver himself from the curse of G.o.d, having first transgressed. This is evident, because angels, for sin, lie bound in chains, and can never deliver themselves. He, therefore, that redeemeth man from under the law must not only do all the good that the law requireth, but bear all the penalty that is due by the law for sin.

Should an angel a.s.sume human flesh, and in that flesh do the law, this righteousness would not redeem a sinner; it would be but the righteousness of an angel, and so, far short of such a righteousness as can secure a sinner from the wrath of G.o.d. But 'thou shalt love the Lord thy G.o.d with all thy soul, with all thy heart, with all thy mind, with all thy strength.' If there were no more required of us now to redeem ourselves, it would be utterly impossible for us to do it, because in the best there is sin, which will intermix itself with every duty of man. This being so, all the heart, all the soul, all the strength, and all the mind, to the exact requirement of the justice of the law, can never be found in a natural man.

Besides, for this work there is required a perfect memory, always to keep in mind the whole duty of man, the whole of every t.i.ttle of all the law, lest sin come in by forgetfulness; a perfect knowledge and judgment, lest sin come in by ignorance; an everlasting unweariedness in all, lest sin and continual temptation tire the soul, and cause it to fail before the whole be done.

For the accomplishing of this last, he must have--1. A perfect willingness, without the least thought to the contrary. 2. Such a hatred of sin as is not to be found but in the heart of G.o.d. 3. A full delight in every duty, and that in the midst of all temptations.

4. A continuing in all things to the well-pleasing of the justice of G.o.d.

I say, should the penalty of the law be taken off, should G.o.d forgive the penalty and punishment due to sins that are past, and only demand good works now, according to the tenor of the law, no man could be saved; there would not be found that heart, that soul, that mind, and that strength, anywhere in the world.

This, therefore, must cease for ever, unless the Son of G.o.d will put his shoulder to the work; but, blessed be G.o.d, he hath done it--'When the fulness of the time was come, G.o.d sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law.'

CHRIST TOOK UPON HIM OUR SINS.

THIRD. But thirdly, CHRIST OUR SAVIOUR TAKES UPON HIM OUR SINS.

This is another step to the work of our redemption. 'He hath made him to be sin for us.' Strange doctrine! A fool would think it blasphemy; but Truth hath said it. Truth, I say, hath said, not that he was made to sin, but that G.o.d made him to be sin--'He hath made him to be sin for us' (2 Cor 5:21).

This, therefore, showeth us how effectually Christ Jesus undertook the work of our redemption--He was made to be sin for us. Sin is the great block and bar to our happiness; sin is the procurer of all miseries to men both here and for ever. Take away sin, and nothing can hurt us; for death temporal, death spiritual, and death eternal, are the wages of sin (Rom 6:23).

Sin, then, and man for sin, is the object of the wrath of G.o.d. If the object of the wrath of G.o.d, then is his case most dreadful; for who can bear, who can grapple with the wrath of G.o.d? Men cannot, angels cannot, the whole world cannot. All, therefore, must sink under sin, but he who is made to be sin for us; he only can bear sins, he only can bear them away, and therefore were they laid upon him--'The Lord hath laid upon him the iniquity of us all' (Isa 53:6).

Mark, therefore, and you shall find that the reason why G.o.d made him to be sin for us was, 'that we might be made the righteousness of G.o.d in him.' He took our flesh, he was made under the law, and was made to be sin for us, that the devil might be destroyed, that the captives might be redeemed, and made the righteousness of G.o.d in him.

And forasmuch as he saith that G.o.d 'hath made him to be sin,' it declareth that the design of G.o.d and the mystery of his will and grace was in it. 'He hath made him to be sin.' G.o.d hath done it, that we might be made the righteousness of G.o.d in him. There was no other way; the wisdom of heaven could find no other way; we could not by other means stand just before the justice of G.o.d.

Now, what remains but that we who are reconciled to G.o.d by faith in his blood are quit, discharged, and set free from the law of sin and death? Yea, what encouragement to trust in him, when we read that G.o.d 'made him to be sin for us.'

Quest. But how was Jesus Christ made of G.o.d to be sin for us?

Answ. Even so as if himself had committed all our sins; that is, they were as really charged upon him as if himself had been the actor and committer of them all. 'He hath made him to be sin,' not only as a sinner, but as sin itself. He was as the sin of the world that day he stood before G.o.d in our stead. Some, indeed, will not have Jesus Christ our Lord to be made sin for us; their wicked reasons think this to be wrong judgment in the Lord; it seems, supposing that because they cannot imagine how it should be, therefore G.o.d, if he does it, must do it at his peril, and must be charged with doing wrong judgment, and so things that become not his heavenly Majesty; but against this duncish sophistry[4] we set Paul and Isaiah, the one telling us still, 'the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all'; and the other, that 'G.o.d made him to be sin for us.'

But these men, as I suppose, think it enough for Christ to die under that notion only, not knowing nor feeling the burden of sin, and the wrath of G.o.d due thereto. These make him as senseless in his dying, and as much without reason, as a silly sheep or goat, who also died for sin, but so as in name, in show, in shadow only.

They felt not the proper weight, guilt, and judgment of G.o.d for sin. But thou, sinner, who art so in thine own eyes, and who feelest guilt in thine own conscience, know thou that Jesus Christ, the Son of the living G.o.d in flesh, was made to be sin for thee, or stood sensibly guilty of all thy sins before G.o.d, and bare them in his own body upon the cross.

G.o.d charged our sins upon Christ, and that in their guilt and burden, what remaineth but that the charge was real or feigned? If real, then he hath either perished under them, or carried them away from before G.o.d; if they were charged but feignedly, then did he but feignedly die for them, then shall we have but feigned benefit by his death, and but a feigned salvation at last--not to say how this cursed doctrine chargeth G.o.d and Christ with hypocrisy, the one in saying, He made Christ to be sin; the other in saying that he bare our sin; when, in deed and in truth, our guilt and burden never was really upon him.

Quest. But might not Christ die for our sins but he needs must bear their guilt or burden?

Answ. He that can sever sin and guilt, sin and the burden, each from other, laying sin and no guilt, sin and no burden on the person that dieth for sin, must do it only in his own imaginative head.

No scripture, nor reason, nor sense, understandeth or feeleth sin when charged without its guilt and burden.

And here we must distinguish between sin charged and sin forgiven.

Sin forgiven may be seen without guilt or burden, though I think not without shame in this world; but sin charged, and that by the justice of G.o.d--for so it was upon Christ--this cannot be but guilt and the burden, as inseparable companions, must unavoidably lie on that person. Poor sinner, be advised to take heed of such deluded preachers who, with their tongues smoother than oil, would rob thee of that excellent doctrine, 'G.o.d hath made him to be sin for us'; for such, as I said, do not only present thee with a feigned deliverance and forgiveness, with a feigned heaven and happiness, but charge G.o.d and the Lord Jesus as mere impostors, who, while they tell us that Christ was made of G.o.d to be sin for us, affirm that it was not so really, suggesting this sophistical reason, 'No wrong judgment comes from the Lord.' I say again, this wicked doctrine is the next way to turn the gospel in thy thoughts to no more than a cunningly-devised fable (2 Peter 1:16), and to make Jesus Christ, in his dying for our sins, as brutish as the paschal lamb in Moses' law.

Wherefore, distressed sinner, when thou findest it recorded in the Word of truth that Christ died for our sins, and that G.o.d hath made him to be sin for us, then do thou consider of sin as it is a transgression against the law of G.o.d, and that as such it procureth the judgment of G.o.d, torments and afflicts the mind with guilt, and bindeth over the soul to answer it. Sever not sin and guilt asunder, lest thou be an hypocrite like these wicked men, and rob Christ of his true sufferings. Besides, to see sin upon Christ, but not its guilt; to see sin upon Christ, but not the legal punishment, what is this but to conclude that either there is no guilt and punishment in sin, or that Christ bare our sin, but we the punishment?

for the punishment must be borne, because the sentence is gone out from the mouth of G.o.d against sin.

Do thou therefore, as I have said, consider of sin as a transgression of the law (1 John 3:4), and a provoker of the justice of G.o.d; which done, turn thine eye to the cross, and behold those sins, in the guilt and punishment of them, sticking in the flesh of Christ.

'G.o.d condemned sin in the flesh' of Christ (Rom 8:3). He 'bare our sins in his own body on the tree' (1 Peter 2:24).

I would only give thee this caution--Not sin in the nature of sin--sin was not so in the flesh of Christ; but sin in the natural punishment of it--to wit, guilt, and the chastising hand of justice.

'He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastis.e.m.e.nt of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes we are healed' (Isa 53:5).

Look, then, upon Christ crucified to be as the sin of the world, as if he only had broken the law; which done, behold him perfectly innocent in himself, and so conclude that for the transgression of G.o.d's people he was stricken; that when the Lord made him to be sin, he made him to be sin for us.[5]

HE WAS MADE A CURSE FOR US.

FOURTH. As he was made flesh under the law, and also sin, SO HE WAS MADE A CURSE FOR US--'Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us; as it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree.' This sentence is taken out of Moses, being pa.s.sed there upon them that for sin are worthy of death--'And if a man have committed a sin worthy of death, and thou hang him on a tree, his body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in anywise bury him that day, for he that is hanged is accursed of G.o.d' (Deut 21:22,23). By this sentence Paul concludeth that Jesus Christ was justly hanged, because sin worthy of death was upon him; sin, not of his own, but ours. Since, then, he took our sins, he must be cursed of G.o.d; for sin is sin wherever it lies, and justice is justice wherever it finds it; wherefore since Jesus Christ will bear our sin, he must be 'numbered with the transgressors,' and counted worthy to die the death.

He that committeth sin is worthy of death. This, though Christ did not personally do, his members, his body, which is his church did; and since he would undertake for them with G.o.d, and stand in their sins before the eyes of his justice, he must die the death by the law.

Sin and the curse cannot be severed. Sin must be followed with the curse of G.o.d. Sin therefore being removed from us to the back of Christ, thither goes also the curse; for if sin be found upon him, he is the person worthy to die--worthy by our sins.

Wherefore Paul here setteth forth Christ clothed with our sins, and so taking from us the guilt and punishment. What punishment, but the wrath and displeasure of G.o.d?--'Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us.'