All Benefits Any Have Leading to Eternal Life, are the Fruit of Christ’s soul-travail

“He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.” ~ Isaiah 53:11

“Doctrine: That all the benefits and advantages, that any ever have gotten, or shall get, that lead to life eternal, and which concur to advance the work of their salvation, are the fruits of Christ’s purchase, by his soul-travail.  Is a sinner brought to believe? It is the fruit of his suffering. Is a sinner glorified? It is the fruit of the same. And therefore when in the one word it is said He shall see his seed; it is said in the next word He shall see of the fruit of the travail of his soul; to show that a soul’s engaging to Christ by faith, whereby the person becomes one of his seed, flows from his suffering, and is a fruit of the travail of his soul, as it is in Corinthians 5:21, He was made sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God through him, or in him; where our righteousness, and what conduces to our justification, is derived from his being made sin, or a sin-offering for us.  And in Galatians 3:13, it is said that, Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us, that the blessing of Abraham might come on us Gentiles; whatever is accomplished under that blessing, as taking in both the end and the means by which we come by it, flows from his being a curse for us, and from his being brought under sad suffering, and sore soul-travail for us.”

“1. Then, when we speak of the fruit of Christ’s sufferings, we mean not only that our justification, the pardon of our sins, and our entry into heaven, are fruits of it; but that our believing, repentance, holiness, and everything that leads thereunto, are fruits of it also.  Therefore it is promised to Christ (Psalms 110:3) Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power. And that these that are given to Christ shall come, is a promise; as well as it is a promise that these that come shall be justified.  And the one follows upon Christ’s engaging, and performing of the engagement, as well as the other.”

“2. There is nothing that a sinner gets that leads to life and salvation but it is a fruit of Christ’s purchase; we get neither repentance, nor faith, nor holiness, nor any other such thing, but on the account of Christ’s satisfaction.”

“3. Whatever is needful for completing of them that are Christ’s seed, whom he purchased, whatever they lack or stand in need of, whether righteousness, holiness, repentance, faith, hope, etc., all are purchased by him, and are the fruits of his death and soul-travail; this rises clearly from the words, He shall see the fruit of the travail of his soul. That is, he shall see sinners believing on him, and repenting for sin, as well as he shall see them glorified.  Which will be clear, if we consider these two reasons:

(1)    The nature of the covenant, wherein all the promises concerning sinners’ salvation are comprehended.  There being but one covenant of redemption, and that being a promise of this covenant (Deuteronomy 30:6; Jeremiah 31:33), to circumcise the heart to love God, and to write the law in it, as well as to pardon sin; and all the promises of the covenant depending on Christ’s stipulation, and these things in the promises flowing from the covenant between God and the Mediator, sinners can have no right to anything that is promised, but by a covenant; neither can they have any access to them, but through Christ’s suffering.

(2)    It is clear from the end of the covenant, that whatever sinners stand in need of, they must be in Christ’s debt for it.  Now, if we had faith, or repentance, or any other grace, from ourselves, or on our own account, we should not be in debt or common for all that we need, as indeed we are, according to that in 1 Corinthians 1:30-31, He is made of God unto us Wisdom, to be our guide and teacher; Righteousness, to be our justifier, and the meritorious cause of it; Sanctification,  to be the worker and procurer of it; and in a word, complete Redemption.  And this is subjoined as the reason of all, That he that glories, or rejoices, may glory, or rejoice in the Lord;  that is, whether there be a looking to faith or repentance, or any other grace, there may be no cause to be vain or proud of it.  But that knowing these to be from Christ, and fruits of his purchase, all the praise of them may be to him alone.”

“The use of this is large; it speaks something more generally to them that are strangers to Christ, and who think that they would be at him; and something to them that are in him; and something to both.”

“And the first thing that it speaks is this (which we have often heard, but cannot hear of it too often), even the great and glad tidings, and very good news, which we have to speak of through Jesus Christ, that redemption is purchased by him to poor sinners; and that through him there is access to life, and peace and reconciliation with God, from which through sin we had fallen, and run ourselves under a forfeiture of, and from which we had been barred up eternally, except he had suffered. There was a wall of separation and partition standing between God and us; which by his sufferings was demolished and broken down, and thereby a door of access to God struck up, even through the veil of his flesh (Hebrews 10:20).  Theses should be refreshing and fresh news to us every day, as indeed they would be, if we rightly knew and believed the benefit of God’s friendship, and what were our hazard in lying still in nature, and what was the price that Christ laid down to purchase for sinners friendship with God, and delivery from this curse; that is behooved to cost him sore soul-travail, ere any special grace could be bestowed on sinners, and that this same gospel that is preached to you, is a fruit of the travail of his soul; and that, in making the covenant of redemption, this same was a part of the indenture (so to speak), that these good news might be published in the same place, and these glad tidings spoken of among you.”


“And therefore, secondly, put a great price on the means that may further your salvation; on repentance, faith, holiness, peace with God, etc; for they are the fruits of a very dear purchase, and the results of a great and sore conflict, which the Mediator had with the justice of God, ere there could be access for a sinner to any of them.  There was not so much paid to get the world created, as was to by faith, repentance, access to God, and an entry to heaven, to runaway sinners; nothing was paid for the one, but, a mighty great price for the other.”


“And therefore, thirdly, we would expostulate with many of you, how it comes to pass that you think so little of these things that Christ has purchased, and that you think so little of faith in him; and that so many of you take a counterfeit for it, try not if you have it, trouble not yourselves though you lack it; and that other things of little value are much esteemed of, and over valued by you.  Is there anything comparable to that, which Christ has put such a price on, that he gave his own life for it; and that God has put such a price on, that he promised it to Christ, as a part of the satisfaction for the travail of his soul?  And yet it is lightly valued by many; yea, by most men and women. The day will come, when you will think faith to be of more value, and will think the pardon of sin, and an interest in Christ’s blood, to be valuable above the whole world, though you had it, when you shall be brought to reckon with God for the slighting thereof.”


“And therefore, fourthly, seeing this is a truth, that everything that leads to life eternal, is a fruit of Christ’s purchase; take the right way to attain it.  The exhortation implies these two: 1. That you make a right choice of, and put a just value on these things, that you should choose and value.  2. That you take the right way for attaining of these things.”

1.       Then, would you know what is to be valued and chosen? It is certainly these things that God and the Mediator esteem of, and the congregation of the first-born esteem of.  The things that Christ has purchased, and which are the fruit of the travail of his soul, are most excellent; and therefore, mind, study, and seek after these things, that they may lead your souls into eternal life; seek after faith and repentance, to have your peace made with God, to have the heart purified, to be of a meek and quiet spirit, which in the sight of God are of great price, as the apostle Peter speaks [1 Peter 3:4]; to have pardon of sin, and holiness, for adorning the gospel of God; and to have glory, that you may see God and enjoy him.  These things are the best things; this is undoubtedly the better part, which will never be taken from them [Luke 10:42], whose choice through grace it is.

2.       What way may folk labor to come to make this choice, and to attain these best and most valuable things?  No other way but that the doctrine holds out.  If all things that lead to life and salvation be fruits of Christ’s purchase, then surely it is by virtue of Christ’s purchase alone, that you must come by them; pardon of sin comes by the blood of sprinkling; peace with God, grace, and more grace, the exercise of grace, and growth in  holiness, faith in all its exercises and advances, and every other grace, comes by his sufferings; as also does glory, because he has purchased these graces of the Spirit, as well as pardon of sin, and heaven.  Often Christ is overlooked, and passed by here; many think that they shall obtain pardon of sin, and go to heaven without him; others, though they will not own that, yet fall in the second, and would make use of him for pardon of sin, and for paying of their debt, if they could repent and believe in him; but till they find these in themselves, they are frightened to come unto him. Whereas the sinner that is convinced of sin, and of his hazard, would lay down this as the first step of his way in coming to Christ: Any repentance, and believing, and the making of the heart willing to close with, and to cleave to him, is the fruit of Christ’s purchase, and he must be in his debt for it, for there is no other possible way to get it. The first point (to speak so), that a wakened and sensible sinner should look unto for pardon and peace, for repentance, faith and all things, would be to Christ, and his sufferings, whence all these come.  Sinners at first are disposed to take too far a look, and so mistake in the order of things; therefore, when he sense of sin pinches them, and they set out to believe, and find that their hearts are very averse from believing, and can hardly be brought to it, then they are fainted, when they consider, and find, that if it stood but on this, even to consent to take Christ, they cannot do it.  But then, and in that case, the Lord minds that they should be much in his debt, for faith, and repentance, and for a soft and tender heart, that they should seek these from him, as well as pardon of sin, considering that all this is Christ’s purchase, and that there is a possibility to come to it this way, when they can come to it no other way; if you would take this way even to eye and look to Christ as the Author and Finisher of faith, and be in his debt for it, through his grace it should go better with you.  This is that which the apostle has in Hebrews 12:1-2, where he calls, to lay aside every weight and the sin that easily besets us, and to run the race with patience that is set before us. And if it should be said, ‘How shall that be done?’ even by looking unto Jesus the Author an Finisher of our faith; and then follows, Who for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, and despised the shame; thus leading folk unto his sufferings as the solid foundation of their faith.”

Durham, James. Christ Crucified: The Marrow of the Gospel in 72 Sermons on Isaiah 53, Dallas: Naphtali Press, 2007, p458-461

Hypocrite or Ambassador?

“For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written.” ~ Romans 2:24

 “The name of the true God was blasphemed among the Gentiles because the people that should have been growing in the image of the holiness of God were walking in sin behind a mask of hypocrisy.  Even if man is unaware of it, God knows that it is a monstrous thing that those who derive their glory from God should disgrace His holy name.”

“And when they entered unto the heathen, whither they went, they profaned my holy name, when they said to them, These are the people of the LORD, and are gone forth out of his land. But I had pity for mine holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the heathen, whither they went. Therefore say unto the house of Israel, thus saith the Lord GOD; I do not this for your sakes, O house of Israel, but for mine holy name's sake, which ye have profaned among the heathen, whither ye went. And I will sanctify my great name, which was profaned among the heathen, which ye have profaned in the midst of them; and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, saith the Lord GOD, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes.” ~ Ezekiel 36:23

 “Finally, a word to you who have named the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and who seek to follow Him, do not be downcast because of the failures of some believers.  You are not to be critical of those who, like Peter, have moments when they follow afar off.  It is true that men are going to judge your God by you.  They will blaspheme Him if you betray His holiness and righteousness.  But they will glorify Him if they see your honest effort to follow after Him, believing in Him, and giving Him the glory for all of the triumphs of your life, accepting in yourself the responsibility for all of the failures and defeats.”

“It is a wonderful thing to be an ambassador, but it carries with it high responsibilities as well as great privileges.  To every Christian, therefore, comes the bold challenge of the Word of God. The Lord tells us that He has placed His interests in our hands.  Paul writes to the Corinthians: “Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.” (2 Corinthians 5:20).

“The function of ambassador carries with it all of the honor and dignity of the homeland.  If we have the smile of God, we do not need to be concerned if we have the frown of the world.  But the smile of the world will be of no value whatsoever if we have the frown of God.”

“ God has told us that we are to live so that men will not blaspheme Him but that they will glorify Him. The Lord Jesus told His own that they were the salt of the earth.  Not only does salt give flavor to food and preserve it from rotting but it still has another function that is important. As the Chinese girl in a Bible study discussion group pointed out, salt makes one thirsty.  This should be the quality of the Christian as the salt of the earth. Men should see the way that he lives, the evident joy of his being, the manifest power at work in his life, and should say, “There is a person who has something that I do not have. I want it.”  Take heed lest you as a Christian so live that you become savorless salt, thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out and trodden under the foot of men (Matthew 5:13).”

“Again the Lord Jesus told His followers that they were the light of the world. He desires His own to be in the world as a city set on a hill.  He pointed out that men do not light a candle and put it under a bushel basket, but on a candlestick where its light can banish the surrounding darkness. So, said Christ, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).”

“There is the great alternative that is set before us as Christians today.  We can live in such a way that men will blaspheme the name of the Lord because of us. We can live in such a way that men will see our good works and glorify our Father which is in heaven.  In this world where man stands in size about middle distance between an atom and a planet, he may count for much or little in the measurements of men. But when we see that the believer has been placed in this world as an ambassador with the possibility of bringing glory to the Lord of Hosts, then the function of being a Christian becomes more important than life itself.  Living as a Christian is seen to be the chief purpose of man’s existence; and, if we enter into the divine purpose, He will give us Himself that we may enjoy Him forever.”

Barnhouse, Donald Gray. Expositions of Bible Doctrines Taking the Epistle to the Romans as a Point of Departure. Vol. 1. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, n.d. 119-122,129-131. 4 vols. Print.

Moses May Be More Important To Your Faith Than You Know

^“And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape. And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not. Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.”

“Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust. For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me; for he wrote of me. But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?” ~ John 5:37-40; 45-47

“The Lord Jesus appealed to the Old Testament.  He said (v39), “ Ye search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.” In other words, Jesus was saying, “The Old Testament was written about Me.” He continues, “And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.” A few verses further on He completes the argument with a devastating comparison: “Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust. For had ye believed Moses [that is, Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy] ye would have believed me; for he [Moses] wrote of me.” Thus again He makes the claim to be the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies.  But now He goes much further and says, “But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?”

“Let us understand clearly what this means. We will paraphrase it: If you do not believe the writings of Moses, Genesis to Deuteronomy, Christ says that you never will be able to believe Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, the four gospels.”

“It is an astounding claim and one that explains many things.  The Lord says that faith cannot pick and choose within the Word of God.  You have to take the whole of the revelation of God or you cannot have any of it.  The Lord says that failure to believe the earlier books of the Bible would make it impossible to believe the gospel story.  It is a tremendous revelation of the nature of the evil heart of unbelief.  It is also a most revealing comment on why Satan levels so many attacks upon the book of Genesis.  The Devil knows that if he can create unbelief in the beginning of the Word of God, he has made it impossible for any man to trust in the heart and center of the Word of God, for Jesus Christ, the living Word, and the Bible, all of it, the written Word are one.  It is impossible to separate them.”

Barnhouse, Donald Gray. Expositions of Bible Doctrines Taking the Epistle to the Romans as a Point of Departure. Vol. 1. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, n.d. 34-35. 4 vols. Print.

Believer’s Should Be Humble, As All The Grace They Have Is Received

 “For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?” ~ 1 Corinthians 4:7

“Oh! But it is unsuitable to believers, who are free grace’s debtor’s and beggars to be proud and forget themselves.  You have nothing, believer, to boast of, but that he has shamed you with his grace; and should you be proud of that, as if you had made yourself thus? Therefore guard watchfully against all puffing up, self conceit, and high mindedness, and study to be humble, and to carry a low sail, else you may break into some scandalous offence, and may become a shame and reproach to the gospel.  We commend humility to you above many things; for we think that in these days, folks’ pride is like to break their necks.  For when once conceit creeps in, they begin to think they are so far advanced in holiness, that they must not keep company with others, nor join in worship with them; and from that they go to another thing, and from that to a third, and it is hard to tell where they will halt or end.  They grow so giddy, that they are scarcely like to leave so much ground as themselves may stand upon.  Oh! Think shame of pride; it is a most intolerable thing to be proud of that which God has given, wherein you have no more hand, and whereof you can no more boast, than they who never had it.”

“Be thankful, and give God the praise of that you have gotten. It becomes the upright to be thankful.  It is no little matter to have God’s power manifested in the working of faith, and conferring grace; the temporal throne and kingdom, and great things in the world, are nothing to this.  Many get their fill of this world, who never get, nor will get this.  The world is of so little value with the Lord, that (so to speak) he does not much regard who get it, though it be exactly distributed by his providence; but converting and up-building grace is peculiarized to his favorites.  Being therefore  clear that he has bestowed grace on you, O how should you exult in blessing God (as David did) for giving you counsel to make choice of such a portion, and for his powerful determining of your heart by his grace to embrace it, for which you have not yourselves to thank, but God!”

“Be compassionate and tender towards others, considering that it is only grace that has made the difference between you and them, and not any good nature in you, which was not in them, as some foolishly fancy.  Be not puffed up at the faults and falls of any, but rather mourn for them, as well as for your own; and be more humble, when you think of the difference that grace has made, lest you fall; and since your standing is by grace, be not high-minded, but fear.  Of all persons, it worst becomes you to look lightly on, let be to mock at the falls of others, considering who, and what, has made the difference.”

“If it is so peculiar a privilege, to be partakers of this powerful and special grace of God that is put forth in the great work of conversion; then surely there is something peculiar called for in your conversation, even that it may in all things be as it becomes the gospel, and answerable to this grace bestowed on you.  O what manner of persons ought you to be, in all holy conversation and godliness.”

Durham, James. Christ Crucified: The Marrow of the Gospel in 72 Sermons on Isaiah 53, Dallas: Naphtali Press, 2007, p173-174

The Several Kinds and Properties of Faith

[1] “Historical Faith – is when people hearing the Word preached or read, they assent to the truth of it all. And they do not question, but that Christ came to the world; that he was God and man in one person; that he died and rose the third day, and ascended to heaven; that they that believe on him shall be saved, etc., and taking the word to be God’s Word, they may give to it a higher ascent than they give to any man’s word, because God is worthy of more credit than any man, yea than all men, and angels too.”

“There are many, who if they believe Christ to be God and man, and the Word to be true, think it enough; yet James, having to do with such, tells them that the devils believe as much as that, and more thoroughly than many that have historical faith. He knows God to be true, and one that cannot lie, and he finds it to his cost, and as the devil has this faith, so there are many in hell that have it too.”

“Historical faith is the first step of faith; but it may be in hell, and so in many in whom saving faith is not. It is really a wonder that folks that are called Christians should own this to be saving faith, and think they are welcome to, when they are only come the devils length in believing. Yea, there are many that never come this length, else they would tremble more.”

[2] “The Faith of Miracles – There was an active faith to work miracles, and a passive faith to receive the particular effect the miracle did produce. Some had the faith of miracles to heal, and others to be healed. This is an extraordinary thing, and folks may go to heaven without it, and go to hell with it, though they cannot go to heaven without historical faith (Matthew 7:22-23, 1Corinthians 13:2). This faith of miracles avails not alone to salvation, because it acts not on Christ held out in the promises, as a Savior from sin; but on Christ, as having power and ability to produce such an effect, which may be, where there is no quitting of man’s own righteousness, and if there be not grace in the person who has it, it is an occasion of pride. We call you then to historical faith, as necessary, though not sufficient; but not to the faith of miracles, it being neither necessary nor sufficient.”

[3] “Temporary Faith – spoken of in Matthew 13, and set out under the parable of the seed sown on the stony ground which soon springs up, but withers. Some hearers of the gospel receive the Word with joy, and are affected with it, but endure not. The difference between this and historical faith, is that historical faith, as such, consists in the judgment, and reaches not the affections; at best it reaches not the affection of joy, for the devils tremble, yet they are never glad. Temporary faith reaches the affections, and will make a man as to tremble at the threatening, as Felix did, so some way to delight himself in the promises of the gospel, and to smack them, as it were, from the apprehension of the sweet taste and relish he finds in them. It is even here (as it were) told a whole man, that a physician is come to town, he is neither up nor down with it; but tell it to a sick man, and he is glad, from an apprehended possibility of the cure. Yet the apprehended possibility of the cure never sends him to the Physician, not puts him to apply the cure.”

[4] “Saving Faith – which goes beyond all the rest, and brings the sick man to the Physician to make use of the cure. There may be some measure of true saving faith, where there is not much temporary faith or moving of the affections; and there may be a considerable measure of temporary faith, where there is no saving faith at all. Even as a fallen star may seem to glance more than a fixed one that is overclouded, yet it has no solid light. Know then, that faith is called for; but take not every sort of faith for saving faith. It would make tender hearts bleed, to see so many mistaken in the matter of their faith; there are some who say, they had faith all their days. O that you were convinced of the lamentable deceit and delusion that you are under, and that you could distinguish between faith and presumption, between historical and temporary faith, and true saving faith. Though the two former be not delusions; but insofar as you rest on the same, and take them for saving faith, you are deluded; for saving faith puts you out of yourselves, to rest on Jesus Christ.”



Durham, James. Christ Crucified: The Marrow of the Gospel in 72 Sermons on Isaiah 53, Dallas: Naphtali Press, 2007, p90-92

Blessedness (2)

“Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart.” Psalm 119:2

“The blessed are those who treasure God’s testimonies.  That is, they understand them, love them, and practice them.”

“To keep God’s testimonies means to consider them with the mind.  They must be studied and understood thoroughly.  But certainly it also means more than just cognitive apprehension of propositions.  For unless the “head” knowledge of the law trickles down into the “heart,” it would be impossible to “keep” the testimonies of the Lord in such a way as to affect ones outward life.  To keep the testimonies in one’s heart requires an emotional affection for them.  The believer must love God’s testimony. Simply expressed, the blessed are so attached to the truths of God’s testimonies that they are disposed to abide by them in their daily life,”

“The blessed man has drunk deeply from God’s reservoir of truth written in the Scriptures.  Having tasted this sweet drink, he desires more and more the maker of this elixir of life.”

“The blessed one seeks after God with his whole heart.  He desires to follow his master more closely and to conform his will and lifestyle to the perfect divine will.  Of course, the blessed on e will also be zealous for his Master’s glory here on the earth.  As he seeks after God with his whole heart, he will not tolerate those who despise God and curse him.  As a result of his own delight in the law, his heart and soul will yearn for others to join with him in this seeking.  For the seeking itself is blessedness, and who but a beast would not desire it for others?”

“This Psalm sets before us a way of life.  The blessed stand undefiled, walking in God’s law, keeping his truths hidden deep within their hearts.  The blessed demonstrate this hidden treasure to those about them in their fruitful lives.  Finally, the blessed run toward the giver of all these blessings as they find God’s Word a continuous “well of water springing up to eternal life” (John 4:14NASB).”
 

Gamble, Richard. The Whole Counsel of God, Vol. 1. Phillipsburg: P&R Publishing Company,2009. P534-535

Blessedness

“Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD.” ~ Psalms 119:1

“Blessedness is found in being conformed to the word of God. The more complete the Christian’s sanctification is here on earth, the more complete his blessedness will be as well.”


“The blessed walk in the law of the Lord. They do not walk in God’s law only some of the time; they follow his commands each day and every minute. The law of the Lord is not reserved for special times of prayer and devotion; rather, no part of their day is out of the sphere of conformity to God’s holy will. The blessed walk steadily in the law; it is the road map directing today’s journey, and it plots the course for the rest of their days.”

Gamble, Richard. The Whole Counsel of God, Vol. 1. Phillipsburg: P&R Publishing Company,2009. P534