12. Chapter 7. The nature of purchased grace
Chapter 7. The nature of purchased grace The fountain of that purchased grace in which the saints have communion with Christ has been revealed. Next we may consider the nature of this grace. As said earlier, it has three parts: 1. Grace of acceptance by God. 2. Grace of sanctification from God. 3. Grace of privileges with and before God.
1. The first part is acceptance by God. Outside Christ, we are alienated from God, accepted neither personally nor in our services. Sin makes a separation between God and us. It is not my business here to unfold that state of separation with all its consequences. The first issue of purchased grace is to restore us to a state of acceptance. This is done two ways: (1.) By removing what we are refused for, the cause of the enmity. (2.) By bestowing what we are accepted for.
All the causes of the quarrel were to be taken away, so that we would not be under God’s displeasure. And what makes us the objects of God’s delight and pleasure was to be given to us, the lack of which distanced us from God: (1.) It removes what we are refused for, which is the guilt of sin and all its circumstances. The first effect of purchased grace is to take away the guilt of sin, so that it will not bind the soul to its wages, which is death.
How this is accomplished by Christ, was evidenced in the close of the foregoing chapter. It is the fruit and effect of his death for us. The guilt of sin was the only cause of our separation and distance from God, as has been said. This made us liable to wrath, punishment, and the whole displeasure of God.
Because of it, we were imprisoned under the curse of the law, and given over to the power of Satan. This is the state of our unacceptance. By his death, Christ delivers us from this condition. He bore the curse, underwent the punishment that was ours, and paid the ransom that was due. Thus far the death of Christ is the sole cause of our acceptance by God; all cause for the quarrel and our rejection is taken away. To that end, his sufferings are reckoned to us. Being “made sin for us,” 2 Corinthians 5:21, he is made “righteousness to us,” 1 Corinthians 1:30. But this will not complete our acceptance by God. The old quarrel may be laid aside, but no new friendship has begun. We may not be sinners, but we are not so far righteous as to have a right to the kingdom of heaven. Adam had no right to life because he was innocent. He must “do this,” and then he will “live.” He must not only have a negative righteousness (not guilty of anything), but he must also have a positive righteousness (he must do all things).
(2.) In the second place then, to our complete acceptance, we must not only escape the imputation of sin, but also be reckoned righteous. Now, this is what we have in the obedience of the life of Christ. This was also revealed in the last chapter. The obedience of the life of Christ was done for us; it is imputed to us; and it is our righteousness before God. By his obedience we are “made righteous,” Romans 5:19. The role that our obedience of faith plays will be declared later.
These two things, then, complete our grace of acceptance. Because sin is now removed, and righteousness bestowed, we have peace with God. We are continually accepted before him. There is nothing to charge us with. It is taken out of the way by Christ and nailed to his cross. It is fastened there. It is publicly and legally cancelled so that it can never be admitted as evidence again. What court of men would admit evidence that has been publicly cancelled and nailed up for all to see? This is how Christ has dealt with what was against us. Not only has he done this, but he also puts the very thing upon us for which we are received into God’s favor. He makes us attractive through his beauty. He gives us his white raiment to stand before the Lord. This is the first part of purchased grace in which the saints have communion with Jesus Christ. It consists in the remission of sin and the imputation of righteousness. It arises from the death of Christ, as a price, sacrifice, and a punishment, and from the life of Christ spent in obedience to the law. It is the great product of the Father’s righteousness, wisdom, love, and grace. It is the great and astonishing fruit of the love and condescension of the Son. It is the great discovery of the Holy Spirit in the revelation of the mystery of the gospel.
2. The second part of the nature of grace is grace of sanctification. He not only makes us accepted, but also acceptable. He not only purchases love for his saints, but he also makes them lovely. He did not come by blood alone, but by water and blood. He not only justifies his saints from the guilt of sin, but he also sanctifies and washes the filth of sin from them. The first is from his life and death as a sacrifice of propitiation. It is from his death as a purchase, and his life as an example. So says the apostle in Hebrews 9:14 and Ephesians 5:26-27.
Two things are eminent in this issue of purchased grace: (1.) The removal of defilement; (2.) The bestowing of cleanness in actual grace.
(1.) The first issue, removal of defilement, has three components:
[1.] The habitual cleansing of our nature. We are naturally unclean, defiled, and habitually so. “Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean thing?”
Job 14:4; “What is born of the flesh is flesh,” John 3:6. We are born polluted in our blood, Ezekiel 16, completely defiled. The grace of sanctification, purchased by the blood of Christ, removes this defilement of our nature. “Such were some of you; but you are washed, you are sanctified,” 1 Corinthians 6:11. “He has saved us by the washing of regeneration, and the renewing of the Holy Spirit.” Titus 3:3-5. We do not need to dispute how far this original, habitual pollution is removed. It is certain that the soul is made fair and beautiful in the sight of God. Although the sin that defiles remains in us, its habitual defilement is taken away. But handling this is not my aim.
[2.] Removal means taking away the pollution of all our actual transgressions. There is a defilement that accompanies every actual sin. Our own clothes make us abhorrent, Job 9:31. A spot, a stain, rust, wrinkle, filth, blood, attends every sin. In 1 John 1:7 we read that, “The blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin.” Besides purging the defilement of our nature (Titus 3:5), he takes away the defilement created by our actual follies. “By one offering he perfected forever those who are sanctified.” He “purged our sins” before he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, Hebrews 1:3.
[3.] In the best performances of our duties, we still have defilement, Isa.
64:6. Self, unbelief, and formality, drop themselves into all that we do. We may rightly be ashamed of our best performances. God has promised that the saints’ good works will follow them. Truly, if they were measured by the rule as they come from us, and weighed in the balance of the sanctuary, it might be better for us if they were buried forever. But as our high priest, the Lord Christ first bears the iniquity, guilt, and provocation that attends them in severe justice.”So it shall be on Aaron’s forehead, that Aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy things which the children of Israel hallow in all their holy gifts; and it shall always be on his forehead, so that they may be accepted before the LORD.” Exodus 28:38. Not only that, he washes away all their filth and defilements. He is like a refiner’s fire, purging both the sons of Levi and their offerings. Moreover, he adds sweet incense to them so that they may be accepted.
Whatever is of the Spirit, of Christ, or of grace remains. Whatever is of the self, the flesh, or unbelief, he consumes, wastes, and takes away. Thus, the saints’ good works will meet them one day with such a changed appearance that they will scarcely know what they have done. What seemed to them to be black, deformed, and defiled, will appear beautiful and glorious. They will not be afraid to acknowledge them, but will rejoice to see and trace them. This cleansing of our nature, person, and duty, has its whole foundation in the death of Christ. Hence, our washing and purifying, our cleansing and purging, is ascribed to his blood and its meritorious sprinkling. Sprinkling the blood of Christ proceeds from the communication of the Holy Spirit, which he purchased for us and promises to us. The Spirit is the pure water with which we are sprinkled from all our sins. He is that spirit of judgment and burning that takes away the filth and blood of the daughters of Zion. This cleansing of our defilement is the first thing in the grace of sanctification. There will be more about this issue later.
(2.) The second issue in this purchased grace is bestowing cleanness as to actual grace. The blood of Christ not only takes away defilement, it also gives purity. And that also takes place in a threefold gradation:
[1.] His blood gives us the Spirit of holiness to dwell in us. By procuring the Spirit of sanctification for us, “He is made sanctification to us,” 1Cor.
1:30. Our renewing is done by the Holy Spirit, who is shed on us through Christ alone, Titus 3:6. The apostle insists in Romans 8 that the primary gift of sanctification that we receive from Christ, is the indwelling of the Spirit, and our following his guidance. But what concerns the Spirit must be deferred until I discuss our communion with him.
[2.] Christ gives us habitual grace. That is a principle of grace by which we choose to live, as opposed to the principle of lust that is in us by nature. This is the grace that dwells in us, and makes its abode with us. It is called various things according to the distinct faculties of our souls through which it operates, or according to the distinct objects of its exercise. It is a whole new principle of life. In our understanding, it is light. In our will, it is obedience. In our affections, it is love. In all, it is faith. When it leads the soul to rest on Christ, it is faith. When it transports us to delight in him, it is love. But it is still one and the same habit of grace.
[3.] Christ gives us the actual influence we need to perform every spiritual duty. After the saints have been given both the Spirit and habitual grace, Christ still tells them that, “they can do nothing” without him, John 15:5.
They are still dependent on him for new influences of grace, or supplies of the Spirit. They cannot live on and spend the old stock. For every new act, they must have new grace. He must “work in us to will and to do of his good pleasure,” Php 2:13.
It is in these three briefly described aspects of sanctification in purchased grace, looking at purity and cleanness, that we have communion with Christ.
3. The third part of the nature of grace consists in our privileges to stand before God. These privileges are of two sorts, primary and consequential. The primary privilege is adoption, receiving the Spirit of adoption. Consequential privileges are all the favors of the gospel, which only the saints have a right to. But I will speak of this when I come to communion with the Holy Spirit.
These are the things in which we have communion with Christ as to purchased grace in this life. Take them to perfection, and you have what we call everlasting glory. Perfect acceptance, perfect holiness, perfect adoption, the full inheritance of sons: that is glory.