14. Christ the Author of Salvation

CHRIST THE AUTHOR OF SALVATION.

“There is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved,” Acts 4:12. The sacred scriptures abundantly testify that human nature, by the apostasy, lost its purity and dignity; lost divine approbation; contracted guilt, and incurred the displeasure of heaven. The sacred scriptures testify that from this sinful, unhappy condition, it could not, by its own power and wisdom, extricate itself. Without foreign aid it must for ever remain in a state of sin and wretchedness. The same sacred scriptures reveal a Savior; a personage, who came to seek and save that which was lost. He was early promised to the world; and he was revealed by the name Savior.

Salvation was promised through him. God, by his prophet declared, saying, “Israel shall be saved in the Lord, with an everlasting salvation^ By the same prophet he foretold the blessing of the Messiah to the world. “I will give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth. My salvation is gone forth, the isles shall wait upon me, and on mine arm shall they trust. In those days shall Judah be saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell safely; and this is the name wherewith he shall be called. The liord, our Righteousness.” A short time before Christ was born, an angel appeared unto Joseph, and directed him to call the child, which was to be born of Mary, Jesus. This name was given him on account of its appropriate CHRIST THE AUTHOR OF SALVATION. Uil

Signification. He was to be a Savior; and the name Jesus, has that import. Christ said of himself, “The Son of man is come to save that which was lost.”

Zacharias, under the influence of the Holy Spirit, said, “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people; and hath raised up an horn of salvation for us.” At the birth of Christ an angel declared the joyful event, saying, “Unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.” The devout Simeon took the child Jesus in his arms. Under the influence of God’s Spirit, and in rapture with the prospect of Christ’s blessings, he said, “Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word; for mine eyes have seen thy salvation.’ Christ, speaking of the love of God said, “God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved.’ Christ repeatedly conveyed the idea that he was the Savior of the world; and the universal tenor of his works confirmed his word. The apostles abundantly inculcated the sentiment that Christ is the Savior of the world. “Through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved. Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. He is also able to save them to the uttermost, that come unto God by him. The Father hath sent the Son to be the Savior of the world.” It is a prominent doctrirte of the New Testament that Christ is the Savior of the world.

Christ saves sinners from their sins. When he surveyed mankind after the apostasy, and by his allseeing eye looked through every generation to the close of time, he perceived that all were corrupt; that all had gone out of the way; that there was none that did good, no not one. He perceived that they might be saved from their sins; and he undertook the work. He had authority to send the Holy Spirit into the world to repair human nature; to support and 182 CHRIST THE AUTHOR GF SALVATION. comfort people in the way of obedience. This step was necessary, because, according to divine constitution, no unclean thing was suffered to enter into the kingdom of heaven. Christ had authority to adopt and prosecute this method; for all authority in heaven and on earth was given to him. When he saw his disciples sorrowful because he was about to leave the Avorld, he promised to send them the Comforter, who would reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment; and who would guide them into all truth, and teach them all things. The scriptures attribute a change of heart, or the washing of regeneration to the Holy Spirit. As Christ sends the Holy Spirit into the world to do this office, the same work, the work of sanctification is attributed to him. Paul, to the Corinthians, makes his salutation to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus. He adds, “ye are sanctified in the name of the Lord Jesus.” By sanctifying sinners by his Spirit, Christ saves sinners from their sins. Those, who are born of his Spirit are saved from the dominion of sin. They cease to relish it. They cease to practise it habitually. They are saved from the bondage of the great adversary. If sanctification be not complete in this life; if ihey, at times fall into transgression, yet they experience a great deliverance from sin and from the power of the great adversary; and they are brought into the liberty of the sons of God.

Christ saves the human body from the dominion of death. In consequence of sin, a sentence of mortality was pronounced upon the human race. This sentence, with a few individual exceptions, and with the exception of those, who will be living on the earth at the day of the resurrection, has been, and will be carried into execution. The human family generally have been and will be under the empire of death.

Christ has given assurance that death will, one day, be swallowed up in victory; that he will reanimate and reorganize the lifeless bodies of the human race, and render them immortal.

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Clirlst not only saves sinners from sin; their bodies from a continuation of death; but he saves their souls from destruction. He has obtained reprieve for the human race. He has magnified the divine law and made it honorable. He has proposed conditions, favorable conditions to the guilty race of man, on which he will forgive their sins, and present them to the Father justified in his sight. Had not Christ interposed in behalf of sinners; became a curse for them, they must have suffered the penalty of the law, and be for ever banished from the enjoyment of God, and suffer his indignation for ever. But Christ has prepared the way for the return of sinners to holiness and happiness. He offers gracious conditions on which he will restore them; and he affords aid to assist them to fulfil those conditions. He has given assurance that he will save from the second death all those, who repent of sin and put their trust in him.

Christ saves sinners by his own sacrifice. He made his soul an offering for sin. By this sacrifice he supported the honor of God’s law; and the rights of God’s throne while he procured remission of sin for penitent sinners.

After Jesus Christ had paid a ransom for sinners, he was in a capacity to make intercession with the Father for those, who believed on his name. The Sacred Scriptures bear testimony that he is a Mediator; makes intercession for believers; and that his intercession will be prevalent. “There is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. He is the Mediator of a better covenant. He made intercession for the transgressors. Who also maketh intercession for us. We have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the rii>hteous.” God by covenant has assured his Son that he shall see of the travail of his soul and be satisfied. A portion of the human race will listen to the calls of the Gospel; will yield to the influences of the Holy Spirit and embrace the Savioi-. For this portion of 184 CHRIST THE AUTHOR OF SALVATION- the human race, Christ will intercede. The Father dehghteth in his Son and he dehghteth to grant his requests. None that cometh to the Father by him shall in any wise be cast out. The near relationship, which subsists between Christ and his subjects, argues that he will save them.

He is the Ruler of his people. He is frequently styled, in the Scriptures, Governor and King. God, by the Psalmist, saith, “I have set my King upon my holy hill of Zion.” The prophet Zechariah, in view of the approach of the Messiah, breaks out in this elevated strain, “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout O daughter of Jerusalem, thy King cometh unto thee, he is just and having salvation.’ Nathanael, that Israelite, in whom was no guile, addressed Christ in the most decisive language; “Thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.” It was prophesied of the Messiah, that the government should be upon his shoulder. As Christ is King of his people, he will save them from all their enemies. It is the characteristic of a good ruler, as he has ability, to save his subjects from their foes; to deliver them from evils, and secure them from danger. Christ is a wise, powerful, and good Ruler. He will therefore save his own peculiar people. If he suffers them, at times, to be chastised by their enemies; he suffers it no farther than it serves as salutary discipline. He will hnally lead them to victory and to salvation.

Christ styles himself a shepherd, “the good Shepherd.” As it is the duty of a shepherd to feed his sheep and secure them from beasts of prey; so Christ supports his flock; secures them from their enemies, and finally saves them. Christ claims the relationship of bridegroom to his church. This figurative appellation conveys the idea of the most intimate union, and of the most endearing care and affection. A mother may forget her tender offspring, but Christ declares that he will not forget his church. Arguments need not be multiplied to prove that Jesus Christ is the CHRIST THE AUTHOR OF SALVATION. 185

Author of salvation. The Sacred Scriptures bear testimony to the truth of this doctrine; and if they be true, the doctrine of salvation by Christ is also true.

Upon this ground mankind are, with propriety, required to put their trust in him; to apply to him for every aid, and commit their highest concerns to his hands. The inference then is plain that Christ is not merely a man. The Scriptures expressly declare, “Cursed be the man that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arm.” But, -’Blessed is the man (hat trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is.” It is not reasonable that a mere man could work out such a complete righteousness, that offers of pardon and salvation could be consistently made to the human race. No man liveth, or ever lived, and sinned not. Consequently no man can save himself. He can make no expiation for his own sins, excepting by suffering the threatened penalty. If he cannot save himself, it is presumable that he cannot save others. If a man were appointed to be the author of salvation, by making satisfaction for sin, by officiating as mediator between God and the human race, and forgiving their offences; it would greatly diminish the dignity of the divine character; it would greatly diminish the evil of sin; it would greatly diminish the price and the value of salvation; it would contract every part of the work of redemption.

Similar objections lie against the hypothesis that a superangelic creature was the author of salvation.

Whoever the Savior is, whatever his nature and his character are, the Sacred Scriptures attribute to him the highest excellences; the highest honors; the highest authority; and require the highest love to be exercised toward him. God has given us the Sacred Scriptures to be the object of our faith and the rule of our practice. Can it be supposed that God, who is jealous for the honor of his name; who is jealous for the rights of his throne, would appoint a creature, (of 24

* 186 CHRIST THE AUTHOR OF SALVATION. however exalted nature,) to take his place; to receive his authority; to do his works; to receive the glory which is due only to himself and be the object of the highest love of the human race? Will God suffer a creature to be on equality with himself in the work of redemption, the noblest of all his works? Will he, who has manifested the strongest displeasure against idolatry, encourage, nay, require the human race to pay divine honors to one of his creatures? There is not such inconsistency; there is not such contradiction in the divine Mind.

It is rational to suppose that the Author of salvation has a nature and character proportionate to the work. It appears that it would require as great power, as deep wisdom, as much goodness, to repair and restore a ruined world, as it required to create it.

He alone, that required obedience to the divine law, has authority to forgive sin. He alone that formed the mechanism of the human mind can repair it. He alone that organized the human body and animated it with a rational soul, can reorganize and reunite it with its kindred spirit. He alone that hath all authority in heaven and in earth, can distribute reward and punishment at the day of judgment. He that doth these things is Christ; and consequently Christ is divine.