2 Corinthians 5:21

DISCOURSE: 2023
THE WAY OF RECONCILIATION WITH GOD

2 Corinthians 5:21. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

A MORE important question cannot be asked than this, “How shall man be just with God?” In the words before us, that question is resolved. The Apostle has before declared in more general terms, that “God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them:” but in our text he enters more particularly into the subject, and informs us, that, in order to effect a reconciliation between our offended God and us, God caused a double transfer to be made; first, of our sins to Christ, that they might be punished in him; and next, of Christ’s righteousness to us, that it might be rewarded in us, and that we might be accepted through it. This doctrine of the mutual transfer of our sins to Christ, and Christ’s righteousness to us, being not generally understood, we will,

I. Explain it—

Two things are to be explained:

1. The imputation of our sins to Christ—

[It is an undoubted fact, that the Lord Jesus Christ died under the curse of God’s broken law. But was he himself a sinner? No: in him was no sin: both in his Divine and human nature he was perfectly holy: and he was able to appeal to his bitterest enemies, “Which of you convinceth me of sin?” Indeed, if he had had sin himself, he could not have atoned for our sins. The lamb that was slain at the passover was to be without spot or blemish: and such was Christ, after the fullest possible examination, proclaimed to be by the very judge who condemned him. It was for our sins that he died: they were laid upon him by his own consent, that they might be punished in him, and that through his vicarious sacrifice we might be absolved. This will be best understood by the sacrifices which were offered under the law. The person who had sinned was exposed to the wrath of his offended God. But by God’s appointment he brought an offering, a bullock or a kid, and, after putting his hands upon the head of his offering in token of his transferring his guilt to it, the victim was slain in his stead, and he was absolved from his guilt. The particular command, that the offender should put his hand on the head of his offering, place beyond all reasonable doubt the point we are insisting on [Note: Leviticus 4:4; Leviticus 4:15; Leviticus 4:24; Leviticus 4:29. See also particularly Leviticus 16:21.] — — —]

2. The imputation of Christ’s righteousness to us—

[Man, though forgiven, was still incapable of fulfilling perfectly in future the law of God, and consequently was incapable of working out a righteousness wherein he could stand before God. A righteousness therefore was provided for him fully adequate to all the demands of God’s holy law, even the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by his own obedience unto death, not only “made an end of sin, and reconciliation for iniquity, but brought in also an everlasting righteousness [Note: Daniel 9:24.],” which is “unto all, and upon all them that believe in him [Note: Romans 3:21.].” It is on this account that he is called, “The Lord our righteousness.” Thus, “He is made righteousness unto us,” and we are made, as our text expresses it, “the righteousness of God in him.” It is not to be expected that this should be capable of such illustration as the former point, because nothing similar to it ever did, or could, exist: yet we may behold something of the kind in the very sacrifices which were first offered. We are informed, that, after their fall, our first parents “sewed fig-leaves together, and made themselves aprons,” because by their sin they had made themselves naked to their shame. But God, we are told, “made coats of skins, and clothed them [Note: Genesis 3:7; Genesis 3:21.].” If it be asked, of what beasts were these skins? we answer, of those beasts which God had previously appointed to be offered in sacrifice to him: (for, if this was not the time when sacrifices were ordained, we have no account whatever of their first institution, notwithstanding they were undoubtedly of Divine origin:) and the very beasts which died as sacrifices for their sins, provided them also with clothing to cover their nakedness. Thus the Lord Jesus by his death atones for our sins, and by his righteousness clothes us as with an unspotted robe, in which we stand before our God without spot or blemish [Note: Isaiah 61:10.]

But as this doctrine is disputed by many, we will proceed to,

II.

Vindicate it—

Some deny this doctrine as unscriptural, whilst others abuse it to licentiousness: but against all we will vindicate it as the only true way of reconciliation with God: against,

1. The proud infidel—

[One will say, this doctrine of a mutual transfer is not agreeable to my reason. But reason is not competent to judge of these matters. This is a point of pure revelation: and the office of reason in relation to it is, not to sit in judgment upon it, but to inquire whether it be really revealed: and, if it be, then is it to be assented to as true, whether we can comprehend it or not. But it is not at all repugnant to reason. We see daily somewhat of a similar nature transacted before our eyes. A man has made himself surety for his friend; that friend becomes insolvent; and his debt is required at the hands of his surety. If it be not discharged, the surety is imprisoned: but if the surety discharges the debt, the original debtor has no further claim made upon him. Thus do reason and experience fully sanction the substitution of the innocent for the guilty, and the liberation of the guilty through the sufferings of the innocent. And that this is the way for man’s reconciliation with God, is abundantly testified throughout all the inspired writings. That the types are all founded in this notion, has already appeared: and the prophecies declare the same with one voice. No one can read the fifty-third chapter of Isaiah and doubt of this truth. “All our iniquities were laid upon him:” “he was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and by his stripes we are healed.” The New Testament speaks the same language throughout: “He bare our sins in his own body on the tree,” and “suffered, the just for the unjust [Note: 1 Peter 2:24; 1 Peter 3:18.].” Here there is a substitution of Christ in the place of sinners: just as it is said, that peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die; that is, would die in his place, in order to preserve his life; so Christ died for, and in the place of, the ungodly, that by his own death he might preserve them from everlasting death [Note: Romans 5:6.]. Yes, however the scoffing infidel may deride these things, they are the very truth of God; nor is there any other way of reconciliation for any child of man.]

2. The self-righteous Pharisee—

[Many will admit that Christ died for sinners, who yet cannot receive the idea of his righteousness being imputed to them for their justification before God. They think that, though Christ by his death atoned for our sins, we are to procure for ourselves a title to heaven by a righteousness of our own. But this cannot be; for it would give to man a ground of glorying before God, when God has expressly said that all boasting is excluded by the Gospel, and that men must glory in Christ alone. This was the great error of the Pharisees of old; and it proved a stumbling-block to them to their everlasting ruin [Note: Romans 9:31; Romans 10:1.]. This is the great error of the Papists also, and, more than all other things, contributed to stir up the more enlightened part of the Christian world to separate themselves from the corruptions of the Church of Rome. Happy would it be, if many, who call themselves Protestants, did not in this matter go back again to the heresies which they profess to have renounced! But however pertinaciously men cling to the covenant of works, they never can obtain salvation by it: they must lay hold on the covenant of grace: they must renounce their own righteousness, even as the Apostle Paul himself did, and seek for acceptance by Christ’s alone [Note: Philippians 3:9.]: “in Christ shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory [Note: Isaiah 45:25.].”]

3. The Antinomian professor—

[There are, it must be confessed, some who abuse the doctrine of our text, and maintain, that, because Christ is our righteousness, we need no righteousness of our own. They acknowledge indeed that Christ is our sanctification: but they suppose that his sanctification is imputed to us in the same way as his righteousness. But this is contrary both to reason and Scripture; for sanctification necessarily implies a change both of heart and life. We may easily conceive righteousness to be imputed, and that persons not righteous in themselves, may be dealt with as righteous on account of the righteousness of another: but it is not possible that a person can be made inwardly holy by the holiness of another, any more than a dead tree can be made a fruitful one by having the fruit of another tree suspended on it. And the Scripture universally requires us to be daily putting off the old man and putting on the new. If real and radical holiness be not required of us, why is it so strongly and so continually inculcated throughout all the apostolic writings? Of those who deny that the law is to the believer a rule of life, we would ask one question: What does the law require which the Gospel does not? The law requires us to love God with all our heart and mind and soul and strength, and our neighbour as ourselves; and what does the Gospel require less? What part of our duty does it dispense with? Alas! it is a fatal error to imagine that holiness is not as necessary now as formerly. Were this true, Christ would actually be a minister of sin, in that he would be vacating the obligations of God’s law, which is as immutable as God himself. For our justification, it is true, we do not need any righteousness of our own; and if we were to attempt to unite our righteousness to that of Christ, we should make void the whole Gospel; and Christ would have died in vain. But to attest the reality of our faith, and manifest our love to Christ j to glorify our God on earth, and obtain a meetness for heaven, holiness is absolutely indispensable; and if we cultivate it not, even universal holiness of heart and life, we shall never see the kingdom of God.]
Having thus endeavoured to establish the doctrine of our text, we proceed,

III.

To improve it—

1. Let no man despair of mercy—

[What can any person want in order to his reconciliation with God, which has not been already wrought? There is a perfect atonement for your sins, and a perfect righteousness for your justification; and the benefits of both are offered you freely, without money and without price. All that is necessary to your reconciliation on God’s part, is already done by Jesus Christ: and all that remains to be done on your part, is to receive gratefully what God offers freely. Truly this is, if I may so call it, the religion of a sinner: it is suited to sinners of every class: and wherever it is received in truth, it shall prove effectual for our present peace, and our everlasting salvation.]

2. Let no man attempt to alter the plan which God himself has devised—

[We are ever leaning to the side of self-righteousness. But the righteousness which God imputes to us is, and ever must be, “a righteousness without works [Note: Romans 4:6.].” We must be justified freely by God’s grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. Why should we wish to alter this? What is it less than madness for a person destitute of one single farthing to undertake to pay ten thousand talents, when he may be freely forgiven his whole debt? Be content to be indebted wholly to the grace of God and the mediation of the Lord Jesus: and let God alone be exalted in your salvation.]

3. Let all who embrace this salvation endeavour to adorn it—

[This is the duty of all, and the privilege of all; this is what “the grace of God teaches us;” and it is a most important end of our union with Christ [Note: Romans 7:4.]. Are you reconciled to God? endeavour henceforth to manifest your friendship towards him in every possible way. Think not much of any thing you are called either to do or suffer for his sake. Can any thing be too much to do for one who has done so much for you, or to suffer for one who has suffered so much for you? If a man will lay down his life for an earthly friend, of how small account should you reckon any temporal interests, or even life itself, for such a friend as this? Seek to know more and more of this stupendous mystery revealed in our text: and, whilst you are filled by it with rapturous admiration, give full scope to all its transforming efficacy, till it has changed you into the very image of your God.]