Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.
~ Acts 5:31
This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.
~ 1 Timothy 1:15
Forgiveness for the Greatest Sinners, by John Flavel.
Is Christ dead? And did He die the violent, painful, shameful, cursed, slow, and succorless death of the cross? Then surely there is forgiveness with God and plenteous redemption for the greatest of sinners that by faith apply the blood of the cross to their poor guilty souls. So speaks the apostle: “In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins” (Col 1:14). “The blood of Jesus Christ…cleanseth us from all sin” (1Jo 1:7). Two things will make this demonstrable.
First, that there is sufficient efficacy in this blood of the cross to expiate the greatest sins.
Secondly, that the efficacy of it is designed and intended by God for believing sinners. How clearly do both these propositions lie in the word?
First, that there is sufficient efficacy in the blood of the cross to expiate and wash away the greatest sins. This is manifest, for it is precious blood, as it is called. “Ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold…But with the precious blood of Christ” (1Pe 1:18-19). This preciousness of the blood of Christ riseth from the union it hath with that person, “who is over all, God blessed for ever” (Rom 9:5). And on that account (it) is styled70 the blood of God (Act 20:28); and so, it becomes royal, princely blood. Yes, such for the dignity and efficacy of it, as never was created or shall ever run in any other veins but His. The blood of all the creatures in the world, even a sea of human blood, bears no more proportion to the precious and excellent blood of Christ than a dish of common water to a river of liquid gold. On the account of its invaluable preciousness, it becomes satisfying and reconciling blood to God. So the apostle speaks: “And having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven” (Col 1:20). The same blood which is redemption to them that dwell on earth is confirmation to them that dwell in heaven. Before the efficacy of this blood, guilt vanishes and shrinks away as the shadow before the glorious sun. Every drop of it hath a voice and speaks to the soul that sits trembling under its guilt better things than the blood of Abel (Heb 12:24). It sprinkles us from all evil, i.e., an unquiet and accusing conscience (Heb 10:22). For having enough in it to satisfy God, it must needs have enough in it to satisfy conscience.
Conscience can demand no more for its satisfaction, nor will it take less, than God demands for His satisfaction. And in this blood is enough to give both satisfaction.
Secondly, as there is sufficient efficacy in this blood to expiate the greatest guilt, so it is as manifest that the virtue and efficacy of it is intended and designed by God for the use of believing sinners. Such blood as this was shed, without doubt, for some weighty end, that some might be the better for it. Who they are for whom it is intended is plain enough from Acts 13:39: “And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.”
That the remission of the sins of believers was the great thing designed in the pouring out of this precious blood of Christ appears from all the sacrifices that figured it to the ancient church. The shedding of that typicalƒ blood spake a design of pardon. And the putting of their hands upon the head of the sacrifice spake the way and method of believing, by which that blood was then applied to them in that way and is still applied to us in a more excellent way. Had no pardon been intended, no sacrifices would have been appointed.
Moreover, let it be considered, this blood of the cross is the blood of a surety that came under the same obligations with us and in our name or stead shed it; so, of course, (it) frees and discharges the principal offender or debtor (Heb 7:22). Can God exact satisfaction from the blood and death of His own Son, the surety of believers, and yet still demand it from believers? It cannot be. “Who,” saith the apostle, “shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died” (Rom 8:33-34). And why are faith and repentance prescribed as the means of pardon? Why doth God everywhere in His Word call upon sinners to repent and believe in this blood, encouraging them so to do by so many precious promises of remission; and declaring the inevitable and eternal ruin of all impenitent and unbelieving ones who despise and reject this blood? What, I say, doth all this speak, but the possibility of a pardon for the greatest of sinners, and the certainty of a free, full, and final pardon for all believing sinners? Oh, what a joyful sound this is! What ravishing voices of peace, pardon, grace, and acceptance come to our ears from the blood of the cross!
The greatest guilt that ever was contracted upon a trembling, shaking conscience can stand before the efficacy of the blood of Christ no more than the sinner himself can stand before the justice of the Lord with all that guilt upon him.
Reader, the word assures thee, whatever thou hast been or art, that sins of as deep a dye as thine have been washed away in this blood. “I was a blasphemer, a persecutor, injurious; but I obtained mercy,” saith Paul (1Ti 1:13). But it may be thou wilt object, “This was a rare and singular instance, and it is a great question whether any other sinner shall find the like grace that he did.” No question of it at all, if you believe in Christ as he did; for he tells us, “For this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting” (1Ti 1:16). So, upon the same grounds (that) he obtained mercy, you may obtain it also.
Those very men who had a hand in the shedding of Christ’s blood had the benefit of that blood afterwards pardoning them (Act 2:36). There is nothing but unbelief and impenitence of heart (that) can bar thy soul from the blessings of this blood.
He prayed till He groaned, He groaned till He wept, He wept till He sweat, He sweat till He bled, He bled till He died; and all to make us a warm bath wherein our cold and foul souls might be washed pure and clean. Never was anything washed at so high a rate as the Christian soul.—Thomas Adams
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