Christ our Sacrifice 1 John 2:2

Christ our Sacrifice 1 John 2:2. And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. Circumstances of a peculiar nature jus- tifies our venerable apostle in addressing his brethren in the faith in the endearing language of a father calling them his little or dear children. He was probably the only surviving apostle at the time this epistle was written, and the advanced age to which he had arrived, together with his long continued usefulness, faithfulness and love to Christians, his care and anxiety for this spiritual and eternal welfare gave him a mind of parental au- thority over them, and it was therefore peculiarly proper for him to address them as his spiritual family. Feeling the [?-] bility of his station, as a father in the church and an overseer of the flesh, of God no doubt felt it to be his duty to instruct men monefully in the doctrines of the gospel and to endeavor to establish them in the Truth before he should go home to receive his reward The things which he was about to write were for their edification and comfort, to stir up their lone minds by way of remem- brance; that they might with much watch- fulness and prayer guard against every temptation to sin; and lest, when they had fallen into sin, (as every one is liable to) they might [be] despair of pardon from God, he assured them that if any man (is any Christ- tian) sin he has an advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous; and that He was the propitiation for their lives and not for this only but also for the sins of the whole world; that he would intercede with the Farther for them and therein all might have a strong consolation, who had fled for refuge to day hold on the hope set before them. Jesus Christ is home set forth as a propiti- ation, signified according to our most approved dictionaries a sacrifice to appease Gods wrath, an atonement for a crime a propitiation. Christ was then our sacrifice to God to appease this hold wrath, to answer the demands of the divine love against the sinner and to render the great Jehovah propitious towards us that we might approach onto Him in hopes of pardon. He was an atonement for our sins therefore we will pursue the subject under the term Atonement and endeavor I To show the design, and II The extent of the atonement. I We shall endeavor to show the design of the atonement [?]. That it was to tame away sin, to make forfeit satisfaction to the divine law; to answer its demands again [?] the sinner, that night be justi- fied, not by his own works for, by the deeds of the law shall no flesh be justified, but by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. The law of God regained of men perfect obedience to every article thereof, upon, which conditions life was promised, but man being left to this freedom of his own will, soon transgressed by the com- mands of God and thus brought death on himself and ruin on his posterity. The law broken and justice de- manded satisfaction, which man was unable to make, in consequence of the impurity of his nature, therefore he must suffer its penalty [?] eternal death. there was no [?] arm, that could bring salvation. Justice was about to be executed upon the sinner, when He [?] [?] Son of God beheld him and [?] his condition, and freely offered to take on himself the worth of mans redem- ption [and] to suffer in his stead. He offered himself without [?] to God. That the sinner through Him might be justified and [?] to divine favor. He [?] forth his most precious blood to wash away the sinners guilt to deliver him from the curse of the law, which would inevibly send him to hell -- He died the just for the un- just that He might bring sinners to God. He [thoroughly?] repaived the breach in the divine law, and opened a way whereby sinners might obtain salva- tion from their sins and rest in the Kingdom of heavenly glory. But the atonement never was designed to save men their sins but from their sins [and] therefore no pardon can derive the least benefit from it, who does not forsaken his sins and cordially embrace the Lord Jesus as his Redeemer and trust in Him alone for justification. Again, The sinners guilt is not in the least di- minished by the propitiatory sacra- fice of Jesus Christ (They way only is open by which he may be justified) and if he even is saved, he is as much in- debted to divine grace as though Christ had not died, and whosoever hopes to go to heaven except through Christ the door well find himself disap- pointed when he shall see Abram and Isaac [and] Jacob in the kingdom of heav- an and himself shut out. II We are to show the extent of the atonment. For apostle appears to have dissected his epistle to the believing Jesus, and was address- ing them in particular when he said he is the we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation for our sin so that if any among those be- lieving Jesus should commit sin he had hope of pardon by the interception f this glorious Advocate and Mediator. He further observes that He was not the propitiation for their sins only but also for the whole world: that not for them only, who were Jesus; but also for believing Gentiles. But again it is said he is the propitiation for the sins of the whole word; which is to be taken in a limited sense for it is con- trary to the analogy of faith and soundness to believe that He would die to redeem for atone for those whom He knew from all eternity would not be saved: Therefore he made on atonement for all who would believe throughout the whole world whether Jew or Gentile. It may be objected by some that all will be saved that he atoned for all for it is written 1 Con. 15:33. For as in Adam all die so in Christ shall all be made alive? But this appears to have special reference to the general resurrection in which all will be made alive, the saints to everlasting glory and sinners to shame and everlasting contempt. Again it is said in Isa:53:12. He made intercession for the trans- gressions which was fulfilled in Luke 23:24. [Father forgive them] in praying for his enemies Father forgive them for they know not what they do But this must be applied to him in his human nature, in which he was bound with the rest of mankind, to do good unto them who hated him and pray for them that persecuted him. Therefore as man, he interceded for his enemies. But not as God. It may appear more plain that it was only in his human nature that he prayed for them, in which the greatness of his affection was manifested and, not their salvation inferred for He in the prayer he put up to the Father for himself in the gander of [G?], just before his [?] If it be possible let this cup [?[ from me. Matt 26:39. Whereby be signified the formidableness of the death be was to [?], and that his human nature could not but dread such a degree of suffering. This must be considered different from people, in which he presents the merits of his death as what would effectually procure His blessings purchased [?]: If Jesus made an atonement for every individual as some suppose he then delivers those from the wrath to some, who are and shall for ever be children of wrath, driven into everlasting pun- ishment when those shall be weeping and wail- ing and gnashing of teeth, which implies a plain contradiction of divine revelation. We might with as much propriety say that Christ did to save those, whom He knew would be damned, in which case he would have died in vain. This is contrary to scripture and common sense. No person would suppose that the Son of God would leave the throne of his glory and come into this low world and suffer what our Sav- iour did from the malice of his enemies unless he had some glorious worth to accomplish? Never would the Father have consented for his only begotten Son to leave his [?] for any thing short of the work for which he come [?] mans redemption, which He accomplished when He cried it is finished, and gave up the ghost. But he did not die for one [?] [?-] tain it, [?] believers, which we shall endeavor to prove and 1 They are [?] his sheep, of which He is the Shepherd. I am the good Shepherd, the good Shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. John 10:11. Therefore in this met- aphor those for whom Christ died, are distinguished from the world, as the objects of his special care and pro- tection. For Saviour further days vrse 14 I prove my sheep and am proud of mine. That is with a knowledge of affec- tion, which cannot be said with [?] to the world, for He says Matt 5:12 verily I say unto you I know you not. Again, the sheep shall obtain salvation as our Saviour says of [?] John 10: 27.28. My sheep here my voice and I [?] them, and they follow me; and I give unto them eternal life, and they than never [?-] ish; never shall any pluck them out of my hands, which cannot apply to all the world. 2 They are also called believers for whom Christ died to distinguish them from the rest of the world or those who remain in unbelief and impertinence for Christ says John 10:26 Ye believe not because ye one not of my sheep. 3 They for whom Christ died are distinguis- hed from the world by the appellation of friends John 15:12.14 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye one of my friends is ye do what- soever I command you: and they are farther distinguished from the world [?] as they are chosen by Christ and ordained that they should go and bring forth frui.t 4. They are stiled the children of God scattered abroad, who should be gathered together in one, as the consequence of his death. And Heb. 2:13. Behold I and the children God hath given me. 5 They for whom Christ died and called his church of which He is Head and Body of whom he is the Saviour in Epp. 5:28 Of these he is said to have loved and given self for, in verse 25. The church is distin- guised from the world, as gather out of it, and as being distinct body of themselves who enjoy certain privileges, which the rest of the world do not. But we are not here to understand the word church, to mean simply a number of professing people of which some are true professors of of reli- gion or others hypocrites, but to represent the true Church which is stiled the [?] of Christ and in Rev. 21:9 the Bride the Lambs wife, and is united to him by a living faith and that shall be eternally saved: being sanctified and cleansed by the washing of water by the word, which shall be pre- sented to himself a glorious church, not having spot on wrinkle or any such thing? 6 Again they are called his people whom he designs to save from their sins Matt. 1:21. who are devoted a people distinguished from the world as being zealous of good works. Titus 2:14 and therefore, however great our pre- tentions to religion one, if our religion does not lead us to grace to good works, bringing forth fruits meet from [?] we have reason to conclude that we are not of His true church. That Christ did not die alike for all man- kind, of peace from his deaths being on in- stance of the greatest love, and they who are concerned therein, are in a peculiar [?] obliged to him for it is such. It is said Rev. 1:5. He loved us and washed us form our sins in his own blood; and herein it is said Rom 5:8. God com- mendeth his love towards us for which us were yet sinners Christ died for us. The phrase while we were yet sinners appears to imply that they were at that time converts to Jesus, and moreover this epistle was directed to such as were beloved of God, eased to be saints. Rom 1:7. Surely those towards upon Christ manifested his love by dying for them, must be distinguished from the world. Our saviour [?] of this as for exceeding all that love which exists in the breasts of men for one anoth- er. John 15:13. Greater love hath no man than this that a man should lay down his life for his friends. This love is the subject matter of eternal praise of glorified [?]: And they sung a new song out of every kindred and tongue and look and nation. Rev 5:9. which plainly shows that all men are not involved; for they were re- deemed out of [?] and again Philip 1:99. Unto you its given, in behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him but to suffer for his [?] . . And again it appears that Christ did not die for all mankind by his not interceeding for them, as he saith John 17:9.20. I pray for I pray not for the world, but for them hose [?] given me for they are there. neither pray I for the alone but for then also who shall believe on me through their word.: But some 2 olly [Those who obey a] But some say certainly Christ died for all for it is said in the words of our tell that he is the propitiation for the sins of the whole world but let us consider that the worlds, all, all men, the world, all the world, are often undid in a limited manner for a [?] and not the whole. (1)The world all is evidently often used when every individual is not intended: thus we read ex. 9:6. that all the cattle of Egypt died and in the following words that none of the cattle of the children of [?] died and moneous according to verse [and] of the [?] chapter it appears that none of the cattle of the Egyp- tians died except those in the field; and it is like- wise certain that a great number of cattle were reserved to be destroyed by the plague of hail: And again we read in verse 25th that the hail and every lamb of the field, and break every tree of the field. And in Chapter. 10:5. we need of the locusts eating the residing that which escaped and remained into them of the hail. Again we read John 3.26 that Johns disciples came to him compromising that Jesus baptized and all men came to him, by which is meant nothing more than that many of the Jews attended his ministry. By what [?] have produced from scripture His ev- ident that the word all often devotes not every individual but a part of mankind. (2)We will now consider in what sense The world on all the world is often used. Thus the Pharisees said John 12:19 The world is gone after him. while the Jewish nation was a small part of the world and moreover but a small part of the Jewish nation attended our Saviours ministry. Again it is said Luke :1. There went out a [?] from Augustus that all the world should be taxed by which nothing more is intended then those countries that were subject to the Roman empire. And when the apostle tells Romans that their faith was spoken of throughout the world the only means in those churches which were planted in different parts of the world. And when :agabus (in Heb 11:28) signified by the Spirit that there should be a great dearth throughout all the world, he meant nothing more than all the adjacent country. Thus we have reason to believe that all [?], the world, and all the world, is often tame for a part of mankind, and we are confident that the phrase The whole world is on text is used in the same sense as the above cited passages, and therefore conclude that Jesus Christ is the propitiation fo sins not only for believing Jews but also for all who will believe on him throughout the world: that there is a sufficient [?] in Him for all who will repent and believe, for He says John 6:34. he that cometh unto me I will in no wise case out. Perhaps some will say that limited atonement is not consistent with the character of who is a God of justice; that it would be unjust in Him to serve only a part of man- kind and leave the rest to perish; but He has a right to do what he will with his own. But suppose eg. a rich man dwells in our neighbourhood, who is kind and charitable to the poor -- he is known generally as such whereby all the poor around hearing of what he has done for others repaid to him, make known their wants and improve relief, and all who go one relieved. He supplies the wants of all the poor but bestows nothing on the rich -- Now where is the person that would change him with injustice because he did not give to the rich as well as the poor? He he is not to be found; but all will respect and honour him as a man of goodness and justice. It is precisely the same with God in bestowing salvation. All poor broken hearted sin sick souls who feel that, without Christ, they are destitute of all things go in the character of beg- gans to God, compels their poverty, makes known their punishing condition and [?] to be fed with the crumbs of his mercy are relieved and a season of spiritual refreshment comes unto them from the presence of the Lord. Not one was even sent empty away; and yet God is charged with injustice because he does not stoop to save the selfrightesou, who are rich in themselves and are too proud hearted to go to him. God does not say I will come to you all and save you; but Come unto and I will give you rest and he who cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. Application We learn from the verse of this subject 1 That all mankind are by nature in a lost and perishing condition totally unable to do any thing for their salvation That no man could by any means redeem his brother or give to God a ransom for him; That we are all chil- dren of wrath, under condemnation for [?] believers not is condemned already. That simply satisfaction could be made we must all perish forever. and 2 We learn that a ransom is hard; That is Saviour is provided; and good news are sounding in our ears: That Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom we are chief: That a song of hope is opened to a dying world: That Jesus is the way the truth and the light, the [?] of safety, the only name given under Heaven whereby men can be saved, the door to eternal life, by which if any man enter he shall be saved How earnest then should we be, my dear friend, to [see?] an intense in Jesus since there is salva- tion in no other way; to make all diligence to to make our calling election sure. Our duty and our [inte?] are inseparably connected. It is our duty to repent of our sins and embrace the Saviour to love and serve him; [?] because he commands us to do it, and again because of the infinite debt gratitude we owe to him for what he has [do?] us and it is our inbredt so to do, for [tha?] which accompany salvation.