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OBEDIENCE, THE WAY TO LIFE
IN the inspired volume we do not find such a rigid adherence to systematic accuracy as the jealousies of controversial writers have subsequently introduced. The expressions which were used under the legal dispensation have been sometimes adopted also under the Christian dispensation; and the law of faith been delivered in terms nearly assimilated to those which were characteristic of the law of works. For instance, on one occasion, when a young man asked of our blessed Lord, “what he must do to obtain eternal life;” our blessed Lord answered, “If thou wilt enter into life, keep the Commandments [Note: Mat_19:16-17.].” Now, if this direction be taken without due explanation, it will altogether invalidate the Gospel of Christ, and supersede entirely the whole work which our blessed Saviour came from heaven to accomplish for us. The answer was given in order to convince this self-deluded man, that he neither had kept the Commandments, nor could keep them, perfectly; and that, consequently, he must seek for salvation in the way provided for him in the Gospel. In like manner, the passage which I have just read to you must also be explained according to the analogy of faith. If we were to interpret it as importing, that our obedience to the Ten Commandments would entitle us to heaven, we must set aside all that the holy Apostles have written, and go back to Moses as our only instructor; or rather, I must say, we must consign over to perdition every child of man; since God has declared, that “by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified [Note: Rom_3:19-20.].” To prevent any such fatal mistake, I will unfold to you,
I. The true nature of evangelical obedience—
When the commandments are mentioned, we are apt to confine our attention to the Decalogue, i. e. to the Ten Commandments which were written by God upon tables of stone, and delivered to Moses on Mount Sinai. But to us, under the Gospel, is another commandment given, and which is called in Scripture “The law of faith [Note: Rom_3:27.].” To “do God’s commandments” then, we must,
1. Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ—
[The same inspired writer, who speaks to us in the text, says, “This is God’s commandment, that we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ [Note: 1Jn_3:23.].” In truth, till we have obeyed this command, all other obedience, except so far as the mere letter of the commandments, is impracticable; and, if rendered ever so perfectly, would be utterly ineffectual for our salvation. All spiritual obedience is the fruit of faith. We have no strength for it, till we have believed in Christ. It is only by grace received from Christ that we can perform any thing that is truly acceptable to God. A tree destitute of roots might as well produce its proper fruits, and in a perfect state, as we obey the law without the communication of grace from Christ to our souls. He himself has said, “Without me ye can do nothing [Note: Joh_15:5.].”
But, supposing we could of ourselves obey the law, even in its utmost extent, which not the most perfect man that ever lived could do, seeing that “in many things we all offend [Note: Jam_3:2.],”) still we never could atone to God for the sins we have already committed: “after having done all that was required of us, we should still be only unprofitable servants [Note: Luk_17:10.].” And therefore we must come to God through Christ, relying wholly on the merits of his death, and pleading only his perfect righteousness as the ground of our acceptance before God [Note: Php_3:9.]. Till we have obeyed this command, we are under a sentence of condemnation; which can never be reversed, but through faith in Christ [Note: Joh_3:18; Joh_3:36.].]
2. Comply with the whole of His revealed will—
[The law of the Ten Commandments is not made void by the Gospel, nor is one of its requirements lessened in any degree. We are as much bound to love God with all our heart and soul, and to love our neighbour as ourselves, as Adam was in Paradise: nor if we have truly believed in Christ, shall we wish any one of its demands to be lowered. We shall see that law to be “holy, and just, and good” in every respect; and we shall pant after, and labour for, a perfect conformity to its every requirement. We shall not be satisfied with a literal observance of its precepts: we shall aspire after the highest possible attainments; and strive, according to our ability, to be “holy as God is holy, and perfect even as our Father which is in heaven is perfect” — — — At the same time, our dependence will not be on our own obedience, but on the finished work of Christ; from a full conviction that there is “no other foundation on which any man can build [Note: 1Co_3:11.],” “nor any other name but His whereby any man can be saved [Note: Act_4:12.].”]
Having shewn what evangelical obedience is, let me point out to you,
II. The blessedness attached to it—
To understand this aright, we should look to Adam in Paradise—
[He, whilst he continued in a state of innocence, had liberty to eat of the tree of life, which was to him a sacramental pledge, that, when his obedience should be completed, he should enter into the Paradise above. But when he had sinned, he was debarred from all access to the tree of life; because it could no longer be available for the benefits which, during his state of innocence, it assured to him. He might have ignorantly had recourse to it still as the means of life, if he had continued in Paradise: and therefore God drove him out from thence, and placed cherubims with a fiery sword at the gate of Eden, to prevent him from making any such rash attempt; that so he might be shut up to the salvation which was now revealed to him through the promised Seed [Note: Gen_3:22-24.].
Now the privilege which he forfeited is, through Christ, renewed to us: or rather, I should say, the privilege which he enjoyed in the shadow, is now imparted to us in the substance. He possessed his by obeying the commandments written on his heart; and we enjoy ours by obeying the commandments revealed to us in the Gospel. He possessed not his by any claim of merit, but by the free and sovereign gift of God: nor do we obtain ours but in a way of sovereign grace. Yet, as in his case, so in ours, the work and the reward are inseparable: and the very “right” conceded to him by works, is vouchsafed to us by faith. The very word which we here translate “right,” is, in another part of the same author’s works, translated “power:” “To as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name [Note: ἐ î ï õ ó ß á .].” There is between this passage and our text a perfect identity of import. In both cases, access to Christ, as the tree of life, was given by faith; and that access to Christ, and consequent participation of his benefits, was a pledge of eternal life.
True, in order to a full enjoyment of the final reward, there must be, as in Adam’s case, an obedience also to the moral law. But, in both cases, the reward is ultimately and equally of grace. What would have been vouchsafed to him without a Mediator, if he had continued obedient to God’s commands, will be vouchsafed to us through a Mediator, notwithstanding our past disobedience; provided we comply with the requisitions of the Gospel, by a life of faith, and by a life of holiness.]
In both cases, obedience is equally a condition of eternal life—
[Persons are apt to take offence at the word condition. But the word is proper or improper, according to the sense we annex to it. Strictly speaking, obedience would not have given to Adam in Paradise any claim to heaven, any further than heaven had been promised to him as a reward, in the event of his continuing faultless throughout the whole period appointed for his probation. But to a person seeking salvation by the law, it would actually give ground for boasting, because he would demand salvation as a debt. But under the Gospel, however obedient we be, our hope of salvation is founded on Christ alone; and to all eternity must the glory of it be given to him alone. Hence, when we speak of obedience as a condition of eternal life, we mean no more, than that without it no salvation can be attained; obedience being the necessary fruit of faith, and the only possible evidence of our meetness for heaven. In this, its true and only proper sense, we most cordially adopt the language of our text, and say, “Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have a right to eat of the tree of life, and enter in through the gates of the city.” Whatever was accorded to Adam in Paradise, during his obedience to the law, shall be vouchsafed to us, if we be obedient to the Gospel. Was he strengthened and comforted by the tree of life? so shall we be, by a life of faith on Christ Jesus, who is the tree of life which beareth twelve manner of fruits—the summer-fruits of prosperity, and the winter-fruits of adversity, according as the necessities of his people shall require. And, as the heavenly Paradise would have been his; so will that city, described in the foregoing chapter, be ours, with the freest participation of all its riches and of all its honours.]
Application—To all then I say,
1. Perform your duties—
[Come to Christ, every one of you, as sinners, that you may be saved from wrath through him——And endeavour to live altogether to His glory, shewing forth, in all things, your faith by your works — — —]
2. Enjoy your privileges—
[Go to the tree of life; take of it freely; and eat of it every hour of your lives. You are told, that “the very leaves of that tree are for the healing of the nations.” What then shall its fruits be? Verily, a life of faith in the Son of God, as having loved you and given himself for you, shall richly supply your every want; and be not a pledge only, but a foretaste also, of heaven itself. And go now, and survey the heavenly city, its foundations, its walls, its gates of pearls, its very pavement of the purest gold: it is all yours; yours by “right,” by title, by the strongest of all possible claims—the promise and the oath of God. Live in expectation of it now, and you shall soon enjoy it for evermore.]