Have you and I, when reading the gospels, had our souls imbued with what Jesus was when glorifying God, as perfect Man on earth? His grace, His love, meekness, gentleness, readiness to help, wherever there was misery; His unwavering obedience and devotedness to His God and Father; His unremitting service of love to those the Father had given Him, His wisdom, His righteousness; in short all the excellencies of His person—He has given it all—He has given Himself for the church. If the 22nd Psalm, the Psalm of His Cross and of its results, closes with those blessed words: “That He hath done this;” we have here the blessed assurance, still more precious, if possible, that “He gave Himself for us” because “He loved the church!” I said “more precious still,” because I do not only find here the One Who has done the whole work, and who alone could do it, but the One Who gave Himself for the church in His relationship of love for her who is His bride, His body.
All that Jesus Christ is, in all His excellencies as the Perfect Man (and not only all that He has, which is far less, immense as that is!) is mine! Jesus Christ Himself is mine, “for He loved me, and gave Himself for me,” re-echoes the heart of His espoused bride, exulting in His love. As another has happily expressed it: “There are no qualities, no excellencies in Christ, which are not mine in the gift of Himself. He has already given them, and consecrated them to the redemption and the blessing of the church! Not only are they given, but He has given them! His love has accomplished it. Jesus—blessed and praised be His Name for it! is all mine, according to the energy of His love, in all that He is, in all circumstances, and forever, and in the activity of that love, ac cording to which He gave Himself. He loved the church, and gave Himself for it. This is the source of all our blessings, as members of the church.”