The blessed object of the Saviour’s first appearing in our world, is here distinctly stated. “But now once in the end of the world hath he appeared, to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.” He who had long been shadowed forth by Jewish sacrifices, appeared, in due time, Himself, to accomplish that which was impossible for them to do, namely, to make a full end of sin. The passage is most definite. It is the statement of Christ’s own perfect work, for the sinner, on the cross. The sinless one died for sinners. Oh! what love, grace, and goodness! “God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Rom. 5:88But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8).) To these glad tidings, faith’s answer is, “That’s me, that’s just what I am—a sinner. But God loves me—a sinner—Christ died for me—a sinner. God’s word says it, I believe it; then, oh! then, I am saved—saved through death, and happy in God’s redeeming love.” Surely this is not presumption. Oh, no! Being included in the condemnation, “all have sinned,” I am entitled to the work of grace for sinners. Hence, in place of it being presumption! it is God-honoring, Christ-exalting, soul-saving faith.
Many, at this moment, amidst the general awakening in many places, are passing through deep distress of soul about their sins. When the soul has been led to see the hatefulness of sin, in the light, and by the quickening power of God’s Spirit, it then, for the first time, gets a taste of its bitterness. It is a terrible thing to be searched by the candle of the Lord, and at the same time, to be in darkness as to the rich provisions of grace for all its need. Several cases of this kind we have lately witnessed. But, oh! who could describe the agony of a soul in this state, especially when accompanied by the stinging anguish of self-reproach. The piteous cries of such sound long in one’s ears. Oh! what an evil and malignant thing sin is.
Should this paper fall into the hands of any one who is distressed about their soul’s eternal welfare, and anxiously inquiring, “Oh! how shall I get rid of sin?” We can only reply, dear reader, that the text before us, and others of a similar nature, furnish the true answer to this important question. Christ put away sin, for us, on the cross, by the sacrifice of Himself. It was got rid of there for us, by Him, when He shed His precious blood, and we are forgiven through faith in that blood. “To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in Him shall receive remission of sins.” (Acts 10:4343To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins. (Acts 10:43).) The moment you have faith in Christ, as the Saviour, you are forgiven. “We have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.” (Eph. 1:77In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; (Ephesians 1:7).) This is true now, at this present time, of all them that believe.
The light of God having broken in upon your once benighted soul, you now see the sin for which the blessed Jesus died, and which He put away on Calvary. You are actually groaning beneath the burden of that which has no place in the sight of God; Christ, by His one perfect sacrifice, having put it all and forever away. “For by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified.” On the ground of this one offering, God says of believers, “their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.” (Heb. 10:14, 1714For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. (Hebrews 10:14)
17And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. (Hebrews 10:17).) Sin is a forgiven and a forgotten thing in the case of all who trust in Jesus. True, as children, the Father deals with them, and chastens them about their sins; but they can never be judged as sinners, Christ having been judged for them. Sin could only be got rid of by death; and the blessed Jesus, in the greatness of His love, died the sinner’s death, and thereby made a full end of his sin. This makes the matter quite plain as to how sin was completely abolished. It was by the work of Christ alone—by the sacrifice of Himself. “When he had by himself purged our sins, he sat down on the right hand of the majesty on high.” (Heb. 1-3.) Christ risen from the dead and gone up on high, is the eternal witness, that sin, and sins, root and branch, have been put away, according to the demands of the glory of God, and the entire need of the sinner. This is God’s answer to the question, and ought to satisfy every conscience, as to how sin is to be got rid of. It is done! Believe it, and let your heart be surrendered to Jesus, in love, gratitude, and praise, forever.
And now, observe, the only way for a sin-burdened soul to get relief, is through faith in the work of Christ for us. There is now, blessed be God, a work of grace in you. But the only “true ground of peace,” is the work of Christ, on the cross, for you. It is also the only ground of the work of grace in us, for how could the Spirit work in us, had not Christ died for us? The only ground of the Spirit’s work in us, is the work of Christ for us. Still, it is only through believing, that the conscience finds rest and relief—through believing what Christ is to us, and what He has done for us. Nothing but the work of Christ, will ever satisfy the conscience in the presence of God about sin. If the soul should slip into something like relief or rest, on any other ground, it will not be lasting. Its sorrows may return, and be deeper than ever, because, in such a case, it may accuse itself of hypocrisy.
But although Christ has appeared, and appeared as the putter-away of sin—as the accomplisher of the great work of grace and love for man—nevertheless, man is not forgiven, he is not saved, until he believes in the Lord himself, and has faith in His finished work. The blood of Christ is the only remedy for sin. If that remedy be neglected, the two dark clouds of death and judgment bang frowning over the sinner’s head. “It is appointed unto men once to die, and after that the judgment.” Awful indeed will be the doom of those, on whom they burst forth in their unmitigated fury, and hurl into endless woe. He who rejects the sacrifice mentioned in the 26th verse, falls back, as a matter of course, on the original appointment in the 27th verse. “The wages of sin is death,” but after that the judgment. Should death come to the sinner, before he comes to the Saviour, a still more awful death awaits him, called “the second death,” or, eternal banishment from the presence of the living God, in the gulf of hopeless despair. But, oh! how changed and different everything is to the man of faith. He is associated with Christ, who has passed through death and judgment for him. He stands with Him on the rock of resurrection, in the power of resurrection-life. Death and judgment are behind him. In Christ, he has passed from death unto life. Nothing now fills the prospect to faith, but Christ Himself, and coming glory. “Unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time, without sin unto salvation.”
Mark the expression, dear reader, in this verse, “them that look for him.” Does not this passage clearly teach us, that the true and proper position of the Christian, is to be looking for the Lord Himself. Not, certainly, for natural death, or for any other predicted event that is coming upon the earth. True, death may come before the Lord, but we are not to be looking for it. Christ Himself is our “blessed hope.” “We should allow nothing to come between the heart and Him. Then mark the happy assurance which the word here gives to the heart, “And unto them that look for him shall he appear.” They will not be disappointed. He will certainly come for them, whether they are sleeping or waking, and He will appear with them. “I will come again, and receive you unto myself, so that where I am, there ye may be also.” (John 14) Again, “When Christ who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.” (Col. 3:44When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. (Colossians 3:4).) His first appearing was in lowly grace, as the obedient servant, the doer of His Father’s will, and the accomplisher of the great work of redemption. His second appearing will be in divine majesty, and brightest glory, and all His saints with Him. Then, He will have nothing to say to sin, having made an end of it at His first appearing.
The Spirit of God here contrasts the future prospects of the man of the world, and the man of faith. The former, alas! has nothing to look forward to but death and judgment; the latter is waiting for the full salvation of God. To which of those two classes does my dear reader belong? the world or Christ? Oh! solemn, solemn question! Let it have your immediate-your undivided attention. If a single doubt clouds your mind, rest not until it is removed. Be sure that you belong, by faith, to Jesus. Are you really resting on His finished—His accepted work? Be not misled by mere appearance. So far as present appearances go, the difference between the two classes may be very little. They may live in the same house, sit at the same table, and often converse happily together on the same subjects. But notwithstanding all that, there is, in reality, a wide difference between them—a difference as wide as heaven and earth. And were the Lord to come while that difference exists, it would be widened to infinity, and the separation would be eternal. The one would be caught up to Christ and glory, the other would fall beneath the crushing stroke of the terrible judgments that are coming on the earth, after the Church has been caught away. Overwhelming thought to the affectionate Christian now! And, oh! who can tell at what moment the Lord may come? His own word is, “Surely I come quickly.” Oh! that the thoughtless, careless one, may be led to think on these eternal realities, ere it be too late. Oh! that he may be led to embrace the blessed Saviour now. To come by faith to Jesus now. He is still saying, in love, to those who are outside, “Come unto me....I will give you rest;” “Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.” Oh! then, flee at once to the arms of Jesus. Take refuge in Himself. Delay not: enter by the new and living way into the rest of God; you are welcome—welcome to the bosom of His love. He will rejoice over you with singing, and set you in His own presence, robed and jeweled according to the perfect love of His own heart, the infinite dignity of Christ, the eternal efficacy of His sacrifice, and the boundless glories of His grace.
“Stricken, smitten, and afflicted,”
See Him dying on the tree!
Tis the Christ by man rejected!
Yes, my soul, ‘tis He, tis He!
Mark the sacrifice appointed;
See who bears the awful load!
Tis the Word, the Lord’s Anointed,
Son of man, and Son of God.
Here we have a firm foundation;
Here’s the refuge of the lost;
Christ’s the rock of our salvation—
His the name of which we boast.
Lamb of God! for sinners, wounded,
Sacrifice to cancel guilt,
None shall ever be confounded
Who on thee their hope have built.