Christ Did Not Die in
Vain
Sermon Five of Six Sermons on Galatians 2:21.
"If righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in
vain." Gal. 2:21. "I do not frustrate the grace of God; for if righteousness
come by the law, then is Christ dead in vain."
You have heard of the
connection of this verse with the preceding part of the chapter; and of its
relation to the scope of the apostle, and to that point of gospel doctrine that
he is there proving; and that is, "That a man is not justified by the law, but
by Christ, or by faith in him. And this verse contains two arguments, the first
of which I have already spoken to, and finished. In the former part of the
words, "I do not frustrate the grace of God," would the apostle say, "If I seek
righteousness by the works of the law, I should frustrate the grace of God;"
and from this I have spoken at some length to four points of doctrine.
1st,
The grace of God shines gloriously in justifying a sinner by faith in Jesus
Christ.
2dly, That it is a horrible sin to frustrate the grace of God.
3dly, That all who seek to be justified by the law, do frustrate the grace
of God.
4thly, This is a sin that no godly man, no sound believer, can be
guilty of; and this I observed from the apostle's saying, "I do not frustrate
the grace of God." And this was spoken by him as he was a believer, and not as
an extraordinary officer of the church. I am now to enter upon the apostle's
second argument, in the latter part of the words, "For if righteousness come by
the law, then Christ is dead in vain." You may see, by the different character,
that the word "come" is there added by our translators, to make the sense more
smooth. According to the running of the word in the original, it is, "If
righteousness by the law, the Christ is dead in vain." If it be by the law, if
it come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain. There are implied and
contained in these words two negatives, and two positives; and I would speak a
little to each. The two negatives are these:? I. That the righteousness that
justifies a sinner comes not by the law. II. That Christ died not in vain. The
two positives that are contained in the words are these:?
I. That if
righteousness came by the law, then Christ died in vain.
II. That it is a
horrible sin to make Christ's death to be in vain. And how a sinner can be
guilty of it, you shall hear.
I. The first negative in the text is, That
righteousness comes not by the law; and this is implied, when the apostle
speaks of it, as a principle from whence so absurd a conclusion would follow:
it is plainly intimated that righteousness comes not by the law, because the
apostle saith, if it did do so, "Christ was dead in vain." I would speak a
little to this ? that the righteousness of a sinner for justification before
God, comes not by the law. There is nothing that a man doth according to the
law, there is nothing that a man suffers according to the law, that can be his
righteousness before God; and there is something of both these attempted by
men, but both in vain. This I would prove, that no sinner can have
righteousness by the law.
1. The law uncovers sin, and that is the
apostle's argument: "Therefore by the deeds of the law shall no flesh be
justified in his sight; for by the law is the knowledge of sin;" (Rom. 3:20).
There is no sin in the law; but the knowledge of sin by the law, is the
knowledge of a contrary by its contrary. The law is perfectly holy; but this
strict rule reveals the crookedness that is in man's heart. By the law is the
knowledge of sin," (Gal. 3:11). But that no man is justified by the law in the
sight of God, it is evident, for "the just shall live by faith." It was evident
to Paul, and it is evident to believers, but it can never be evident to an
unbeliever, that no man is justified by the law, or by the works of it.
2.
No man can be justified by the law, because the law condemns every sin, and
every sinner for every sin. The law of God is so strict, that it condemns every
sin. Now, that which condemns, cannot justify: for these two are contrary, "As
many as are of the works of the law, are under the curse," (Gal. 3:10). The
apostle Paul was a bold divine; he spoke the truth of God boldly, and cared not
what men thought of it. Had the apostle said, "As many as break the law, are
under the curse," we would have thought that pretty tolerable; but saith he,
"As many as are of the works of the law, are under the curse." Why so? Because
their works are not perfect; for it is written, saith the apostle, "Cursed is
every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of
the law to do them." The law curseth every one that cannot fulfil it; if a man
could fulfil the whole law of God, and transgress but in one point, yet that
one sin would be condemned by the law, and the sinner for it.
3. No man can
be justified by the works of the law, because every man is a sinner: "What
things soever the law saith, it saith to them that are under the law, that
every mouth may be stopped, and that all the world may become guilty before
God: therefore by the deeds of the law shall no flesh be justified in the sight
of God; for by the law is the knowledge of sin," (Rom. 3:19, 20) The question
that the apostle is there upon, is on this point, that is so great a point in
the Christian religion, How shall a sinner be justified before God? It is not
how a holy man may be justified;? it is not how a man that never sinned may be
justified; but it is, How shall a sinner be justified? A man that is flesh be
justified? Now, saith the apostle, there is no flesh justified in the sight of
God. 4. The law knows no mercy. Mercy and grace belong to another court than
the law: "The law came by Moses; but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ,"
(John 1:17). Condemnation for sin belongs to the law, but justification from
sin belongs to the gospel. The law hath nothing to do with the one, and the
gospel hath nothing to do with the other. The law hath nothing to do to condemn
them that the gospel absolves. But you will say, "Is not this a great fault in
the law, that it cannot justify a man?" The apostle speaks some way like this
in Heb. 7:18, 19; though I do believe that the apostle there rather means the
Old Testament dispensation, than this law, in its more general comprehensive
sense, that I am now speaking of: "For there is verily a disannulling of the
commandment going before, for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof; for
the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did, by the
which we draw nigh to God." This is a common thought arising in the hearts of
men, "Is it not a fault in the law, that it cannot justify a man? Is it not a
fault that the law can send men to hell, but not bring them to heaven?" I
answer, No: It is the excellency of the law; not its fault, but its glory; for
let us consider a little what the law doth about righteousness. 1st, The law
discloses and reveals a perfect righteousness; there is no surer, no better
rule of righteousness in this world, than the holy law of God: therefore, when
our Lord is dealing with a poor carnal legalist, a puffed-up young man, that
came to him, in great haste, with great zeal, running to him like a man that
would be in heaven before any body else, "Good master, what good thing shall I
do to inherit eternal life?" Saith our Lord, "You know, no man can come to
heaven, but he that is perfectly righteous; now the only rule of perfect
righteousness is the law of God; and seeing thou art in the vein for doing,"
"keep the commandments." The poor man, not knowing his own heart, nor the
breadth of God's law, replies, "All these things have I kept from my youth up."
Saith our Lord, "I will prove thee a breaker of the law, and a gross one too;"
"Go and sell all that thou hast, and give to the poor; and follow me, and thou
shalt have treasures in heaven." Not that a title to eternal life comes to any
man by giving his estate to the poor; but our Lord hereby reveals the
rottenness of the poor self-justified man's heart, that the man quickly, before
all the company, revealed that his estate was more valuable to him than eternal
life. Our Lord would have him give an evident proof, that his heart was
disengaged from the world, and then follow him, and he should be saved; but he
went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions, (Matt. 19:16), There is a
perfect rule of righteousness in the law of God, for the most perfect creature
that ever was: for sinless Adam in his state of innocency. "The law of God is
perfect:" so it is often called in the word of God.
2d, This righteousness
that the law of God reveals, it also commands by its authority; all manner of
righteousness is commanded by the law of God.
3d, All sin is threatened by
the law of God; yea, the lack of this righteousness which it commands, is
threatened by the law.
4th, By the law, the promise of eternal life is made
to the righteous; for the law of God, completely considered, hath the promise
of eternal life to all the obeyers of it; but never man shall reach it, because
the righteousness of the law is impracticable; it requires that righteousness
that no man can perform; and, therefore, what it promises no man can attain to.
This the apostle calls the impossibility of the law: so it is in the original;
we read it, "What the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh,"
(Rom 8:3). The true reason why the law cannot give life, is because of the
flesh of them that are under it; no man can fulfil the righteousness of the
law, and therefore no man can attain to life by the law. So much for the first
negative implied here, That no righteousness can come by the works of the law.
II. The other negative is this, That Christ died not in vain. Now, this
word, in vain, respects two things:? 1st, That is said to be done in vain which
is needless. 2dly, That is said to be in vain, that is unprofitably done. Now,
neither of these can be said of the death of Christ: there was great need of
his dying, and great good came by his dying, and therefore he died not in vain.
1st, There was great need of Christ's dying, and that upon manifold
respects; I will name a few. 1. In regard of the decree of God, there was a
necessity of his dying; and this our Lord had in his eye, when he was come just
upon the borders of dying: "Now is my soul troubled, What shall I say? Father,
save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour;" (John
12:2-7), ? where our Lord hath respect to the necessity of his dying, upon the
account of the divine appointment.
2. It was necessary upon the account of
the covenant between the Father and the Son: Christ promised to die, and,
therefore, he must be as good as his word:? "A body thou hast prepared me; then
said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me, to do thy
will) O God." And what was that will of God? Dying was his will, and the
blessed consequences of it. (Heb. 10:5, 7).
3. It was needful upon the
account of the scriptures; and this our Lord insists on frequently. The
scriptures of the Old Testament foretold Christ's death: there were many
predictions and prophecies of it; many types and shadows of it; therefore our
Lord tells his disciples: "These are the words that I spake unto you, whilst I
was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled which are written in the
law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the Psalms, concerning me," (Luke
24:44). And again, (ver. 46), "Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ
to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day." There was a necessity of
it for the fulfilling of the scriptures, and, therefore, our Lord rebuked
Peter, when he offered to make a defence for his master: "How then shall the
scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?" (Matt. 26:54). "Put up thy
sword, man, this is no place for that work: the scriptures are fulfilling."
4. There was a necessity of Christ's death, for the salvation of his
people. Their justification and their salvation were only brought about by the
death of Jesus Christ. 2dly, And that leads me to the second head ? Christ's
death was not in vain: for there was great fruit and profit by it. 1. It
brought in an everlasting righteousness, which should stand accepted before
God: this is what our Lord wrought out by his death, foretold by the prophet
Daniel, "To bring in everlasting righteousness," (chap. 9:24). 2. There was not
only a righteousness brought in, but by Christ's death there was a purchase
made; a purchase of grace and glory for his people. The death of our Lord Jesus
Christ purchased great things for us, even all things that we enjoy. It did not
indeed purchase the covenant of grace; for the covenant of grace sent Christ;
but yet it purchased all the blessings of the covenant; for the grand condition
of that covenant was, that Christ must buy all the good things contained in it
by the price of his own blood. 3. Christ died not in vain, for his blood
confirmed and sealed the charter: "This is my blood of the new testament, which
is shed for many for the remission of sins, drink ye all of it," (Matt. 26:27,
28). Christ's death confirmed the covenant, and made it a testament, (Heb.
9:15, 20). 4. Christ's death was not in vain, but for great profit: for thereby
a way to heaven was made plain to believers, a patent way to heaven. How
blessedly doth the apostle speak of this, "Having therefore, brethren, boldness
to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus: by a new and living way which
he hath consecrated for us, through the vail, that is to say, his flesh," (Heb.
10:19, 20).
The meaning is, his flesh rent; the consecrating of the way,
was by rending the flesh of Jesus Christ. The righteousness that justifies us
the blessings that make us happy the covenant that secures them and the way to
heaven, are all by the death of Jesus Christ: and they are strangers to all
these things, who do not know that their way to them lies through this vail of
the slain Son of God. So much for the two negatives. Secondly, I am now to
speak to the two positives in the words.
1. That if righteousness come by
the law, then is Christ dead in vain. I have told you that righteousness comes
not by the law, and that Christ did not die in vain. Now, the apostle joins
them together, and shews what a strange aspect they have one upon another. "If
righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain." This is an
inference that will necessarily follow, If righteousness comes by the law, then
Christ died in vain, to work out righteousness; if righteousness comes by the
law, Christ's death was in vain in the main end of it, viz., to work out
righteousness. My friends, I would have you consider this with yourselves, and
this one thought may serve to rectify many mistakes: Our Lord Jesus Christ did
not die to make hard things easy, to make a hard way to heaven easy; but Christ
died to make impossible things certain. He did not die to make it more easy to
get to heaven than it was before; but he died to make certain a way to heaven,
that was impossible before. "What the law could not do, in that it was weak
through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and
for sin condemned sin in the flesh," (Rom. 8:3).
And again, "If there had
been a law that could have given righteousness, verily righteousness had been
by the law;" (Gal. 3:21). But because there was no law that could give
righteousness to man, therefore Christ came to bring about that which was
altogether impossible. How unworthily do they think of Jesus Christ, and the
grand concern of his death, that look upon it only as purchasing a new law,
whereby men might come to heaven on easier terms than they could by the old!
Christ came to purchase a new way to heaven: a way that none could make but he:
a way without which none could ever have come to heaven: and really (though I
acknowledge that about things unrevealed, and about the secret things of God,
men should be sober) that notion of the possibility of the salvation of the
heathen, that never heard of Jesus Christ, is condemned in this text. If a
Pagan that never heard of Christ, may be saved, then is Christ dead in vain. If
the end that Christ died for, can be reached any other way, then certainly
Christ died in vain. If the righteousness that Christ died for, could have been
attained any other way; if the fulfilling of the law that Christ underwent, in
order to this righteousness; if these could have been done any other way,
Christ died in vain. But these things are not so.
2. The second positive
is, That making Christ's death to be in vain, is a horrible sin. The apostle is
here arguing from absurdities; and he argues from two of the greatest that can
enter into the minds of men. "If you seek righteousness by the law, you
frustrate the grace of God, and what a wretched creature is that! If you seek
righteousness by the law, you make Christ's death in vain; and can you do
anything worse, than to kick against the grace of God, and to make the death of
Christ in vain?" These sins are very great. But you will say, Can any man make
Christ's death in vain? No. No man, nor any devil neither, nor all the devils
together, can frustrate the virtue of Christ's death; it is above the reach of
hell and earth. The devil, and the wicked world, thought to make Christ's life
in vain, by putting him to death; to put an end to his doctrine, and life, and
disciples, by killing him; and to put an end to all, by keeping him in the
grave: but to make Christ's death in vain is utterly impossible; it is so
certain, so reverend a transaction of divine Providence, contrived in so much
wisdom, that its end must necessarily be reached. But, though no man can make
Christ's death to be in vain really ? yet, 1st, A man may make it in vain to
himself; he may reduce himself into the same case as if Christ had never died.
"Behold, I Paul, say unto you, that if you be circumcised, Christ shall profit
you nothing," (Gal. 5:2). A strange word! "Christ shall profit you nothing!"
Was the apostle Paul a man that preached an unprofitable Christ? No; but you
render him vain, if you seek righteousness by the law. (Vet. 4), "Christ is
become of no effect to you; whosoever is justified by the law, is fallen from
grace." A justified man by the law, there never was in this world; but the
apostle speaks of it here as supposing the best; supposing they had got all
that they could have devised, for their justification by the law, supposing
that they had obeyed the law more perfectly than any sinner ever had done,
saith the apostle, "This is all the benefit you would reap by it, Christ's
righteousness would be of no effect to you." A man makes Christ's death to be
in vain to himself, when he doth not lay hold of its power and virtue by faith.
2d, A man makes Christ's death to be in vain, by doing all that he can to
make it so; though he doth not do so in fact. And you will find this the rule
of God's dealing; he measures men's wickedness, and judges of their actions, by
the native design of them, though they never reach it. In all acts of
dishonouring God, and rebellion against him, God deals with men according to
their sinful intentions in these sins, though they fall far short of taking
effect. A sinner, by his self-righteousness, cannot make Christ's death to be
in vain; but he doth all that he can to make it so: and this is what the
apostle means here when he saith, "If righteousness come by the law, then
Christ is dead in vain." "You do all that you can to make Christ's death in
vain," I should now come to speak something of the greatness of this sin, of
making Christ's death in vain; of entertaining any principles or practices that
have a tendency that way. But I cannot enter upon this now.
Christ's Righteousness the Believer's Comfort