Romans 8:3-4 For 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… Before close handling this subject note — 1. This sending of Christ strongly implies His pre-existence. That which is not cannot be sent. And one would think the Scriptures are so clear in this that there should not be the least controversy about it. For they tell us that Christ was in Jacob's time (Genesis 48:16); in Job's time (Job 19:25); in the prophets' time (1 Peter 1:11); in Abraham's time, yea, long before it (John 8:56, etc.); in the Israelites' time (1 Corinthians 10:9); Isaiah's time (John 12:41). How fully and plainly is His pre-existence asserted in John 1:1-3; Ephesians 3:9; Colossians 1:16, 17; Hebrews 1:2; John 17:5; Philippians 2:6. 2. His personality, by which I mean He existed before He took flesh, not as a thing, quality, dispensation, or manifestation, but as a proper, personal subsistence. And He must be so, or else He could not be the subject of this sending. For He is sent to take the likeness of sinful flesh upon Him. 3. The distinction that is betwixt the Father and Christ. One sends and the other is sent. The Father and the Son are one in nature and essence, yet they are distinct persons. The apostle had spoken of the Spirit in the former verse; in this He speaks of the Father and of the Son, thus teaching the Trinity. I will endeavour now: — I. TO CLEAR UP THE NATURE OF THE ACT. 1. Negatively. This sending of Christ was — (1) Not His ineffable and eternal generation, or sonship grounded upon that. He was sent who was the Son of God, but He was not the Son of God as He was sent; His Sonship was the result of His generation, not of His mission. (2) Not any local secession from His Father, or any local motion from the place where He was, to some other place where He was not. The Father sent Him to this lower world, yet here He was before; the Father sent Him from heaven, yet, as to His Godhead, He remained in heaven still (1 John 3:13). So when He ascended, He went from earth, and yet He was on earth still as to His spiritual presence (Matthew 28:20). Man He went from us, but as God He is as much with us as ever. 2. Affirmatively, this sending of Christ lies — (1) In God's choosing, appointing, ordaining Him from everlasting to the office and work of the Mediator (1 Peter 1:20). (2) In God's qualifying and fitting of Him for His great work. God never puts a person upon any special service but first He qualifies him for that service. Christ must have a body to fit Him for dying and suffering, that God provided for Him (Hebrews 10:5). And whereas He must also have the Spirit, that too the Father doth furnish Him with (Isaiah 42:1; John 3:34). (3) In God's authorising and commissioning Him to what He was to be and to do. Christ had a commission from God under hand and seal (John 6:27). As princes when they send abroad their ambassadors or appoint their officers, they give them their commissions sealed to be their warrant for what they shall do; so God the Father did with Christ. (4) In the Father's authoritative willing of Him to take man's nature upon Him, and in that nature so to do, and so to suffer (Hebrews 10:7; John 10:18; Philippians 2:8). (5) In God's trusting of Him with His great designs. When we send a person about our affairs, we repose a trust in him, that he will be faithful in the management of our concerns. II. TO ANSWER AN OBJECTION AND REMOVE A DIFFICULTY. That which hath been spoken seems to derogate from the greatness and glory of Christ's person: for if God sent Him, then, argue some, He is inferior to the Father. But — 1. Sending doth not always imply inferiority or inequality; for persons who are equal upon mutual consent may send each the other. And thus it was between God the Father and Christ. When the master sends the servant, he goes because he must; but when the Father sends the Son He goes readily, because His will falls in with His Father's will (John 10:36, cf. 17:19; Romans 8:32, cf. Galatians 2:20). 2. We must distinguish of a two-fold inferiority, one in respect of nature, and one in respect of office, condition, or dispensation. As to the first, Christ neither was nor is in the least inferior to the Father. In respect of this He thought it not robbery to be equal with God. As to the second, Christ being considered as Mediator, it may be said of Him that He was inferior to the Father (Philippians 2:7, 8; John 14:28). III. TO INQUIRE INTO THE GROUNDS AND REASONS OF CHRIST'S MISSION. In the general, some must be sent. Since neither the law, nor anything else, could operate to any purpose towards the advancing of God's honour and the promoting of the sinner's good, it was necessary that God Himself should interpose in some extraordinary way; which thereupon He accordingly did in the sending of Christ. But more particularly, suppose a necessity of sending, yet why did God pitch upon His Son? Might not some other person have been sent, or might not some other way have been found? I answer, No; Christ the Son must be the very person whom God will send. And Him He pitched upon because — 1. He was the person with whom the Father had covenanted about this very thing. 2. God saw that was the very best way which could be taken. He had great designs to carry on, as, e.g., to let the world see what an evil thing sin was, how impartial His justice was, what an ocean of love He had in His heart, and to lay a sure foundation for the righteousness and salvation of believers. Now there was no way for the accomplishing of these comparable to this of God's sending His Son. 3. As this was the best and the fittest way, so He was the best and the fittest person to be employed. This appears from, and was grounded upon — (1) His two natures, the hypostatical union of both in His person. He was God (John 1:1; Philippians 2:6; 1 John 5:20; Romans 9:5; Isaiah 9:6; Titus 2:13). He was also man (1 Timothy 2:5); then, too, He was God-man in one person (Colossians 2:19). Now who could be so fit to bring God and man together as He who was Himself both God and man? (2) His glorious attributes; His power, wisdom, mercy, goodness, faithfulness, holiness, etc. (3) His Sonship and near relation to God. Who so fit to make others the adopted sons of God as He who was Himself the natural Son of God? (4) The glory and dignity of His person as the image of God (Colossians 1:15; Hebrews 1:3). Now who so fit to restore man to God's image as that man who was the essential image of God? 4. He was the only person that could be sent, for none but He could accomplish man's redemption. (1) There were evils to be endured, which were above the strength of any mere creature to endure. (2) There were evils to be removed — the wrath of God, the guilt of sin, the curse of the law — which no mere creature was able to remove. (3) There were also blessings to be procured, as reconciliation with God, justification, adoption, eternal salvation, which no such creature possibly could procure.Practical improvement: 1. Was Christ sent? and did God thus send Him? What doth this great act of God call for from us? (1) To admire God. Here is the greatest thing that ever God did, or ever will do; it was much that He should make a world, but what is the making of a world to the sending of a Son? (2) To admire the love of God the Father, and alway to entertain good thoughts of Him (Ephesians 1:3-5). Some gracious persons lie under the temptation that they can with more comfort think of the Son than of the Father. But surely God is love, and this very sending of His Son represents Him as full of mercy, goodness, and grace. (3) To love Christ greatly. God sent Him, but how willing was He to be sent upon the errand of your salvation l(4) To imitate Christ with respect of His being sent. Thus, never go till you be sent, then go readily. (5) To take heed that you do not rest with the external sending of Christ. There is a two-fold sending of Him — (a) To be man. (b) Into man. He that would hope for salvation by Christ must have the latter as well as the former sending. (6) To believe in Him (1 John 3:33; John 17:3). 2. It affords abundant matter of comfort to all sincere Christians. Did God send Christ? (1) Surely, then, great was His good will towards you (Luke 2:14). (2) Then He is in good earnest in the matters of salvation. (3) Then you need not fear but that the work of redemption is completed. When such a person sends, and such a person is sent, the thing shall be done effectually and thoroughly. (4) Know to your comfort He hath not yet done. As to His own satisfaction He hath no more to do, but as to your glory and happiness He will yet do more. His first sending was to make the purchase, His second shall be to put you into possession. (5) Set this against all. (a) Against the weakness of the law. That which the law could not do, Christ did. (b) Against the guilt of sin. Upon Christ's sending presently you read of the condemning of sin. (T. Jacomb, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: For 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: |
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