Isaiah 49:8-13 Thus said the LORD, In an acceptable time have I heard you, and in a day of salvation have I helped you: and I will preserve you… We believe that our Saviour has very much to do with the covenant of eternal salvation. We have been accustomed to regard Him as the Mediator of the covenant, as the Surety of the covenant, and as the scope or substance of the covenant. I shall dwell on Christ as one great and glorious article of the covenant which God has given to His children. I. Here is a GREAT POSSESSION — Jesus Christ by the covenant is the property of every believer. 1. Jesus Christ is ours in all His attributes. He has a double set of attributes, seeing that there are two natures joined in glorious union in one person. He has the attributes of very God, and He has the attributes of perfect man; and whatever these may be, they are each one of them the perpetual property of every believing child of God. 2. In all His offices. Is He a Prophet? He is thy Prophet. Is He a Priest? He is thy Priest. Is He a King? He is thy King. Is He a Redeemer? He is thy Redeemer. Is He an Advocate? He is thy Advocate. Is He a Forerunner? He is thy Forerunner. Is He a Surety of the covenant? He is thy Surety. In every name He bears, in every- crown He wears, in every vestment in which He is arrayed, He is the believer s own. 3. In every one of His works, whether they be works of suffering or of duty, they are the property of the believer. "Circumcised in Christ." "Buried with Christ in baptism unto death." I die in Christ. I am buried with Christ. We are "risen together with Christ." He hath made us "sit together in heavenly places." 4. In the person of Christ "dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily." "And of His fulness have we received, and grace for grace." All the fulness of Christ to restrain thee, to preserve thee; all that fulness of power, of love, of purity, which is stored up in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ, is thine. 5. The very life of Christ is the property of the believer. "Because I live ye shall live also." "Ye are dead; and your life" — where is it? It is "hid with Christ in God." 6. Best of all, the person of Jesus Christ is the property of the Christian. II. FOR WHAT PURPOSE DOES GOD PUT CHRIST IN THE COVENANT? 1. In order to comfort every coming sinner. 2. To confirm the doubting saint. 3. Because there are many things there that would be nought without Him. His great redemption is in the covenant, but we have no redemption except through His blood. His righteousness is in the covenant, but I can have no righteousness apart from that which Christ has wrought out, and which is imputed to me by God. My eternal perfection is in the covenant, but the elect are only perfect in Christ. In fact, if you take Christ out of the covenant, you have just done the same as if you should break the string of a necklace; all the jewels, or beads, or corals, drop off and separate from each other. 4. Christ is in the covenant to be used. III. Here is A PRECEPT, and what shall the precept be? Christ is ours; then be ye Christ's. Show the world that you are His in practice. When tempted to sin, reply, "I cannot do this great wickedness, for I am one of Christ's" When wealth is before thee to be won by sin, touch it not: say that thou art Christ's. Are you exposed in the world to difficulties and dangers? Stand fast in the evil day, remembering that you are one of Christ's. Are you in a field where much is to be done, and others are sitting down idly and lazily doing nothing? Go at your work, and when the sweat stands upon your brow and you are bidden to stay, say, "No, I cannot stop; I am one of Christ's." When the syren song of pleasure would tempt thee from the path of right, reply, "Hush your strains, O temptress; I am one of Christ's." When the cause of God needs thee, give thyself to it, for thou art Christ's. And now, I must say one word to those who have never laid hold of the covenant. I sometimes hear it whispered that there are men who trust to the uncovenanted mercies of God. Let me solemnly assure you that there is now no such thing as uncovenanted mercy. Mayhap, poor, convinced sinner, thou darest not take hold of the covenant to-day. "I dare not come; I am so unworthy," you say. Hear, then: my Master bids you come, and will you be afraid after that? ( C. H. Spurgeon.) Parallel Verses KJV: Thus saith the LORD, In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee: and I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages; |
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