Chapter 40: An Exhortation to Come to Christ: Three Hindrances Removed, and Six Encouragements Given
be your sanctification. You must trust in Christ to sanctify you as well as to save you.
If you understand Christ rightly, you will see Him as both a sanctifier and a Saviour. And if you believe in Christ rightly, you will believe in Him as both a sanctifier and a Saviour.
Thus, these are the consequences that follow from the rest of sanctification in Christ.
Chapter 40 An Exhortation to Come to Christ: Three Hindrances Removed, and Six Encouragements Given 1. The union between Christ and a believer.
2. The great love of Christ.
3. Corruption is a burden both to Christ and to the sinner.
4. Christ healed the bodies of many; He will much more heal the soul.
5. Christ knows what it is to be tempted.
6. It honours the death, resurrection, and life of Christ to give holiness.
Now, for the last point I propose: to exhort and draw believers to come to Christ. In doing this, I shall endeavour to remove many of the hindrances that prevent souls from coming to Christ for sanctification and provide some encouragements to draw the heart to Him.
You now see that the way to gain power over corruption and to receive grace is to come to Christ. You might say, "Yes, but if I knew I were a member of Christ and had an interest in Him, then I could come to Christ for power over my corruption and for grace. But I fear I have no interest in Him."
1. In answer to this, which is the main obstacle and hindrance to faith, know this: if you have a heart to come to Him for grace, that is as good a sign of your interest in Christ as any other sign you could hope for. This is as valid an evidence of interest in Him as any you could expect.
2. You must come to Him for grace. And even if you had no interest in Him before, your very act of coming to Him now for grace to help you against corruption may give you interest in Christ.
What unites you to Christ? What makes you a member of Christ? What gives you an interest in Christ? It is simply coming to Him, as you have heard before in this teaching.
Question: You might say, "But I need to know if I have a right to Him."
If you come to Christ now, seeking power over your corruption and seeking grace, I tell you that even if you had no interest in Him before, this very act may give you interest in Christ. Therefore, do not be discouraged—come to Christ.
3. Will you wait until you find power over your corruption before you come to Him? If so, then you will never gain power over your corruption. As you have heard, Christ is the foundation of your sanctification. Without coming to Him, you will not overcome your sin.
Now, let me present some encouragements. There are many excellent reasons for poor sinners to come to Christ:
First Encouragement: Union with Christ Consider the close union that exists between Christ and us, particularly in regard to His human nature. A powerful scripture for our encouragement is found in Hebrews 2:11, "For both he that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are all one, for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren." Christ, who sanctifies, and those who are sanctified, are one. What does this mean? It means that Christ shares the same nature as you. He has taken on our human nature, and the fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily in Him.
This gives you boldness to come to Him. The One who sanctifies you is your brother, and He is not ashamed to call you His brother.
Therefore, do not look upon Him as being at an infinite distance, merely as your Judge. Rather, see Him as your brother, one with you.
You and Christ together are one body. What greater encouragement is there to expect sanctification from Christ, to overcome corruption, knowing that Christ and you are united as one body?
Second Encouragement: Christ's Great Love Consider that if Christ loved you so dearly that He laid down His life for you, He will surely never allow you to perish in your corruptions.
Could it be possible that Christ, who came down from heaven and laid down His life for poor souls, would allow them to die in their sins? Imagine a man willing to die for a child. If he then saw that child lying in the dirt, about to be suffocated, could he pass by and not help? This is your case. Christ laid down His life for you, and even now, though you feel ready to be suffocated by your corruptions, you cry out to Him for help. Surely Christ will not leave
you in your filthiness to be overcome by your sin when He has already demonstrated such love by laying down His life for you.
Third Encouragement: Your Burdens Are Christ's Burdens Know that your corruptions are not only your burdens, but also
Christ's burdens. Your sins weigh heavily on your soul, and they are also a burden to Jesus Christ. He shares in your suffering and pities you in your weakness. Because your burdens are His, Christ will certainly help you.
Fourth Encouragement: Christ's Compassion If Christ showed such pity and compassion to heal the physical bodies of those who came to Him in this world, how much more will
He care for and heal your soul? During His earthly ministry, there was not a diseased body that came to Him that He did not heal.
Surely, then, Christ has even greater regard for immortal souls than for bodies. If He healed physical ailments, how much more will He heal your soul of its spiritual sickness?
Fifth Encouragement: Christ Knows Temptation Christ knows what it is to be tempted. Although He had no corruption within Him, Christ understands the burden of temptation. He experienced the weight of temptation and knows what it is like to face the allure of sin. And if Christ knows what it is to be tempted to sin, how much more does He understand the burden of actually being overcome by sin? Christ's burden was to resist temptation, but He knows that your burden is greater, for you struggle not only with temptation but also with the power of sin itself. Therefore, Christ knows how to pity you and will extend His help.