Romans 8:32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? I. THE PURPORT OF THE APOSTLE'S ASSERTION. It includes three capital points of Christian theology, viz. — 1. That we are obnoxious to the punishment of death. "He delivered Him for us"; so then we ought to have been delivered up, that is, to penal suffering. This penalty pre-supposes transgression. 2. That "the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man has appeared" in the provision of a Divine Substitute. "So God loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son," etc. And having "given Him" for this purpose, He "spared Him not" from suffering. Not by any means that our Saviour suffered the identical punishment due to us; but its equivalent, inasmuch as the divinity of the sufferer stamped the suffering with infinite magnitude. He made "a full perfect and sufficient sacrifice, oblation and satisfaction for the sins of the whole world," in virtue of which avenging justice can now no longer pursue, and redeeming mercy may honourably pardon the penitent sinner. 3. That the efficacy of the sin-offering is co-extensive with the range or influence of the sin. "For us all." There is no limitation in the grace of God, nor of the expiatory effect of the Saviour's sufferings, to any particular number of persons, any more than to any particular number or description of sins. If Christ died only for all believers, then sin has only affected all believers. No man's sins are more atoned for than another man's. The atonement in itself saves no man, and Christ by His death laid God's way open to save everybody; but it did not necessitate the salvation of anybody; it must be apprehended by faith, or else no salvation will follow. Fear not, thou vilest of the vile! thou art as much an object of God's love and of Christ's redemption as was St. Paul. Look unto Him and be saved, even from the "ends of the earth." II. THE OBJECTS OF HIS ANTICIPATION. Why limit His meaning here again? He means literally what He says — "all things." There is nothing to prevent God's bestowing all things we need or can receive. 1. Not strictly all temporal gratifications. Many of them are unessential, and some of them prejudicial. But whatever of this world's good shall subserve our convenience, and comport with that providential discipline by which our Heavenly Father is training us, we are entitled to expect. "No good thing will He withhold," etc. "Godliness is profitable for all things," even in regard to the present life, and shall give us the true enjoyment and use of all the good things which the providence of God bestows. We shall make more of them, we shall get more out of them; a religious poor man enjoys a great deal more than an irreligious rich man. 2. If these earthly blessings abound, they shall be a thousandfold enhanced, and if they are scanty, their absence shall be ten thousand times supplied to us by the better gifts of God's grace — reconciliation, adoption, communion with a reconciled God, power over sin, heavenly dignity, peace in tribulation, composure in death. 3. The blessings of immortality — including the resurrection and glorification of the body, a crown, a kingdom, a joyous reunion with our old companions, and, above all, a view of the Lamb in His own light, and an eternity spent in His praise. 4. All this is ours, "freely." (1) Without reluctance, as to the disposition with which the boon originates. (2) Without restriction, as to the persons on whom it is conferred. (3) Without recompense, or purchase, or desert. III. THE FORCE OF THE ARGUMENT. "With Him." It seems to refer to the gift of Christ — 1. As the signal and practical intimation of God's perfect preparedness to "give us all things." "God is love," and no sooner had He called into existence objects on which He could exercise His affections, than the gushings of His heart flowed forth in streams of beneficence. But sin, alas! interposed; and if He had so pleased, sin might irremediably have cut off all desirable communication. But He "willed to have mercy"; and reached out His arms so far as to remove the obstruction. "Christ put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself" on the Cross, so that it no longer after that necessitated the exclusion of any creature from God's blessing. 2. As Himself intrinsically beyond all comparison more valuable than all things else. Having conferred the greater blessing, can He withhold the less? What "good thing" is so good in our estimation as that we dare not now claim it in the view of Christ! Has He given His Son? why should He not give His Spirit? why should He not communicate Himself to our souls? 3. As the intentional procuring cause of "all things." Christ has "obtained eternal redemption for us," with all its rich and varied benefits. Then not only may we, but we ought to expect them. We dishonour Christ by mistrust of the power of His saving merit. We forget how solemnly the Father is bound to the Son by covenant faithfulness; we forget how dear His own Son is to Him, and that even had He no interest in our welfare, yet He is sure to look favourably upon those who are interested in His Son.Conclusion: Learn — 1. That the love of God the Father should be recognised as the source of our salvation and all our blessings. 2. That we cannot present a more effectual or successful plea to God in prayer, than an appeal to His past mercies in Christ. 3. That Christ, especially in His atoning character, is "all in all." Sinner! embrace His atonement; for without it you can receive nothing. Believer! cleave to it; for with it you may receive "all things." (W. M. Bunting.) Parallel Verses KJV: He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? |
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