“But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.” [1 Corinthians 1:30-31]
I beseech the Reader to observe how blessedly CHRIST is here spoken of by the HOLY GHOST, as made all these things to his people, and that by GOD himself. It is not only said, that CHRIST is the wisdom, and the righteousness, and the sanctification, and the redemption of his Church, but that GOD hath made him so. Here, indeed, is the blessedness of the whole. For, when GOD the HOLY GHOST leads a poor sinner to GOD, in the perfections of JESUS; if it be demanded how, or by what authority, the poor self-condemned creature comes in another's perfections, and not his own? this is the answer: this is faith's warrant, CHRIST is made of GOD unto the soul these things. So that here is the authority in which all the Persons of the GODHEAD join. GOD the HOLY GHOST, who regenerates the sinner, and makes him a new creature in CHRIST JESUS, leads him to the throne, in the wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption of CHRIST JESUS; and, taught of GOD the SPIRIT, the regenerated sinner pleads in CHRIST, and by CHRIST, on the footing of CHRIST’S person and work, for acceptance before GOD, and in the covenant word, oath, and promise, of GOD the FATHER! And, how then can any soul fail of justification at the throne, who thus pleads GOD’S grace, and CHRIST’s righteousness, as the sole means of acceptance? Who doth not see all human glory tarnished, and divine grace praised, when as it is written, he that gloried, thus glorieth the LORD? Jeremiah 9:23-24. Reader! pause a moment longer over these precious verses, for they are most precious. You, and I, are both by nature and by practice, so lost and fallen in the Adam-state of sin and corruption, that we are not only miserably blind and ignorant of our state by nature, but so utterly senseless of our ruin, that Until CHRIST, the sun of righteousness, arose on our benighted souls, so far were either of us from seeking redemption, we did not even know that we needed it. How blessed that CHRIST was made of GOD to us wisdom, to open to our view a sense of sin, and to make us wise unto salvation? But it would not have been enough to have made us sensible of our misery, and to have instructed us in the way of obtaining salvation by CHRIST out of it, had not the same LORD which taught us these precious things, taught us also, that He who made CHRIST to us wisdom, made him also our righteousness. Oh! the blessedness, when a child taught of GOD, can say, the LORD is my righteousness. But here again, a soul needed somewhat more. The child of GOD, though renewed in soul, is not renewed in body. The flesh lusteth against the spirit. I feel, I groan daily under a conscious sense of indwelling, inbred, corruptions. Oh! the grace, the mercy, when my LORD taught Me that CHRIST is made of GOD sanctification also, and He who justified me, as freely sanctifieth me. And, finally, to crown all, and to counteract all the exercises, which at any time sin or Satan, the world without, or fears within, might suggest; how blessedly doth this scripture come in to our aid, that CHRIST is not only wisdom, righteousness, and sanctification, but redemption GOD’S works, and not man's. GOD’S providing, not our's. And He who gives the covering, puts it on. First gives a gracious acceptation to the persons of his people, in His dear SON; and then blesseth them with all spiritual blessings, in CHRIST; that they may be holy, and blameless before him, in love! Thanks! thanks be to GOD which always causeth us to triumph in CHRIST! 2 Corinthians 2:14.
