The Application of Redemption.\

How doth the Spirit apply to us the Redemption purchased by Christ?

The Spirit applieth to us the redemption purchased by Christ, by working faith in us, and thereby uniting us to Christ in our effectual calling.

ANALYSIS AND PROOFS.

We are here taught:—

1. That in applying redemption to the people of God, the Spirit worketh faith in them. Eph. ii, 8—“By grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.”

2. That by faith believers are united to Christ. Eph. iii, 17—“That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith.”

3. That believers are united to Christ in their effectual calling. I Cor. i, 9—“God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ, our Lord.”

EXPLANATION.

In applying redemption to sinners, the Spirit worketh faith in them.

When the Spirit applies redemption to those sinners for whom it was purchased by Christ, he works faith in them. Hence he is called the Spirit of faith (II Cor. iv, 13). He alone is the efficient cause of faith in the soul. It requires the same power to work faith in the soul, that was wrought in Christ when he was raised from the dead (See Eph. i, 19 etc.).

The way in which the Spirit works faith is this:—He first comes in the Word, and enters into the heart of the elect sinner dead in sin; and when he has thus entered, he quickens it by working faith in it. By this faith the soul apprehends Christ, and actually unites with him. Being quickened and actuated, it acts in believing. Hence there is a twofold reception of Christ. (1) A passive reception of him, in which Christ comes by his Spirit into the soul dead in sin, and quickens it, and joins

* Extract from Paterson on the Shorter Catechism.—Editor.

himself to it. (2) An active reception of him, when the soul, having faith wrought in it, actually believes and receives Christ, embraces him, and joins itself to him.

By faith the believer is united to Christ.

That there is such a thing as union with Jesus Christ, will be evident from the following things:—

1. From the use of many expressions in Scripture to point it out. Christ is said to be in believers, and believers are said to be in Jesus Christ; which, as it were, completes the union; for if Christ be in his people, and they in him, then must this be a truth (Col. i, 27; I Cor. i, 30). Christ is also said to dwell in his people, and they are said to dwell in him (John vi, 56). They are also said to abide in one another; which denotes a settled rest (John xv); and his people are said to be one spirit with him, and to put on Christ (I Cor. vi, 17; Gal. iii, 27).

2. From the use of many similitudes, in order that we may be able to form some of its glory. Various unions are exhibited in Scripture to illustrate it; some of which far surpass the union between Christ and believers, and others are far surpassed by it. This union is compared to the marriage union between husband and wife; to the union which exists between the foundation and superstructure; to the union between the root of a tree and its branches; to the union between the head and the members; to the union of our food with our body, and hence Christ is called our life; and to the union between the persons of the Godhead—all of which shows that the union between Christ and believers is more than a relative union, or a union which takes place in this world in the various circumstances of life.

3. From our union with the first Adam. When he fell from his state of innocence, all his posterity fell with him, because they were federally one with him. In like manner, when Jesus fulfilled all righteousness, it was in the room of his people; so that they must be federally one with him as their head and husband.

With respect to the bond of this union:—(1) On the believer’s part, it is faith, which is wrought in him, not by any power of his own, but by the powerful operation of the Spirit of God. (2) On the part of Christ, it is the word of the Father pledged, that faith shall be wrought in the souls of his people; and the Spirit pledged also, that they may not depart from Christ.

Believers are united to Christ in effectual calling.

The union between Christ and believers is formed in the day of effectual calling—termed a calling, because the work of the Spirit supposes all to be at a distance from God, as they certainly are while in a natural state, or while not united to Christ; and an effectual calling, because the work of the Spirit actually unites the soul to Christ.

The union between Christ and believers is a real, a mysterious, an intimate, a spiritual, and an eternal union.

1. The union between Christ and believers is a real union. It is much more than a relative union, or such a union as takes place in several relations in life; although it is compared to some of these (See Eph. v, 30; John xiv, 20; I John v, 12; Heb. iii, 14).

2. The union between Christ and believers is a mysterious union (See Eph. v, 32, and Col. i, 27), where a higher name is given to it (See also II Cor. vi, 16; Gal. ii, 20; I John iv, 16; Gal. iii, 27; John vi, 56).

3. The union between Christ and believers is a most intimate union (See John xvii, 21).

4. The union between Christ and believers is a spiritual union (I Cor. vi, 17; Rom. viii, 9). This is evident from its consequences; for no sooner does it take place, than the soul is engaged in spiritual exercises.

5. The union between Christ and believers is an indissoluble or an eternal union (See Eph. iv, 13; John x, 28, 29; Rom. viii, 35, etc.; Isa. liv, 10).

INFERENCES.

From this subject we learn (1) The duty of believers—viz., to give evidence, by their conduct in the world, that they are in Christ; (2) That sinners ought to seek after such a happy relation while it may be found, and while, in the offer of the gospel, Christ is ready to come in, and to take up his abode in the soul for ever; (3) The absolute necessity of faith in forming this mysterious union; (4) That there is no happiness to be compared with that of being in Christ; (5) That if we are in Christ, God the Father is well pleased with us; (6) That believers have an inexhaustible source of every comfort, to which they may repair in every time of need; (7) That as all believers are joined to the Lord by one spirit, they ought to live together in the bonds of brotherly love; (8) That believers shall not fall finally.