3. God Gave Those Whom He Loved to Christ to Be Saved

Peter MacBride

2. In this covenant, God gave those whom He loved to Christ, to be saved. Here the love of the Father and Son, as it were, first met, and was agreed to by the Spirit. The Father Himself loved them: “God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (Jn 3:16). As the Father loved them, so He gave them to the Son to save them. This is abundantly stated by the Saviour in John 17:6,9,11: “I have manifested Thy name unto the men which Thou gavest Me out of the world: Thine they were, and Thou gavest them Me; and they have kept Thy word. . . . I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which Thou hast given Me; for they are Thine. . . . And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to Thee. Holy Father, keep through Thine own name those whom Thou hast given Me, that they may be one, as We are.” This is also clear from Proverbs 8.

Here Their love met, as it were, and agreed exactly together. There was not, and could not be, any difference between Them, except the personal distinction. And so, as the Father was willing to give those whom He loved to His Son, and Him for them, so Christ was willing to take them, and give Himself for them. And the purpose of Christ giving Himself is abundantly obvious; it was to save them. The terms of the covenant are abundantly clear: “Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him; He hath put Him to grief: when Thou shalt make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed” (Is 53:10). Here we may see the nature of the covenant. Those whom Christ loved could not be saved without atonement being made for them. He could not do so without being appointed to that end. The Father gave Him for them, and He gave Himself in His love. Christ “loved the Church, and gave Himself for it”. This is the tenor of the covenant.

The part of the Spirit is noticed, “I tell you the truth; it is expedient for you that I go away; for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send Him unto you. And when He is come, He will reprove

¹A further part of a chapter of “The New Creature”, to be found in MacBride’s Remains. “The New Creature” is a series of sermons on: “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Cor 5:17). MacBride (1797-1846) was a minister in Rothesay, on the Isle of Bute. The previous part dealt with the believer’s union to Christ flowing from the covenant relation between Christ and His people. This article follows on from the last point in that article: the covenant of grace was framed for the salvation of sinners.

the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgement” (Jn 16:7,8).

1. In this covenant, Christ became bound to God for His people as their covenant Head, just as Adam was bound in the covenant of works, in behalf of his children; so Christ became bound on behalf of His seed. Adam was only bound for those that were to descend directly from him; so Christ was only bound for those that were to be directly, as it were, descended from Him – His spiritual posterity, who are, like Isaac, the children of promise. This is abundantly illustrated in Romans 5:12-18. Adam was the figure of Christ; but he would not be so if Christ was bound for any but His spiritual seed, for Adam was not bound for any but his natural posterity.

This covenant was most solemnly ratified; it was confirmed by an oath: “Those priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath, by Him that said unto Him, The Lord sware and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever, after the order of Melchisedec” (Heb 7:21). The whole of this was the fruit of the love we have already noticed. How truly it passes knowledge! As He was bound thus for them, so He undertook the fulfilment of the law for them, and is the security of the inheritance to them.

1. A legal union was then framed between Christ and His chosen people. It is called a covenant because it made them one in law; as the surety and the borrower are one as to the security and payment of the debt, so is it here. Such a union has been framed in the covenant between Christ and the people whom He loved. As He united Himself to them in law, and as His heart was knit to them in such a way that He could not rest without them being with Him, so He has, in law, become thus connected with them in covenant, as their surety, so that they may be saved.

Now it is from this wonderful transaction that the union we have been speaking of flows. This is clear from Isaiah 53:10, where it is said, “He shall see His seed”. This could not take place without this vital union. None can be the posterity of Christ, who are not created anew by Him, and so brought into spiritual life by Him. Therefore the union flows from this covenant. This is also clear from John 6:37: “All that the Father giveth Me shall come to Me”. All who were given to Christ shall come to Him; so this union flows from this wonderful transaction. And as this union stands on the basis of this covenant, it is sure. This covenant can never be broken, because Christ is infallible. It is not only certain that He will not fail, but this is absolutely impossible. This covenant is fulfilled; so sinners are brought to Christ, and He sees of the travail of His soul and is satisfied. Now as this union thus flows from the covenant, we see that:

1. All that is necessary to it have been arranged from the first: “All things are now ready”. He has made provision, sinner, for salvation. Do you look

to the holiness of God and say, How can mercy break forth in love, so as justly to save such as you and bring you to union and fellowship with the Lord? See here the whole matter cleared up in the wonderful covenant, in which all things are ordered and sure. “He hath made with me”, says David, “an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things and sure.” See that the wisdom of God has devised the way for Him to exercise His love; see that His all-sufficiency has provided it. We may well exclaim, “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!”

1. See that this union between Christ and the objects of His love shall certainly take place; it is here secured. The love of Christ is not left to expend itself on idle work, after the Arminian fashion of stating this. But the object of His love is secured. The covenant secures it; it cannot be broken. It is sure in itself; it is also sure because of the oath by which it was confirmed; and farther, because of the blood of Christ, by which its condition is fulfilled. But as this covenant cannot be broken, see not merely the possibility of this union being formed, but the certainity, that it shall be so with multitudes which no man can number. Therefore seek to be among them. The freeness of this salvation is not at all contrary to this. Therefore seek to be so brought yourselves; you are warranted to plead this, and you cannot do so in vain.

2. As this union thus flows from this covenant, we may also see that those who are thus united to Christ are, through Him, also in covenant with God. They are thus brought within the bonds of the covenant, and God is, in Christ, engaged in covenant to them as to all that concerns their salvation – for they are heirs according to the promise. In one sense, all the elect have an interest in the covenant from eternity; that is, it is made about them; but they are not personally brought within its bond till they are united to Christ. Its promises do not belong, as sealed, to them till then. The absolute promises are indeed free to all, but they are personally sure to none till thus embraced.

They are like a blank draft, which can secure nothing to anyone till his name is put in, and so it becomes sure. Now God brings them to this; it is He that does it. As it was He that wrote their name in the Book of Life from eternity, so it is He that thus writes their names personally in the covenant, so that they may have it specially directed to them. In other words, He brings them to Christ, and so to have an interest in all the blessings of the holy, blessed covenant, of which we read here. They are brought to this by faith only, and brought to union to Christ; and they are thus brought to these circumstances in the providence of God. He, their covenant God in Christ, is engaged to them. So, as they received Christ, they have God engaged to them in Christ, as to all the purposes of this covenant.

Think of this, believer, and see what a broad foundation is here laid for

your security and comfort. As God is engaged thus in covenant with Christ, so also He is thus engaged to you in covenant with Christ. So it is all a testament to you; a new testament, as the covenant now has a new and better way of being dispensed to sinners.

1. As this covenant is the source of this union, see what ground of comfort in life and death the true children of God really have. How wonderful this is!

(1.) What comfort this was to David! (2 Sam 23:1-7). He had to pass through many afflictions in life, some of them very painful; his household was not as it should have been with God; yet he had comfort in this covenant, “Although my house be not so with God, yet hath he made with me an everlasting covenant”. So, child of God, if you are united to Christ, you may adopt the same words. Your heart may be sunk, your soul may be pierced with these afflictions, yet see here comfort in these, and all other, sorrows.

(2.) He came near eternity; he was now at his last words, “the last words of David”. How solemn one’s state is when he comes to his last words! The scene is then changed. How little the world seems! How vast eternity appears! How important a sure salvation then is! In these circumstances David said he had a ground of comfort; so have you who are united to Christ. This covenant secures everything to them who are in Him, for “if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise” – that is, in covenant, and this covenant secures all.

(3.) David was about to leave all things here; all was now in prospect of being removed. But here he had all: “This is all my salvation, and all my desire”. Think of this, believer. Nothing is lacking here. All is ordered, and all is sure. How blessed then are all who are united to Christ, in that they have an interest in all this! Our years are fading away; our time here is passing. We need some firm ground of support for eternity. We need something even now to bear us up against the evils of this world.

Can you do without this? Do you not need something for death, for that solemn time when all other things must fade away? No answer to these questions is to be found here, outside Christ and the covenant. It is not out of Christ; it is not in Christ out of the covenant, for everything is there. Seek union to Him and all shall be secured in Him. All shall be well with you in Him. It is so with His people. They may even enjoy the comfort of knowing it, of having all unfolded as secure with them. Do you wish to have this? Do you wish to be in David’s position, who could say what we are now considering? Death is life. David was a happy man; so it may be with you.

If you are in Christ, you have as sure an interest in the covenant as David, and may as surely take up his words. Not only is this clear from the truth we have now been considering, but it is directly stated, “Ho, every one that

thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money, come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread, and your labour for that which satisfieth not? Harken diligently unto Me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. Incline your ear, and come unto Me; hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David” (Is 55:1-3). Note, “the sure mercies of David”.

Such, then, is the source of the union we are now considering. O think of this blessed covenant! Here strong consolation is provided for all who have fled for refuge, as is provided for all who now flee to lay hold of the hope set before them.