3. The Spirit Applies Redemption
Peter MacBride
(3.) He is the One who applies the redemption purposed by the Father and purchased by the Son. This is His distinct work; He applies the work of Christ. This is His office in the great work of redemption. That the Spirit does so is evident:
(1) Because He clearly undertook this in His love. We read of the Spirit’s love, and this is its fruit, that He undertook this. Christ clearly intimated that the Spirit did so: “I tell you the truth; it is expedient for you that I go away: for if go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send Him unto you” (Jn 16:7). These words evidently show this engagement. Now seeing the Spirit has engaged to do this, He applies this redemption.
(2) Because He actually applies redemption, as we read in John 16. Here we have the work of the Spirit clearly set before us, and we are called to observe that, seeing this is His work, He does apply this redemption.
[1] He converts sinners: this is clearly stated. He brings them to reconciliation with God, through Christ.
[2] He edifies believers, or carries on the work in them. He takes of the things of Christ and shows them unto them. Now this is the way of applying redemption. He does so indeed by power, but His renewing power is exerted by bringing the truth to bear on the mind, and bringing the person actually to feel the efficacy of Christ crucified.
[3] He carries on the work unto perfection: “All things that the Father hath,” says Christ, “are Mine”. So He applies the whole of this redemption.
(3) Because there is no enjoyment of this salvation, without the Holy Spirit.
[1] There is no conversion without Him: “Jesus answered, and said unto [Nicodemus], Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto Him, How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God” (Jn 3:3-5). So there is no entrance into the kingdom of God, either
1The first part of a further chapter on the same subject as before, in “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). A previous series, from the same book and entitled “Origin of a Believer’s Union to Christ”, ran from January to April this year.
here or hereafter, without Christ and without the Spirit of God. So it is clear that He alone applies this redemption.
[2] There is no interest in Christ without Him: “If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His” (Rom 8:9). So whatever a man is, if he does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not one of those who belong to Christ; whether rich or poor, learned or unlearned, whatever he is, it is all one: without the Spirit there is no interest in Christ; and so, without the Spirit, there is no application of redemption, or any enjoyment of it.
[3] There is no deliverance from the law without the Spirit, as may be seen from: “If ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law” (Gal 5:18). So they who are not so led are under the law. One great part of redemption is deliverance from being under the law; but no one enjoys this through Christ who is not led by the Spirit; so this deliverance is not enjoyed without the Spirit. I may not wait here to show how this is; I just note that it is not the Spirit, or any work of His, that merits this for anyone. No, this deliverance is purchased only by Christ. But no one benefits from it without the Spirit, because they are not united to Christ; so only those who are led by the Spirit are freed from the law, and they enjoy this through the righteousness of Christ.
[4] Without the Spirit, there is no place in the family of God. It is said, “As many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God” (Rom 8:14); so none are children, who are not led by the Spirit of the Son. This shows that the Spirit applies redemption.
[5] Without the Spirit there is no deliverance from sin, no sanctification, and so there is no right worship of God, or production of the fruits of righteousness, which are to His glory and praise. It is obvious that, without the Spirit, there is no deliverance from sin, for it is only by Him that the deeds of the body are mortified. “If ye, through the Spirit,” it is said, “do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live” (Rom 8:13). So it is only through the Spirit that sin is mortified, and it is also through Him that anyone is changed into the image of the Lord, “Beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, [we] are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord” (2 Cor 3:18).
It is only through Him that anyone can truly worship God. “God is a Spirit; and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth”; and so all His people do worship Him. “We are the circumcision,” says Paul, “which worship God in the Spirit” (Phil 3:3). And without Him there is no fruit of righteousness; all things are either fruits of the flesh or of the Spirit: “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings,
and such like” (Gal 5:19-21). The fruit of the flesh is only sin: “The carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be” (Rom 8:7). It is only the fruit of the Spirit that is truly holy, or holiness itself, as we may read, “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance” (Gal 5:22,23). Now, seeing this is the case, and there is no sanctification, and so no holiness, except through the Spirit, it is clear that He applies the redemption purchased by Christ.
[6] Apart from Him there is no enjoyment of spiritual comfort; He is called the Comforter, and so He is the only Comforter of the Church. We read of “joy in the Holy Ghost”, and such is the joy which Christ has procured for His people. Therefore only He applies this redemption.
[7] Without Him there is no enjoyment of a blessed resurrection, or final glory (so He is called the Spirit of glory), and so it is by Him that one is led to, and put in possession of, the resurrection and final glory. It is thus that one is raised from the dead to the enjoyment of it: “If the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by His Spirit that dwelleth in you” (Rom 8:11). These things may surely show clearly that the Holy Spirit alone applies this glorious redemption.
(4) Their need of the work of the Spirit is clear from the experience and confession of the people of God.
[1] From their experience. They are all made to feel their need of Him and His work. Others may feel otherwise, but all the people of God feel their need of the Spirit, and hence they constantly pray for this. They are poor and needy and so seek for this water; they seek this good thing and are not refused.
[2] From their confession. If there is any good in them, it is from the love of the Father and the righteousness of the Son, and also by the grace of the Spirit. “By the grace of God”, says Paul, “I am what I am.”