George Whitefield
Sermon 44
Christ, the Believer's Wisdom, Righteousness, Sanctification and
Redemption
1 Corinthians 1:30, "But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made
unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption."
Of all the verses in the book of God, this which I have now read to
you, is, I believe, one of the most comprehensive: what glad tidings does
it bring to believers! What precious privileges are they herein invested
with! How are they here led to the fountain of them all, I mean, the love,
the everlasting love of God the Father! `Of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who
of God is made unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and
redemption.'
Without referring you to the context, I shall from the words,
FIRST, Point out to you the fountain, from which all those blessings
flow, that the elect of God partake of in Jesus Christ, "Who of God is made
unto'. And,
SECONDLY, I shall consider what these blessings are, `Wisdom,
righteousness, sanctification, and redemption'.
FIRST, I would point out to you the fountain, from which all those
blessings flow, that the elect of God partake of in Jesus, `who of God is
made unto us', the father he it is who is spoken of here. Not as though
Jesus Christ was not God also; but God the Father is the fountain of the
Deity; and if we consider Jesus Christ acting as Mediator, God the Father
is greater than he; there was an eternal contract between the Father and
the Son: "I have made a covenant with my chosen, and I have sworn unto
David my servant'; now David was a type of Christ, with whom the Father
made a covenant, that if he would obey and suffer, and make himself a
sacrifice for sin, he should `see his seed, he should prolong his days, and
the pleasure of the Lord should prosper in his hands'. This compact our
Lord refers to, in that glorious prayer recorded in the 17th chapter of
John; and therefore he prays for, or rather demands with a full assurance,
all that were given to him by the Father: `Father, I will that they also
whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am.' For this same reason, the
apostle breaks out into praises of God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ; for he loved the elect with an everlasting love, or, as our Lord
expresses it, `before the foundation of the world'; and, therefore, to show
them to whom they were beholden for their salvation, our Lord, in the 25th
of Matthew, represents himself saying, `Come, ye blessed children of my
Father, receive the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the
world'. And thus, in reply to the mother of Zebedee's children, he says,
`It is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is
prepared of the Father'. The apostle therefore, when here speaking of the
Christian's privileges, lest they should sacrifice to their own drag, or
think their salvation was owing to their own faithfulness, or improvement
of their own free-will, reminds them to look back on the everlasting love
of God the Father; `who of God is made unto us', etc.
Would to God this point of doctrine was considered more, and people
were more studious of the covenant of redemption between the Father and the
Son! We should not then have so much disputing against the doctrine of
election, or hear it condemned (even by good men) as a doctrine of devils.
For my own part, I cannot see how true humbleness of mind can be attained
without a knowledge of it; and though I will not say, that every one who
denies election is a bad man, yet I will say, with that sweet singer, Mr.
Trail, it is a very bad sign: such a one, whoever he be, I think cannot
truly know himself; for, if we deny election, we must, partly at least,
glory in ourselves; but our redemption is so ordered that no flesh should
glory in the Divine presence; and hence it is, that the pride of man
opposes this doctrine, because, according to this doctrine, and no other,
`he that glories, must glory only in the Lord'. But what shall I say?
Election is a mystery that shines with such resplendent brightness, that,
to make use of the words of one who has drunk deeply of electing love, it
dazzles the weak eyes even of some of God's dear children; however, though
they know it not, all the blessings they receive, all the privileges they
do or ill enjoy, through Jesus Christ, flow from the everlasting love of
God the Father: `But of him are you in Christ Jesus, who of God is made
unto us, wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption.'
SECONDLY, I come to show what these blessings are, which are here,
through Christ, made over to the elect. And,
1: FIRST, Christ is made to them WISDOM; but wherein does true wisdom
consist? Were I to ask some of you, perhaps you would say, in indulging the
lust of the flesh, and saying to your souls, eat, drink, and be merry: but
this is only the wisdom of brutes; they have as good a gust and relish for
sensual pleasures, as the greatest epicure on earth. Others would tell me,
true wisdom consisted in adding house to house, and field to field, and
calling lands after their own names: but this cannot be true wisdom; for
riches often take to themselves wings, and fly away, like an eagle towards
heaven. Even wisdom itself assures us, `that a man's life doth not consist
in the abundance of the things which he possesses'; vanity, vanity, all
these things are vanity; for, if riches leave not the owner, the owners
must soon leave them; `for rich men must also die, and leave their riches
for others'; their riches cannot procure them redemption from the grave,
whither we are all hastening apace.
But perhaps you despise riches and pleasure, and therefore place
wisdom in the knowledge of books: but it is possible for you to tell the
numbers of the stars, and call them all by their names, and yet be mere
fools; learned men are not always wise; nay, our common learning, so much
cried up, makes men only so many accomplished fools; to keep you therefore
no longer in suspense, and withal to humble you, I will send you to a
heathen to school, to learn what true wisdom is: `Know thyself', was a
saying of one of the wise men of Greece; this is certainly true wisdom, and
this is that wisdom spoken of in the text, and which Jesus Christ is made
to all elect sinners _ they are made to know themselves, so as not to think
more highly of themselves than they ought to think. Before, they were
darkness; now, they are light in the Lord; and in that light they see their
own darkness; they now bewail themselves as fallen creatures by nature,
dead in trespasses and sins, sons and heirs of hell, and children of wrath;
they now see that all their righteousnesses are but as filthy rags; that
there is no health in their souls; that they are poor and miserable, blind
and naked; and that there is no name given under heaven, whereby they can
be saved, but that of Jesus Christ. They see the necessity of closing with
a Savior, and behold the wisdom of God in appointing him to be a Savior;
they are also made willing to accept of salvation upon our Lord's own
terms, and receive him as their all in all; thus Christ is made to them
wisdom.
2. SECONDLY, RIGHTEOUSNESS, `Who of God is made unto us, wisdom,
righteousness': Christ's whole personal righteousness is made over to, and
accounted theirs. They are enabled to lay hold on Christ by faith, and God
the Father blots out their transgressions, as with a thick cloud: their
sins and their iniquities he remembers no more; they are made the
righteousness of God in Christ Jesus, `who is the end of the law for
righteousness to every one that believeth'. In one sense, God now sees no
sin in them; the whole covenant of works is fulfilled in them; they are
actually justified, acquitted, and looked upon as righteous in the sight of
God; they are perfectly accepted in the beloved; they are complete in him;
the flaming sword of God's wrath, which before moved every way, is not
removed, and free access given to the tree of life; they are enabled to
reach out the arm of faith, and pluck, and live for evermore. Hence it is
that the apostle, under a sense of this blessed privilege, breaks out into
this triumphant language; `...
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