Lord’s Day 16
Q43. What further benefit do we receive from Christ's sacrifice and death on the cross?
Through Christ's death our old selves are crucified, put to death, and buried with him, so that the evil desires of the flesh may no longer reign in us, but that instead we may dedicate ourselves as an offering of gratitude to him.
Scripture Proofs — King James Version
Romans 6:5–11
“For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also of resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with , that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Colossians 2:11–12
“In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.”
Romans 6:12–14
“Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members instruments of righteousness unto God. For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.”
Romans 12:1
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, your reasonable service.”
2 Corinthians 5:15
“And he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.”
Commentary — Zacharias Ursinus (1616)
This question has respect to the fruits or benefits of Christ's death. And here also, as in the passion of Christ, the end and fruits are to be regarded as the same, only in a different respect: for the things which Christ proposed to himself as ends, are unto us the fruits, when we receive or apply them to ourselves. It is, therefore, manifest that the benefits of Christ's death comprehend the entire work of our redemption, of which fruits we may specify the following: 1. "Justification, or the remission of sins." The justice of God demands that the sinner should not be punished twice. And as he has punished our sins in Christ, he will not, therefore, punish the same in us. "The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin," original as well as actual, and sins of commission as well as omission. We are, therefore, justified, that is, freed from the evil both of punishment and of guilt on account of the death of Christ, which is the cause of this effect.
2. "Regeneration, or the renewing of our nature by the Holy Spirit." Christ, by his death, has merited for us not only the pardon of sin, but also its removal and the gift of the Holy Ghost. Or, we may say that he has, by his own death, obtained for us not only the remission of sin, but the indwelling of God in us. "If I go not away the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart I will send him unto you." "And ye are complete in him." "Who is made unto us righteousness and sanctification." (John 16:7. Col. 2:10. 1 Cor. 1:30.)
But the death of Christ is, in two respects, the efficient cause, as well of our justification as of our regeneration. 1. "In respect to God:" because he, on account of the merit and death of Christ, remits unto us our sins, grants us the Holy Spirit, and renews in us his own image. "Being justified by his blood." "Being reconciled to God by the death of his Son." "Because ye are sons, God hath sent the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father." (Rom. 5:9, 10. Gal. 4:6.) 2. "In respect to us" the death of Christ is also an efficient cause; because we who believe that Christ obtained for us righteousness and the Holy Spirit, cannot be otherwise than grateful to him, and earnestly desire so to live that we may honor him, which is done by commencing to walk in newness of life. The application of the death of Christ, and a proper consideration of it, will not suffer us to remain ungrateful; but will constrain us to love Christ in return, and to render thanks for such a great and inestimable benefit. Hence we are not to imagine that we can have remission of sins without regeneration; for no one that is not regenerated can obtain remission of sins. He, therefore, who boasts of having applied to himself by faith the death of Christ, and yet has no desire to live a holy and godly life, that he may so honor the Saviour, lies, and gives conclusive evidence that the truth is not in him for all those who are justified are willing and ready to do those things which are pleasing to God. The desire to obey God can never be separated from an application of the death of Christ, nor can the benefit of regeneration be experienced without that of justification. All those that are justified are also regenerated, and all those that are regenerated are justified.