His Obedience Infinitely Exceeds Your Disobedience

 By Don Kistler - Posted at Reformation21:

Satan is the great enemy of our souls. When he realizes that he cannot stop God’s saving a person, he does all that he can to trouble and vex that soul. Recognizing this, the Puritans spent a great portion of their sermon ministering to wounded souls in their congregation. For example, consider these words from Christopher Love:

Take this for your comfort, O you perplexed conscience: when you are in a corner, none but God and your own soul together, you think no man’s sin so grievous as yours. Then take this for your comfort: let your sin be never so great, yet the satisfaction and sufferings of Christ are far greater. “The blood of Christ cleanseth us from all sin.” The Red Sea did with as much ease drown Pharaoh and all his host as it could do a single man. The red sea of Christ’s blood can drown a whole host, and a huge multitude of sins, as well as a small lust. Though you have need to shed more tears for sin in a way of contrition, yet Christ needs not shed more blood for sin in a way of redemption, for “He hath saved them to the utmost that come unto God by Him.” The Apostle, triumphing in the fifth chapter of Romans, means that there is not so much evil in sin to damn us as there is good in the gift, in Christ, to save us, because your sin is the guilt of the creature, and Christ’s satisfaction is the satisfaction of God. Your sin is the sin of a finite creature, and His sufferings are the sufferings of an infinite Mediator.

Do what you can, and mourn that you can do no better; and then God will say, “Though you cannot keep the law completely, yet My Son has kept it for you. I accept His obedience as your obedience, and His righteousness as your righteousness.” Oh, what grace and mercy is here! How may this cheer up your hearts in the midst of all discouragements that lie upon you! Again, for your comfort, know that if in sincerity of heart you endeavor to keep what you hear, in divine acceptance it is all the same as if you had perfectly kept all that you hear. If it is the desire and labor of your soul to obey God’s will and observe His commands, in divine acceptance it is looked upon as if it were actually done by you.

It is worth your noticing what is said in Scripture: “By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac, and he that had received the promise, offered up his only begotten son” (Hebrews 11:17). Abraham did not actually do what is said here that he did, but because Abraham did it in the purpose of his heart, because the desire and resolution of his soul was to obey God’s command, therefore the Scripture accounts it as done! Oh, take this for your comfort, you who are a child of Abraham, who walk in the steps and faith of Abraham, the very desires and purposes of your heart are looked upon as if they were really and actually done. If you would pray better, hear better, and practice more than you do, in divine account this is looked upon as if you had already done it.

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See also:

• For Weary Souls: Greenhill on the Sweetness of the Savior - Reformation 21

To learn more about Christopher Love, please also see:

• The Life and Death of Christopher Love – by Christopher Fales | Reformed Theology at A Puritan's Mind (apuritansmind.com)