Thomas Manton

This is worth the study,

~Al

In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:

Col 1:14

 

I. What remission of sins is.

1. Sin is a violation of the law of God (1Jn 3:4). In this law there is the precept which is the rule of duty, and the sanction or penalty which shows what God might do if He dealt with us according to our merit. Accordingly in sin there is—

(1) The fault. Man, God's subject, and obliged to Him by His benefits, swerves from the rule of his duty and exposes himself to God's judgment.

(2) The guilt, which is liableness to punishment.

2. Forgiveness is a dissolving the obligation to punishment, a freedom in God's way from the consequences of sin.

(1) It is not a disannulling of the act as a natural action. What is done cannot be undone.

(2) Nor is it abolished as a criminal action. Forgiveness does not make a fault to be no fault. The innocent are acquitted, but the guilty are pardoned as sinners.

(3) Nor is the merit of the sinful act lessened, it still deserves punishment.

(4) Forgiveness therefore is a passing by the fault so that it shall not rise up in judgment against us. The fault is the sinner's, the punishment the Judge's, which He may fashion on certain terms stated in the law of grace.

I prove it

(1) from the nature of the thing, for there is such a relation between the fault and the guilt, the sin and punishment; that the one cannot be without the other. Therefore, if the Judge will not impute the fault there will be an immunity from punishment.

(2) From the common rule of speaking among men. He cannot be said to forgive a fault who exacts punishment; and what do men mean when they pray for pardon but that they may be exempted from punishment?

(3) It would impeach the justice and mercy of God were He to punish where He has pardoned.

(4) Scripture phrases show that God blots out our sins (Psa 71:2; Psa 32:1; Isa 38:17; Mic 7:19; Jer 31:34).

 

II. The nature of redemption.

1. Our being redeemed supposes a captivity and bondage.

(1) Unrenewed men are slaves to sin (Tit 3:3; Joh 8:34). Men imagine a life of vanity to be a very good life, and it were so if liberty consisted in doing what we list rather than what we ought. But it is not, and experience shows that men cannot leave their base satisfactions.

(2) As they are under sin so they are under Satan (Eph 2:2; 2Ti 2:26).

(3) For this they are under the curse of God.

2. To recover us there was a price to be paid by way of ransom to God. We are not delivered by prayer, nor mere force, nor out of pity, but by just satisfaction to provoked justice. The price was not paid to Satan, who is a usurper—from him we are delivered by force—but to God. Man had not sinned against Satan, but God, to whom belong condemnation or pardon. And God being satisfied, Satan has no power over us. That redemption implies payment of a price is clear (Mat 20:28; 1Ti 2:6). Christ in recovering men in dealing with God is set forth as a Lamb slain (Rev 5:5-6); in dealing with Satan as a lion recovering the prey. A ransom was necessary because God had made a former covenant which was not to be quit but upon valuable consideration, lest His moral attributes should fall to the ground.

(1) The honor of His justice was to be secured (Rom 3:5-6; Gen 18:25). If God should pardon without satisfaction how should He be reverenced as the holy Governor of the world? Hence Rom 3:25-26.

(2) His wisdom. If the law should be recalled, the Lawgiver would run the hazard of levity.

(3) His holy nature would not permit it. Some way must be found to signify His hatred of sin (Psa 11:6).

(4) His authority. It would be a derogation to the authority of His law if it might be broken with impunity.

(5) His truth. God's word is not to be regarded as a scarecrow (Gen 3:5; Deu 29:19-20).

3. None was fit to give this ransom but Jesus Christ, the God-man. He was man to undertake it in our name, God to perform it in His own strength; a man that He might be under the law and die, God that He might put the stamp upon the metal and make it current coin. By taking human nature a price was put into His hands, to which His Divine nature gave the requisite value (Act 20:28; Heb 9:13).

4. Nothing performed by Christ could be a sufficient ransom but His death.

(1) To answer the types wherein without shedding of blood was no remission.

(2) In the nature of the thing (Joh 8:20). Death was threatened to sin, and feared by the sinner, and must be borne, therefore, for deliverance.

5. From this ransom there is a liberty resulting to us; but not a liberty to sin (Rom 6:22). Christ came not to free us from the duty of the law, but its penalty, otherwise it would promote the devil's interest. He redeemed us that we might serve God.

6. We are not partakers of this liberty till we are united to Christ by faith "in whom."

 

III. Remission of sins is a principal part of redemption.

1. How a part.

(1) Redemption is taken for the laying down of the price. That was done on the cross (Heb 9:12).

(2) In its application. Besides the ransom there is actual deliverance. Complete redemption we shall enjoy at the last day (Rom 8:23; Eph 4:30; Eph 1:14). Begun deliverance, which we now enjoy by faith, consists of justification (Eph 1:7), where sin is freely pardoned, and we delivered from evil and wrath; and sanctification (1Pe 1:18; Tit 2:14).

2. A principal part, for—

(1) The power of Satan is destroyed (Act 26:18).

(2) The reign of sin is broken. The gift of the sanctifying Spirit is part of our pardon applied (Col 2:13).

(3) We are eased of our tormenting fears.

(4) Death is unstinged (1Co 15:56).

(5) The obligation to, eternal punishment ceases.

 

IV. Use. To persuade you to seek after this benefit.

1. We all once needed it. Nothing but pardon will serve your turn.

(1) Not forbearance on God's part.

(2) Not senseless forgetfulness or baseless hope on yours.

2. The best of us still need it. Renewed sins need new pardon; daily infirmities daily repentance. 

(T. Manton, D. D.)