The Wonderful Obedience of Christ

1/1/19737, J Greham Machen, 55, RC hospital, North Dakota

Pneumonia, sent telegram John Murray

“I’m so thankful for active obedience of Christ. No hope without it”.

That evening died. What active obedience? Why such comfort?

“and the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favour of God was upon him”.

Jesus really human, grew like us. Fully God. Fully Man.

No mixture two, or human shell. Both. Grew…

Showed us what human life could be. Obedience entire.

Circumcision to final Passover. Read OT law with no guilt.

He loved Lord hi God heart, soul and might. God’s favour rested.

This is the “active obedience”

Obedience to God. Freedom from sin. All the small choices.

Contrasted passive obedience of suffering at hands of others.

Now, all know crucifixion “for us and our salvation”.

But what benefit all this active obedience?

Paul: “for our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Jesus obedient, yet: “he made him to be sin who knew no sin”.

So that we might “become the righteousness of God”.

Our sin transferred Christ, his righteousness (act. obed.) to us.

Gal 3:27 “as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.”

We are clothed with Christ, we wear his obedience as a cloak.

When judged, judged on basis Christ’s obedience not our own.

“I’m so thankful for active obedience of Christ. No hope without it”!

This our hope: thru’ Jesus obedience we made righteous. Clothed.

What wonder! What assurance! Calvin wonders:

“This is the wonderful exchange which, out of his measureless benevolence, he has made with us; that, becoming Son of man with us, he has made us sons of God with him; that, by his descent to earth, he has prepared an ascent to heaven for us; that, by taking on our mortality, he has conferred his immortality upon us; that, accepting our weakness, he has strengthened us by his power; that, receiving our poverty unto himself, he has transferred his wealth to us; that, taking the weight of our iniquity upon himself (which oppressed us), he has clothed us with his righteousness.”

Wonder indeed, and what assurance!

To know that our future lies in Jesus’s hands, and not our own faltering efforts.

Let us all be so thankful for the active obedience of Christ!

There is no hope without it!