May - the Free Presbyterian church of Scotland

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The Free Presbyterian Magazine
24:16), had to complain of the power of sin in his heart. Only after entering
glory could it be said that he was perfectly holy. So he needed a substitute
to whom it could be said without qualification: “Thou lovest righteousness,
and hatest wickedness”, One who could do so continuously.
But the Father said – and the words were heard on earth more than once –
“This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased”, and there was never
a moment when the Father could not have spoken of Him in these terms.
There was never a moment when Christ’s obedience fell short of absolute
perfection. In His reactions to the insincere legality of the Pharisees, the
sceptical attitudes of the Sadducees, the unbelief of the Jews generally and
the disciples’ lack of understanding, Christ reacted appropriately, in perfect
obedience to all the precepts of the law of God. In all circumstances, He
loved His Father with all His heart and soul and strength and mind. And His
perfect obedience was on behalf of Paul and on behalf of every other sinner
for whom He was a substitute.
So when sinners look to Christ by faith, they are justified. Not only are
their sins forgiven on account of the substitutionary sufferings of Christ, they
are treated as if they had kept the law perfectly – as if they themselves had,
without a moment’s interruption, loved righteousness and hated wickedness.
And when the time comes for them to leave this world, “with gladness and
rejoicing shall they be brought . . . into the King’s palace” (Ps 45:15) – because
of what the King did for them when He veiled His glory – when, to
quote Paul’s inspired words, He “made Himself of no reputation, and took
upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and
being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient
unto death, even the death of the cross” (Phil 2:7,8).
But He has His reward; Paul continues: “Wherefore God also hath highly
exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name”. He who
perfectly loved righteousness and hated wickedness is further addressed:
“God, Thy God, hath anointed Thee with the oil of gladness above Thy fellows”.
His brethren, who in this world began, however imperfectly, to love
righteousness and to hate wickedness, are welcomed to glory with such words
as these: “Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful
over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into
the joy of thy Lord” (Mt 25:21). That joy is unspeakably great, but the joy
of the God-man, who finished the awful work given Him to perform in this
world for the salvation of a multitude that no man can number, will be far
greater. Not least is the joy of bringing all these many sons to glory.
What should be our response to His work, to His perfect delight in the
Father’s will? It is to believe on Him and to worship wholeheartedly.