Union with Christ, Part 1

Driving home: You see, God does not deal in legal fictions. He commands us to judge righteous judgment. His judgments are according to truth.

Martin quotes A.A. Hodge at length to support the idea that the divine administration of salvation rests on higher principles than human law, and that vicarious suffering, while transcending reason, does not conflict with it, especially when considering the nature of union.

Now, in taking up those two great objections to the Christian doctrine of vicarious sacrifice, Hodge, having ably disposed of those objections, then says, and I quote now a rather lengthy quote from Hodge, page 112 on to 113 in his Treatment of the Atonement in the book I recommended last week, The Atonement by Hugh Martin and A. A. Hodge. It's two books put into one, published by Mac Publishing.

7:33 - 8:05 Read in full sermon

Driving home: There is a valid transference of one to the other because a relationship has been established which makes that possible.

Hodge's illustration of three kinds of union (natural, moral/political, voluntary) is used to show how imputation of sin can be justified in human experience, setting the stage for Christ's stronger union with His people.

it by no means conflicts with reason. And then Hodge goes on to show, quoting from Turretin, one of the older theologians, and Grotius, you'll find those names occurring in Reformed theological literature, the writing, that there are three kinds of union known to us which justify the imputation of sin because they are of such a nature that in the case of certain actions the moral responsibility for the sin is common to all the parties involved. In other words, he's going to illustrate this principle in human experience, natural as between a father and his children. We find that in Scripture.

8:48 - 9:30 Read in full sermon

The point: Be convinced of the scriptural necessity of contemplating Christ's death in relation to His people, so that you can know the blessing of this truth and convince others.

Isaiah 53 is described as a 'pre-written eyewitness account' of Christ's death, emphasizing its prophetic accuracy and detail.

Now all we're seeking to show is that thinking of Christ's death in this vital relationship to this doctrine his relationship to his people union with Christ and the death of Christ thinking of them always together it is first of all pressed upon us from the scripture from the prophetic announcement concerning his death. And if you will please consider Isaiah chapter 53. Some have called it this pre-written eyewitness account of the death of Christ. In Isaiah 53 the suffering servant is put before us and our concern is particularly with

12:01 - 12:45 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin presents scriptural evidence from prophetic announcements (Isaiah 53, Matthew 1) and Christ's own words (John 10) to demonstrate that Christ's death is always contemplated…

The cultural context of Mary and Joseph's engagement is used to explain the seriousness of their betrothal and Joseph's dilemma, highlighting his thoughtful character.

You remember the setting of this particular passage. Mary and Joseph are engaged and engagement was a bit of a different nature then as now. They were actually considered married though they did not live together and cohabit. He was espoused to Mary and during this time he discovers that she is with child and Joseph contemplates what his action should be and living under the old economy he contemplates it in terms of the strictures of the ceremonial and civil laws of Israel.

15:46 - 16:29 Read in full sermon

The point: Contemplate the pivotal work of salvation (the cross) inseparably from the people for whom it was designed.

Joseph's careful deliberation before acting is presented as a 'wonderful lesson' about not making haste, underscoring his godliness.

And while he is wrestling with what course of action is open to him verse 20 of Matthew 1 when he thought on these things wonderful lesson about he that believeth shall not make haste. Thank God Joseph didn't make haste. He was a God maker. He was a holy man which meant that he would weigh his actions before engaging in them.

16:29 - 16:48 Read in full sermon

Driving home: So the dominant emphasis of the word of God forces upon us a contemplation of the word of Christ as inseparably inseparably joined to this broader doctrine of union with Christ or the specific relationship of Christ to h…

Paul's method of teaching practical duties (Ephesians 5) is compared to Moses' method of grounding Israel's duties in their redemption from Egypt, showing that Christian ethics are rooted in redemptive privilege.

and perhaps no passage is more germane to this issue than Ephesians chapter 5 Ephesians chapter 5 the apostle Paul cannot teach the most practical duties without doing as Moses did when he taught practical duties to Israel soaking the tap roots in redemption you see now here is the similarity when Moses would say do this, do this, do this don't cut the corners of your beard don't mix your cloth for God brought you out of Egypt you are his redeemed people the duties given peculiar to that circumstance are always soaked in the tap roots of redemptive privilege

24:26 - 25:09 Read in full sermon

Driving home: No one and I make this statement guardedly no one can be a theologian of any sorts who is either ignorant of or uncommitted to the obvious truth of these two passages you cannot begin to construct anything that borders o…

Martin recounts his personal experience reading Finney's systematic theology, explaining how Finney's rationalistic treatment of Romans 5 drove him away from Pelagianism and convinced him of federal headship.

which is the foundation the foundation of the earth which is the foundation of the universe and also in every creature and in every being there is an order of the earth that is the world and in every being there is one and the world is a heaven in the earth what he tries to do with these passages. Now that's what drove me forever away from Pelagianism. Back when I didn't know much about systematic theology, I don't know much now, but I knew much less then.

35:23 - 36:05 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Having established the necessity, Martin begins to expound the nature of the relationship, first as a legal or federal union. He uses Romans 5 and 1 Corinthians 15 to demonstrate…

The Old Testament concept of 'firstfruits' is used to explain Christ's resurrection as a guarantee of a future, greater resurrection for His people, emphasizing their union with Him.

Well, what makes it essential that Christ's resurrection is just the firstfruits? And you know the analogy. When the harvest was full, in the Old Testament you'd get some of the firstfruits and bring it as an offering to God. The firstfruits were of the same kind and were the inescapable witness to the fact that a harvest was yet to come.

43:00 - 43:22 Read in full sermon

The point: Understand that the reality of our union with Christ, established historically and applied dynamically by faith, makes continuance in sin utterly impossible.

The concept of 'retroactive efficiency' is used to describe how faith brings believers into union with Christ, making His death, burial, and resurrection effectively theirs, releasing them from sin.

utterly impossible. And that something he says is the reality of our union with Christ. Established history historically once for all when Christ died personally and inwardly and dynamically when by faith we are brought into union with Christ and there is and I know I have no other way to describe it but as it were a retroactive efficiency that takes us as it were right back to the moment when the blood was spilling from his own veins and the curse of God was being pronounced upon him he said he that is died is released from sin when faith brings me into union with Christ it is as though God p...

57:51 - 58:35 Read in full sermon

The point: Think, pray, and meditate deeply on biblical truths, avoiding simplistic interpretations that go beyond the Bible.

Martin quotes an unnamed man lamenting that modern preaching, in an attempt to simplify, has become simplistic and gone beyond the Bible, underscoring the need for deep thought and meditation on complex truths.

and his abandonment becomes my abandonment his death is my death his burial is mine his resurrection is mine the great point the apostle is making is that when Christ died such a relationship was established already with his people that when in time they come into the virtue of that all of the power and implications of that union will come to light in their life history but what happens in their life history is but the opening up of the womb of that which was secured here and that which secured it was the reality of his relationship to his people now much of that may be going over your head bu...

58:35 - 59:20 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Those who were in his heart from eternity are not suddenly pushed from his heart when that heart is poured out in death upon the cross of Christ

Martin shares a personal anecdote about the rare privilege of sitting among the congregation and hearing Psalm 22 read, highlighting his delight in simply receiving the Word and the impact of the passage.

to God it was that joy the certainty that the people given to him the people to whom he is committed the people to whom he is related in this federal and vital union would actually receive the benefits of all of his work it is that joy that sustains him as he faces the agony of the cross and goes through the baptism of his suffering I found last Lord's Day sitting amongst the Lord's people only two times now in 14 years that I've had that privilege and I've been made I've been spoiled just to sit not to have anything to do not to lead in prayer and apart from that little faux pas with the song

63:02 - 63:47 Read in full sermon