Thomas Goodwin :: Section Five :: Chapter One

CHRIST SET FORTH
Section Five :: Chapter One

THE TRIUMPH OF FAITH FROM CHRIST’S INTERCESSION

A connection of this with the former; and how this adds a further support. Two things out of the text propounded to be handled: First, the concurrency of influence that Christ’s intercession has into our salvation. Secondly, the security that faith may have therefrom for our justification.

Who also makes intercession for us.—Romans 8:34

We have seen Christ sitting at God’s right hand as a judge and king, having all authority of saving or condemning in his own hands; and having all power in heaven and earth to give eternal life to them that believe, and the confidence that this gives us.

Let us now come to his intercession, and the influence which it has into our justification and salvation; which as it strikes the last stroke to make all sure, so as great a stroke as any of the former. Therefore, as you have heard that there was an all-sufficiency in his death—“Who shall condemn? It is Christ that died”—rather in his resurrection—“yes rather, is risen again”—a much rather [πολλῷ μᾶλλον], that he lives and is at God’s right hand, Romans 5:10. The apostle rises yet higher to a εἰς τὸ παντελὲς, “a saving to the utmost,” put upon his intercession in Hebrews 7:25, “Wherefore he is able to save to the utmost, seeing he ever lives to make intercession.” So that if you could suppose there were anything which none of all the former three could do or effect for us, yet his intercession could do it to the utmost, for itself is the uttermost and highest. If money would purchase our salvation, his death has done it, which he laid down as a price and an equivalent ransom (as it is in 1 Timothy 2:6). If power and authority would effect it, his sitting at God’s right hand, invested with all power in heaven and earth, shall be put forth to the utmost to effect it. If favor and entreaties added to all these (which often does as much as any of those other) were needful, he will use the utmost of this also, and forever make intercession. So that if love, money, or power (any of them, or all of them) will save us, we shall be sure to be saved, “saved to the utmost,” εἰς τὸ παντελὲς, all manner of ways, by all manner of means; saved over and over.

For the clearing of this last general head, the intercession of Christ, and the influence and security it has into our faith and justification, I shall handle two things, and both proper to the text.

1. First, show how unto all those other fore-mentioned acts of Christ for us, this of intercession also is to be added by him for the effecting our salvation, and the securing our hearts therein. This that particle also in the text calls for, “Who also makes intercession for us.”

2. Then secondly, to show the security that faith may assume and fetch from this intercession of Christ, or his praying for us in heaven; “Who shall condemn? It is Christ that makes intercession for us.”