John Bunyan :: The Power of Christ to Save, or to Cast Out

THE POWER OF CHRIST TO SAVE, OR TO CAST OUT.

SECOND. And now we come to the second thing that is to be inquired into—namely, How it appears that Christ hath power to save, or to cast out, for by these words, "I will in no wise cast out," he declareth that he hath power to do both. Now this inquiry admits us to search into two things: First, How it appears that he hath power to save; Second, How it appears that he hath power to cast out.

First, That he hath power to save, appears by that which follows: —

• 1. To speak only of him as he is Mediator: he was authorized to this blessed work by his Father before the world began. Hence the apostle saith, "He hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world" (Eph 1:4), with all those things that effectually will produce our salvation. Read the same chapter, with 2Ti 1:9.
  
  

• 2. He was promised to our first parents, that he should, in the fullness of time, bruise the serpent's head, and, as Paul expounds it, redeem them that were under the law; hence since that time he hath been reckoned as slain for our sins. By which means all the fathers under the first testament were secured from the wrath to come; hence he is called, "The Lamb slain from the foundation of the world" (Rev 13:8; Gen 3:15; Gal 4:4-5).
  
  

• 3. Moses gave testimony of him by the types and shadows, and bloody sacrifices, that he commanded from the mouth of God to be in use for the support of his people's faith until the time of reformation, which was the time of this Jesus' death. Heb 9; Heb 10.
  
  

• 4. At the time of his birth it was testified of him by the angel, "for he shall save his people from their sins" (Mat 1:21).
  
  

• 5. It is testified of him in the days of his flesh that he had power on earth to forgive sins (Mar 2:5-12).
  
  

• 6. It is testified also of him by the apostle Peter, that "God hath exalted him with his own right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins" (Act 5:31).
  
  

• 7. In a word, this is everywhere testified of him, both in the Old Testament and the New. And good reason that he should be acknowledged and trusted in, as a Saviour.

  • (1.) He came down from heaven to be a Saviour (Jhn 6:38-40).
    
    

  • (2.) He was anointed when on earth to be a Saviour (Luk 3:22).
    
    

  • (3.) He did the works of a Saviour. As—

    • (a.) He fulfilled the law, and became the end of it for righteousness, for them that believe in him (Rom 10:3-4).
      
      

    • (b.) He laid down his life as a Saviour; he gave his life as "a ransom for many" (Mat 20:28; Mar 10:45; 1Ti 2:6).
      
      

    • (c.) He hath abolished death, destroyed the devil, put away sin, got the keys of hell and death, is ascended into heaven, is there accepted of God, and bid sit at the right hand as a Saviour; and that because his sacrifice for sins pleased God (2Ti 1:10; Heb 2:14-15; Heb 10:12-13; Eph 4:7-8; Jhn 16:10-11; Act 5:30-31).
      
      

  • (4.) God hath sent out and proclaimed him as a Saviour, and tells the world that we have redemption through his blood, that he will justify us, if we believe in his blood, and that he can faithfully and justly do it. Yea, God doth beseech us to be reconciled to him by his Son, which could not be if he were not anointed by him to this very end, and also if his works and undertakings were not accepted of him considered as a Saviour (Rom 3:24-25; 2Co 5:18-21).
    
    

  • (5.) God hath received already millions of souls into his paradise because they have received this Jesus for a Saviour, and is resolved to cut them off and to cast them out of his presence that will not take him for a Saviour (Heb 12:22-26).

I intend brevity here; therefore a word to the second, and so conclude.

Second. How it appears that he hath power to cast out. This appears also by what follows:

• 1. The Father (for the service that he had done him as Saviour) hath made him Lord of all, even Lord of quick and dead. "For to this end Christ both died and rose and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living" (Rom 14:9).
  
  

• 2. The Father hath left it with him to quicken whom he will—to wit, with saving grace—and to cast out whom he will for their rebellion against him (Jhn 5:21).
  
  

• 3. The Father hath made him judge of quick and dead, hath committed all judgment unto the Son, and appointed that all should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father (Jhn 5:22-23).
  
  

• 4. God will judge the world by this man: the day is appointed for judgment, and he is appointed for judge. "He hath appointed a day in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man" (Act 17:31). Therefore we must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ, that every one may receive for the things done in the body according to what they have done. If they have closed with him, heaven and salvation; if they have not, hell and damnation! And for these reasons he must be judge:—

  • (1.) Because of his humiliation: because of his Father's word he humbled himself, and he became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross; "Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." This hath respect to his being judge, and his sitting in judgment upon angels and men (Phl 2:7-11; Rom 14:10-11).
    
    

  • (2.) That all men might honour the Son even as they honour the Father. "For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father" (Jhn 5:22-23).
    
    

  • (3.) Because of his righteous judgment: this work is fit for no creature; it is only fit for the Son of God. For he will reward every man according to his ways (Rev 22:12).
    
    

  • (4.) Because he is the Son of man. He "hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man" (Jhn 5:27).