The difficulty solved.
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"For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh." Romans 8:3
Christian privileges should be clearly stated, well defended, and forcibly explained. This was the apostle's practice. He informs us there is no condemnation to believers in Jesus; he defends his point by showing that they are not under the law of works—but under the law of faith; and then he proceeds to explain this by stating, "For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh" (Romans 8:3). This passage,
Suggests A Difficulty. The difficulty is—to get rid of sin, that so the sinner may be free from condemnation. We could not get rid of sin by the law, because we could not keep it; therefore we could neither be justified, nor sanctified, nor reconciled to God by the law. The reason is, we are both wicked and weak:
We are so wicked that we would not keep the law, or meet God's demands, if we could; for the mind, in its natural or carnal state, is enmity against God.
We are so weak that we could not keep the law if we would; for apart from Christ, or without union with him, we can do nothing. "We are not sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God." The law requires what we cannot do, for it requires us to present to God a holy nature; and it demands also a perfect obedience, answerable to all its precepts, in all our relations, and under all the circumstances of life. There must not be one unholy or unlovely thought, emotion, word, or deed; or the law cannot be satisfied, nor can it acquit or justify us.
As the law requires what we cannot do, so neither can it give what it requires, or accept of repentance in the stead thereof. All it can do in the case of the sinner is—to demand of him, convict him of sin, condemn him for sin, and leave him to suffer the due desert of his sin. The law cannot lower its standard, or take less than its full demand; and therefore it can neither acquit us, nor cleanse us, nor give us power to raise ourselves out of our deplorable state.
Here is the difficulty, then—to give the law its due, to get rid of sin, to get it out of God's sight, and out of man's nature—so that God, who is just and holy, may justify us. The passage contains also,
God's Solution Of The Difficulty. "He sent his own Son." He had a Son, an only Son, a divine Son, his own proper Son, called his "only-begotten Son." Not a son by creation, as the angels; nor by adoption, as the saints; but a Son partaking of his own nature in all its fullness, glory, and majesty—a Son equal to himself in authority, dignity, and every divine perfection.
This Son he sent, as the apostle John said: "We have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world." God sent his Son; that is, he chose him for the wondrous work, he appointed and ordained him to do the work, he qualified him for the performance of the work, he commissioned and authorized him to come and do the work, and he entrusted him with the work. This was the work given him to do.
He sent him in the flesh; he took our nature, for the "Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us." "God was manifest in the flesh." Not in corrupt human nature, or in sinful flesh—but "in the likeness of sinful flesh." Not in glorified humanity as he wears it now, nor in humanity as Adam possessed it before he fell—but in humanity compassed with infirmities—but only sinless infirmities.
Therefore we read, "Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him who was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared; though he were a Son—yet he learned obedience by the things which he suffered; and being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all those who obey him." Here were sufferings, and emotions, and sensations, of which Adam's nature in Paradise does not seem to have been capable; nor does the glorified humanity of the Son of God, as it exists at the right hand of God. Yet his humanity is called, "That holy thing."
And of him it is testified, "Who did no sin;" "who knew no sin;" and "in him was no sin." He took the nature of the Virgin—but it was free from every taint of sin, from every polluting spot; therefore he was "holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners." It was true human nature, like ours, only sinless—he had a body and a soul like ours, prepared for him, assumed by him, and fit to be his residence while he tabernacle among us. "The children being partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil; and deliver those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage."
God sent his Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sacrifice for sin. He was not born under the law—but by circumcision he was made under the law, and became a debtor to do the whole law for all those whom he represented. To represent his people, he took their nature: as their representative, he was circumcised, and assumed their responsibilities; assuming their responsibilities, their sins were charged on him, and he became liable to suffer for them, he undertook to get rid of them. For his people whom he represented: he obeyed the law, was made a curse, became a sin-offering, and put away their sins by the sacrifice of himself;—so that, being united to his person, and believing in his name, Paul's words become applicable to us, "You are complete in him . . . . wherein also you are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who has raised him from the dead."
By the transfer of our sins to him, he was made sin for us; and being made sin for us, "it pleased the Lord to bruise him." So also his righteousness is made over to us, and we are made "the righteousness of God in him." As, therefore, our sins were laid on Christ, punished in Christ, and put away by Christ; and as his righteousness is made over to us, placed to our account, and imputed to our persons; to us there can be no condemnation.
But the apostle adds, that by making his Son a sacrifice for sin, "he condemned sin in the flesh." He showed that he could not merely wink at it, tolerate it, or overlook it; it must be got rid of, and be got rid of righteously. Sentence, therefore, was passed on sin; and as Jesus had become the great sin-bearer, sentence was passed on him, he was doomed to suffer its desert, and make full expiation for it. So that, though it was only placed to his account, or charged upon him, his person remaining perfectly sinless, he was delivered into the hands of wicked men, he was left to the rage of devils, he was abandoned by his Father; and thus suffered what would have been insupportable to all but himself, and as the sin-offering he died.
In Jesus, sin was doomed to destruction, as we read, "Our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed." It was dethroned that it might be annihilated. Jesus suffering for it showed what it deserved, and thus it was condemned. He expiated it at the expense of his life, that he might ultimately abolish it forever. How could God condemn sin in a more solemn, striking, or affecting manner, than by condemning his Son for it, bruising and putting his Son to grief on account of it? O marvellous mystery, that God should send his own, his only, his beloved Son in our nature—in a nature like ours in every particular except sin—and by making him our great sin-offering, condemn sin in our nature, dooming it to utter annihilation, and showing his infinite abhorrence of it!
Man, by nature, is in a state of sin, and under the righteous and rigorous law of God. He is wicked and will not keep it, has no desire or wish to do so—and is therefore justly condemned; but he is also so weak, that if he had the will, he has not the power, and is therefore to be pitied as well as blamed. Being in this state, someone must come to deliver him—or he must perish in his sin. There was no one qualified, either in heaven or on earth; therefore there was no one able to deliver him.
To meet this difficulty and remove it, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law—to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. Therefore Christ came, and has redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, "Cursed is every one that hangs on a tree:" that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ. His natures, being divine and human; his perfections, having all the attributes of Godhead and all the excellences of humanity, fitted and qualified him for the work: and being qualified, he commenced and carried out his undertaking, putting away sin by the sacrifice of himself.
God's Son, sent forth in the likeness of sinful flesh, had a near relation both to the Father and us. He is the Son of the Father in truth and love; and he is our brother, being bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh. He had intense affection: his love to his Father was glowing and constant, and so was his love to us. He was prepared to be anything, to do anything, and to suffer anything—in order that his Father might be glorified; and he was equally prepared to be, to do, and to suffer anything—in order that we might be saved. He condemned sin—that he might not condemn the sinner; he died for sin—that he might not be required to doom the sinner to death. He could not excuse sin—but he could die for it; he could not save the sinner in his sins—but he could put away his sin. And blessed be his adorable name—he died for us; by dying he atoned for all our transgressions; and now in him, and walking not after the flesh—but after the Spirit—to us there is no condemnation!
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