3d. The Scriptures declare that the' effect of Christ's death is reconciliation and justification, Eom. v., 10 ; Eph. ii., 16 ; remis- sion of sins, Eph. i., 7 ; peace, Eph. ii., 14 ; deliverance from wrath, 1 Thess. i., 10 ; from death, Heb. ii., 14 ; from the curse of the law, Gal. iii., 13 ; from sin, 1 Pet. i., 18. To deliver from sin and the law is not to make deliverance possible, but actually to deliver, and Christ could not have designed to deliver those whom he does not actually deliver.— Hodge's Essays.
37. What connection do the Scriptures represent as subsist- ing between the work of Christ and the gift of the Holy Ghost, and how may it be hence argued that he died specially for his own people ?.
The Scriptures everywhere teach that the Holy Ghost was promised to Christ as the reward of his obedience and suffering, to be by him bestowed upon those for whom he obeyed and suf- fered. " Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith," Gal. iii., 13, 14 ; Acts ii., 33 ; Titus iii., 5, 6 ; Eph. i., 3. Then it fol- lows that all for whom he died must receive that Spirit whose in-
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fluences were secured by his death. If the influences of the Holy Spirit are secured by his death , to teach, renew, and sanctify, it can not be denied that those, and only those thus taught, renewed, and sanctified, are those for whom he died/5
38. How is this truth proved by the connection mutually sus- tained by the different parts of Christ's mediatorial work ?
Christ came into this world, obeyed, suffered, died, appeared before God, intercedes and sends his Spirit as mediator. These are all essential parts of the same office. If he died for all, there- fore, he must perform every other mediatorial act for all, he must sanctify all, and intercede for all. All these are represented as united in the Scriptures, 1 John ii., 1, 2 ; Kom. viii., 34 ; iv., 25 ; John xvii., 9. As these are all inseparably united in the execution, they must have been united in the design.
39. What is the Scriptural doctrine concerning substitution, and how does that principle answer the question as for whom Christ died ?
As shown above, (question 16,) the sacrificial victim under the Old Testament was substituted in the place of the offerer. It was life for life. Christ as an " offering for sin" was the substitute of those for whom he died. As second Adam, also, he died by cove- nant in the place of and in behalf of those for whom he died, 2 Cor. v., 21 ; Gal. iii., 13 ; Isa. liii., 5 ; Kom. v., 19 ; 1 Pet. iii., 18. If so, then all for whom he died must be absolved, or else the substitution of Christ would be made of nought in each case wherein it fails.
40. What is the Scripture doctrine as to the union of Christ with his people, and how does that doctrine determine the design of the atonement ?
This union is declared to be, 1st, federal, 1 Cor. xv., 22 ; Kom. v., 19 ; 2d, vital and spiritual, John xiv., 20 ; 1 Cor. xii., 13, 27 ; Gal. ii., 20. In consequence of this every gracious benefit the believer receives is said to be " in Christ/' and " with Christ." We die in his death, live in his life, and thus are united to him in all his mediatorial actions and career. " I am crucified with Christ/' " If one died for all then are all dead." "Now, if we be
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dead with Christ we believe that we shall also live with him," Col. iii.; 1-3 ; Eom. vi.; 8-11 ; Gal. ii., 20 ; 2 Cor. v., 14 ; Eph. ii., 5, 6. Hence it follows, 1st, Christ could have designed to die only for those who were united with him in his death ; 2d, those who are united with him in his death must also "walk with him in newness of life," i. e., the federal union necessarily leads to the vital and spiritual union of Christ and his people.
41. If Christ died only for his own people, on what ground does the general offer of the gospel rest ?
"The Lord Jesus, in order to secure the salvation of his peo- ple, and with a specific view to that end, fulfilled the condition of the law or covenant under which they and all mankind were placed. These conditions were, (1.) perfect obedience ; (2.) satis- tion to divine justice. Christ's righteousness, therefore, consists of his obedience and death. That righteousness is precisely what the law demands of every sinner in order to justification before God. It is, therefore, in its nature adapted to all sinners who were under that law. Its nature is not altered by the fact that it was wrought out for a portion only of such sinners, or that it is secured to them by the covenant between the Father and the Son. What is necessary for the salvation of one man is necessary for the salvation of another and of all. It is also of infinite value, being the righteousness of the eternal Son of God, and therefore sufficient for all."— Hodge's Essays, pp. 181, 182.