Christless Sinners under a Heavy Burden & The Nature of Coming to Christ

[Kokavkrystallos]

Christless Sinners under a Heavy Burden​

Observe, that Satan has a load on all out of Christ; it is a load of sin. “Ah, sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity” (Isa 1:4). This load is twofold:

A. A load of guilt​

“And Cain said unto the LORD, My punishment [Heb. sin] is greater than I can bear” (Gen 4:13). Guilt is the heaviest load that ever was on the shoulders of men or angels. The Scriptures hold it forth,

(1) As debt. He that is in debt is under a burden. It is the worst of debts; we cannot pay it, nor escape the hands of our creditor. Yea, we deny the debt and care not for count and reckoning. We put off our creditor as much as we can; so the debt stands uncancelled. But it is a debt that must be paid. “Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power” (2Th 1:9). They shall pay what justice demands.

(2) It is represented as a yoke tied fast on the sinner’s neck; hence pardon is called a loosing of it, guilt being, as it were, cords of wrath, whereby the sinner is bound over to God’s wrath. Pardon is also called remission or relaxation. “To declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God” (Rom 3:25).

(3) It is pointed out as a burden. “Take away all iniquity” (Hos 14:2). Take away, namely, as a burden off a man’s back. Hence Christ is said to have borne our sins, the burden of the elect’s guilt being laid on His back. What a heavy load is it! It makes the whole creation groan (Rom 8:22). It caused them to take their pains five thousand years since, and they are not yet delivered of their burden. All the groans that ever men gave on earth and in hell were under this burden; it sunk the whole world into ruin. Christ took our nature to prevent us going down to the pit (Heb 2:16). The Greek word denotes catching hold, as of a drowning man, not of the whole seed of Adam, for the greater part of it fell to the ground, but of the seed of Abraham, the elect. This load of guilt sank the fallen angels, made them fall as stars from heaven to the bottomless pit. And what a load was it to Christ, that made Him sweat as it were great drops of blood, that made Him groan and die!

B. A load of servitude to lust​

It is a load of servitude to lusts, which of themselves are heavy burdens, the very remainder of which made the apostle groan: “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” (Rom 7:24). What greater burden can there be, than for a man to have a swarm of unmortified corruptions hanging about him, whose cravings he is still obliged to answer. This is that which creates that weary labor, of which we have already spoken; better a man were burdened with serpents sticking in his flesh, than with these.

C. The load of the Law​

The law also has a load on the Christless sinner.

(1) It is a load of duties, as great and numerous as the commandment, which is exceeding broad, can lay on. Though they perform them not, yet they are bound upon them by the commandment; and they shall sooner dissolve the whole fabric of the world, than make void this commandment. This is a heavy load. True, they that are in Christ have a yoke of duties laid on them, but not by the Law, but by Christ. The difference is great: the Law exacts perfect obedience, but gives no strength. Christ, when claiming obedience to His law, gives strength for the performance, which makes it an easy obedience. There is,

(2) It is also a load of curses. “Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them” (Gal 3:10). Every commandment of the Law is fenced with a curse, denounced against the breakers of it. How great must be the load, then, where every action is a sin, and every sin brings a curse! This is a heavy load that makes the earth reel to and fro, like a drunkard, under the weight of it.

D. The load of God’s wrath​

God has a load on the Christless sinner, that is, a load of wrath. “And were by nature children of wrath” (Eph 2:3). This is an abiding load: “He that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him” (Joh 3:36). This load is far heavier than mountains of brass; it is weightier than can be expressed.

The Nature of Coming to Christ​

To come to Christ is to believe on Him. “And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst” (Joh 6:35). Unbelief is the soul’s departing, not from a living law, but “from the living God” (Heb 3:12). Christ is the Lord. God is in Him; He calls sinners to come to Him. Faith answers the call, and so brings back the soul to God in Christ. Now, the Scripture holds forth Christ many ways answering to this notion of coming to Him by faith. And that you may see your privilege and call, I shall hold forth some of these to you.

The devil’s drudges and burden-bearers are welcome to Christ, as the great gift of the Father to sinners, to come and take it. “God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (Joh 3:16). The world was broken by Adam. God sends Christ as a compensating gift, and the worst of you are welcome to Him. Yea, He urges Himself upon you. Come to Him, then, ye broken impoverished souls, that have nothing left you but poverty, wants, and debt.

Such are to come to Him as the great Physician of souls. “They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick” (Mat 9:12). Christ in the gospel comes into the world as to a hospital of sin-sick souls, ready to administer a cure to those that will come to Him for it. Our diseases are many, all of them deadly, but He is willing and able to cure them all. He is lifted up on the pole of the gospel and says, “Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else” (Isa 45:22).

Such should come to Him as the satisfying food of the soul. Isaiah 55:1-3, “Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money, and without price. Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David” (Isa 55:1-3). The soul is an empty thing and has hungry and thirsty desires to be satisfied. The creatures cannot satisfy; Christ can. “My flesh,” says He, “is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed” (Joh 6:55). God has made a feast of fat things in Christ; in Him all the cravings of the soul may be satisfied. There are no angels to guard the tree of life; no seal on this fountain. “In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness” (Zec 13:1). There is no enclosure about this flower of glory (Song 2:1). Here is the carcass; where are the eagles that should gather together?

Such come to Christ as One on Whom they may rest. “Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved?” (Song 8:5). We are not able to do our own turn, but on Him we should rely. “Because thou didst rely on the LORD, he delivered them into thine hand” (2Ch 16:8). Guilt makes the mind to be in a fluctuating condition. By coming to Jesus we are stayed, as is a ship at anchor. In, or from ourselves, we have nothing for justification and sanctification. God has laid help upon One that is mighty; the weary soul is welcome to rest in Him.

Such come to Him as One on Whom they may cast their burdens. “Cast thy burden on the LORD, and he shall sustain thee” (Psa 55:22). The soul is heavy-laden while out of Christ; Jesus holds forth the everlasting arms (Deu 33:27). Faith settles down on them, casting the soul’s burden upon them. “Come,” says He, “with all your misery, debts, beggary, and wants. I have shoulders to bear them all; I will take on the burden: ye shall get rest.” He is content to marry the poor widow.

Such come to Him as One in Whom they may find refuge. “Who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us” (Heb 6:18). The Law, as the avenger of blood, pursues the soul. Christ is that city of refuge, where none can have power against them. The gates are never shut; here is a refuge from the Law, from justice, and from the revenging wrath of God. Here is shelter under the wings of Christ: how willing is He to gather His people, as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings!

Such come to Him as One in Whom the soul may at length find rest. “Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him” (Psa 37:7). The soul out of Christ is in a restless state, still shifting from one creature to another, not finding content in any. But by coming to Christ, the soul takes up its eternal rest in Him, and He becomes a covering of the eyes to it. We are like men in a fever, still changing beds. Like the dove out of the ark, we have no rest, till we come to Christ.

Such come to Christ as a husband. “All things are ready: come unto the marriage” (Mat 22:4). Your Maker is content to be your husband (Psa 54:5). Ministers are sent, as Abraham’s servant, to seek a spouse for Christ. He is willing to match with the worst, the meanest of you. He seeks no dowry; He is the richest, the most honorable, the most tender and loving husband.

Such come to Christ as a powerful deliverer. Christ stands at our prison-doors, proclaiming “liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound” (Isa 61:1). All who come to Him, “first gave their own selves to the Lord” (2Co 8:5). Whosoever will come to Jesus must give up themselves to Him. It is the work of faith to give up the soul to Christ that He may save it, that He may open the prison-doors, take the prey from the mighty, and deliver the lawful captive.

- From Thomas Boston, Come Unto Me All Ye That Labor, chapters 10 & 11

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