Every doctrine throughout the Word of God enjoins a duty. Truth and duty are inseparable, always found joined together. “To whom much is given, much is required.” Paul always followed his doctrine with application. After dealing with the great doctrine of the atonement in Hebrews 9 and 10, and establishing the doctrine of the High Priestly work of Christ on the believer’s behalf, he makes practical application. “Let us draw near with a true heart“: “Let us hold fast the profession our faith”:”Let us consider one another, provoking one another to love and good works”: “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together”: etc. Setting forth doctrine without application is useless and it wastes both the preacher’s time and the people’s time. Perhaps the greatest of all truth is that “Christ died for the ungodly” (Romans 5:6). What will you do with this truth? Christ died for the ungodly; let us establish the fact, or the doctrine, that the whole of the human race is ungodly and sick. Our disease is so far advanced that we are without strength and we have no power to throw off our sickness, nor do we want to. Our heads are sick and our hearts are faint, a condition that is our fault; we love the evil that is destroying us. The application is that while we are in this condition Jesus interposes for our salvation. “When we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.” The reason of Christ’s dying for us does not lie in our well being, but where sin abounded grace did much more abound. The ones Jesus died for are looked upon by Him as the reverse of good; He came into the world to save those who are guilty before God. His Gospel is that sinners (those who are ungodly), believing in Him are saved. His sacrifice of death has put away sin from all that trust Him, it was offered for those who had sin upon them, who were sick. He rose again for our justification, not for the justification of those who strive be justified by their own works. He ascended on high and lives to make intercession for the transgressors. His death, resurrection, ascension, and eternal life are towards the sinful sons of men, the ungodly. We’ve tried to set forth the truth, now the duty entailed! Christ’s death has brought pardon. It cannot be pardon for those who have no sin since pardon is only for the guilty. He is exalted on high to give repentance, but not to those who have never sinned and have nothing to repent of. Repentance and remission imply previous guilt in those who receive them. The Holy Spirit regenerates those as the result of the Redeemer’s death. And who can be regenerated but those who need a new heart? May the Spirit of God make you to see your duty and responsibility to the truth.
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