Chapter 8: Of Evangelical Motives

Evangelical motives are two especially. The first is taken from the consideration of man's redemption. He that redeemed mankind is God himself. As Paul says, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself. Man's sin is so vile and heinous in the eyes of God that no angel nor creature was able to appease the wrath of God for the least offense. But the Son of God himself must come down from heaven and take man's nature on him, and not only that, but he must also suffer the most accursed death of the cross and shed his most precious heart's blood to satisfy the justice of his Father on our behalf. If a father should be sick of such a disease that nothing would heal but the heart's blood of his own child, he would presently judge his own case to be dangerous, and would also vow if ever he recovered to use all means by which he might avoid that disease. So likewise, seeing nothing could cure the deadly wound of our sin but a plaster made of the heart's blood of Christ, it must make us acknowledge our pitiful case and the heinousness of the least of our sins, and stir us up to newness of life (2 Corinthians 5:19).

Again, considering that the end of the redemption wrought by Christ was to deliver us from our evil conversation in sin and unrighteousness, we are not to continue and as it were lie bathing ourselves in sin; for that would be as if a prisoner, after he had been ransomed and had his bolts taken off and was put out of the prison to go wherever he would, should return again and desire to lie in the dungeon still.

The second motive is that God has made a promise to such as truly repent. 1, of remission of sins: Wash you, make you clean, take away the evil of your works from before my eyes; cease to do evil, etc.; though your sins were as crimson, they shall be made as white as snow; though they were red like scarlet, they shall be as wool. And: seek the Lord while he may be found, call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his ways and the unrighteous his own imaginations and return to the Lord, and he will have mercy on him, for he is very plentiful in forgiving. 2, of life everlasting: I will not the death of a sinner but rather that he repent and live. And: thus says the Lord to the house of Israel, seek me and you shall live. 3, of mitigating or removing temporal calamities: stand in the court of the Lord's house and speak to all the cities of Judah, etc. If so be they will hearken and turn every man from his evil way, that I may repent me of the plague which I have determined to bring upon them because of the wickedness of their works (Isaiah 1:16-18; Isaiah 55:6-7; Ezekiel 18; Amos 5:4; Jeremiah 26:3).

As God has made these merciful promises to penitent sinners, so he has faithfully performed them so soon as they have but begun to repent. Example of David: then David said to Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord. And Nathan said to David, your sin is forgiven you. Of Manasseh: when he was in tribulation he prayed to the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before the Lord God of his fathers, and prayed to him, and God was entreated by him and heard his prayer. Of the publican: the publican, etc., struck his breast saying, O God be merciful to me, a sinner. I tell you, this man departed justified to his house rather than the other. Of the thief: he said to Jesus, Lord, remember me when you come to your kingdom. Then Jesus said to him, truly I say to you, today shall you be with me in paradise (2 Samuel 12:12; 2 Chronicles 33:12; Luke 18:13; Luke 23:42-43).

Having such notable promises made to repentance, no man is to draw back from the practice of it because of the multitude of his sins, but rather to do it. The Pharisee said to Christ's disciples, why does your master eat with publicans and sinners. When Jesus heard it, he said to them, the whole need not the physician, but they that are sick. And I am come not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance. And truly I say to you, that publicans and harlots shall go before you into the kingdom of God (Matthew 9:12; Matthew 21:31).

There are two main evangelical motives. The first comes from considering mankind's redemption. The one who redeemed mankind is God Himself. As Paul says, God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself. Human sin is so vile and offensive in God's eyes that no angel or any created being was able to satisfy His wrath for even the smallest offense. The Son of God Himself had to come down from heaven, take on human nature, and not only that — He also had to suffer the most accursed death of the cross and shed His precious heart's blood to satisfy the justice of His Father on our behalf. If a father were sick with a disease that could only be cured by his own child's lifeblood, he would immediately recognize how desperate his condition was, and would also vow — if he recovered — to do everything possible to avoid that disease. In the same way, since nothing could heal the deadly wound of our sin except a remedy made from the blood of Christ's heart, this should make us acknowledge the pitiful nature of our condition and the gravity of even our smallest sins, and stir us up to newness of life (2 Corinthians 5:19).

Consider further that the purpose of the redemption Christ accomplished was to deliver us from our sinful and unrighteous way of life. We should not, therefore, continue to wallow in sin — for that would be like a prisoner who, after being ransomed, having his chains removed, and being released to go wherever he wished, turned around and asked to go back to his dungeon cell.

The second motive is that God has made promises to those who truly repent. First, a promise of forgiveness of sins: 'Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your deeds from My sight. Cease to do evil — though your sins are as scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they will be like wool.' And: 'Seek the Lord while He may be found; call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous person his thoughts; and let him return to the Lord, and He will have compassion on him, for He will abundantly pardon.' Second, a promise of eternal life: 'I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from his way and live.' And: 'Thus says the Lord to the house of Israel, seek Me that you may live.' Third, a promise to reduce or remove earthly calamities: 'Stand in the court of the Lord's house and speak to all the cities of Judah — perhaps they will listen and everyone will turn from his evil way, so that I may relent concerning the calamity which I am planning to bring on them because of the evil of their deeds' (Isaiah 1:16-18; Isaiah 55:6-7; Ezekiel 18; Amos 5:4; Jeremiah 26:3).

Just as God has made these merciful promises to repentant sinners, He has faithfully fulfilled them the moment they began to repent. The example of David: 'Then David said to Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord. And Nathan said to David, your sin is forgiven.' The example of Manasseh: when he was in distress, he prayed to the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before Him, and God was moved by his prayer and heard him. The example of the tax collector: he beat his breast and said, 'O God, be merciful to me, the sinner.' Jesus said: 'This man went to his house justified rather than the other.' The example of the thief on the cross: he said to Jesus, 'Lord, remember me when You come in Your kingdom.' Jesus replied: 'Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in paradise' (2 Samuel 12:12; 2 Chronicles 33:12; Luke 18:13; Luke 23:42-43).

Given these remarkable promises made to repentance, no one should hold back from practicing it because of the number of their sins — that is all the more reason to repent. The Pharisee said to Christ's disciples: 'Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?' When Jesus heard it, He said: 'Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.' 'I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.' And: 'Truly I say to you that tax collectors and prostitutes will enter the kingdom of God before you' (Matthew 9:12; Matthew 21:31).