D. Scott Meadows

²¹ Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

Observation 6. “The mercy” is the ground of our confident expectation of eternal life. Eternal life is not a reward we deserve for our good works. “The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Rom 6.23). Why must eternal life be a gift while death is deserved? The reason is because Christ obtained life for us, while the unforgiven only depend on themselves. Our sins are wholly ours and all they deserve is punishment. Our good works are imperfect and only a matter of doing our duty toward our Master, so we deserve nothing for them (Luke 17.10). We must both pray and look for eternal life because, in ourselves, we do not deserve it; it always remains a gift to us.

1. Let this encourage us to wait with hope, even though we are painfully aware of our sins and troubles. Our God is such a good Master! He has made provision for us both in our misery and in our unworthiness! By making mercy rather than any merits of ours the cause of glory, He lets us take glory from the hands of mercy! He looked upon us as those not only liable to suffering but also to sinning. When He planned for us to enjoy life and safety, He did it upon the terms of His grace alone!

2. This teaches us to give all credit for our salvation to God’s mercy. From the very first, He took us into a state of grace out of His mere mercy (1 Tim 1.13). Titus 3.5 says, “Not by works of righteousness that we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us.” It does not just deny that we are saved “by works,” but “by works of righteousness,” to exclude even our best works, and any foreseen works, from any part of the grounds of our salvation. Even when we have been taken into a state of glory, we remain dependent upon God’s mercy alone (2 Tim 1.18).

Observation 7. This mercy is “of our Lord Jesus Christ.” It is dispensed by Him, purchased by Him, and managed by Him in the whole economy of grace. Jesus taught, about the Holy Spirit, that “He shall take what is Mine” (John 16.15), and give it to you. On the Last Day, Christ will give some people “judgment without mercy” (Jas 2.13), upon law terms, and to others, He will give mercy, judging them upon gospel terms.

1. Get an “interest” [right, title, legal share] in Christ. Only if you are in Christ can you look for mercy in that day (1 John 2.28). Whoever slights Christ offered in the gospel has no reason to look for any benefit from Him on Judgment Day. If you only disbelieve in this life, you will tremble and howl out your woe in the next, calling upon the mountains to hide you from the wrath of Him who sits upon the throne (Rev 6.15). But whoever prizes Christ’s mercy will find that the same mercy which plants grace in your hearts now will also put the crown upon your heads then. If you take care to glorify Christ now, though it cost you everything, then Christ will glorify you while the whole world is watching.

2. This makes for the comfort of Christ’s people and members. We know that our blessed hopes are founded upon Christ’s mercy, and it is completely in His hands to dispense it to us.

• The fullness of this blessedness. An infinite merit (Christ’s) purchased this eternal life for us; an infinite mercy (Christ’s) bestows this eternal life upon us. The great foundation must have a great building. Should we expect some small thing to come from infinite mercy and infinite merit? Would a great king give his heirs worthless coinage? Would any sensible person pay a vast sum for trifles? Much less does the King of kings, our Lord Jesus Christ, lay down His life for just a little mercy for us, or degrade His own honor by passing out paltry gifts!

• The certainty of this blessedness. Because Christ manages this mercy, it is most certain. He always loved His elect and intended to do us good. He died for us before we were born. He called us while we were unworthy. He warned us of dangers we never feared. He spares us the wrath we deserve and instead shows us undeserved mercy. He intercedes for us even when we are not thinking of Him. He has tenderly cared for us in every time and place and event. He has drawn near to us in His holy ordinances. He is mindful of us at every turn. And can we possibly think, then, that He will be harsh to us at the end?

Observation 8. “Eternal life” is the main benefit we have by Christ.

1. There is life. Everything we work for is life. Life is what we prize above everything else. “Skin for skin! All that a man has he will give for his life” (Job 2.4). It is human nature to be willing to part with everything else if necessary to save our lives.

2. It is an excellent life. It is called “the crown of life” (Rev 2.10). Life comes in several degrees—plant life (the vigor of the sap), animal life (the vigor of the blood), the rational life of man (union of soul and body), the spiritual life of man (union of the soul with Christ), and finally, the glorious life of man (the full redemptive work of God) is best of all.

3. It is a happy life. In glory when we have eternal life in its fullness, we will not know hunger or thirst, nor be burdened with our present miseries. Then we will never grow weary of eternal life, as we find life itself a burden now when suffering our deepest distress (1 Kgs 19.4).

4. It is eternal life. Even at its best, our present life in this world is only a flower that is soon withered, and a mist that soon blows away. This eternal life in glory is forever and ever, and it only increases in blessedness for the godly, just as the torments of hell grow eternally worse and worse for the wicked.

Therefore, let all these considerations press you to keep yourselves in the love of God until this wonderful state of things is a reality for you. Ω