What It Is to Be Offered
(from John Bunyan’s Writings)
This was originally posted at SBC Voices @ https://sbcvoices.com/what-it-is-to-be-offered-from-john-bunyans-writings/
(Dr. Roger D. Duke brings us another excerpt from the writings of John Bunyan. Dr. Duke is cowriter with Phil Newton of “Venturing all on God: Piety in the Writings of John Bunyan.” This volume is one of in the Profiles in Reformed Spirituality series of Reformation Heritage Press and is slated for publication sometime in 2011.)
“WHAT IT IS TO BE OFFERED”
A Portion of Mr. Bunyan’s Exposition of 2 Timothy 4:6-8
Taken from
Paul, by saying he was ‘to be offered,’ alludeth to some of the sacrifices that of old were under the law; and thereby signifieth to Timothy that his death and martyrdom for the gospel should be both sweet in the nostrils of God, and of great profit to his church in this world; for so were the sacrifices of old. Paul, therefore, lifts his eyes up higher than simply to look upon death, as it is the common fate of men; and he had good reason to do it, for his death was violent; it was also for Christ, and for his church and truth; and it is usual with Paul thus to set out the suffering of the saints, which they undergo for the name and testimony of Jesus. Yea, he will have our prayers a sacrifice; our praises, thanksgiving, and mortification, sacrifices; almsdeed, and the offering up of the Gentiles, sacrifices, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost; and here his death also must be for a sacrifice, and an acceptable offering to God (Heb 13:15,16; Rom 12:1,2, 15:16).
Peter also saith, We are priests ‘to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ’ (1 Peter 2:5). Of which sacrifices, it seems by Paul, the death of a Christian for Jesus’ sake must needs be counted one. Besides, Paul further insinuates this by some other sentences in his epistles; as by that in the epistle to the Colossians, where he saith, ‘I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh, for his body’s sake, which is the church’ (Col 1:24). Not by way of merit, for so Christ alone, and that by once being offered himself, hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified (Heb 10:10–14). But his meaning is, that as Christ was offered in sacrifice for his church as a Saviour, so Paul would offer himself as a sacrifice for Christ’s church, as a saint, as a minister, and one that was counted faithful. ‘Yea,’ saith he, ‘and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy and rejoice with you all’ (Phil 2:17). . . .
The sufferings of the saints are of a redeeming virtue . . . by their patient enduring and losing their blood for the word, they recover the truths of God that have been buried in Antichristian rubbish, from that soil and slur that thereby hath for a long time cleaved unto them; wherefore it is said, They overcame him, the beast, ‘by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony, and they loved not their lives unto the death’ (Rev 12:11). They overcame him; that is, they recovered the truth from under his aspersions, and delivered it from all its enemies. David saith, ‘The words of the Lord are – as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times’ (Psa 12:6). What is this furnace of earth but the body of the saints of God, in which the Word is tried, as by fire in persecution, yea, ‘purified seven times’; that is, brought forth at last by the death of the Christians in its purity before the world. . ..
Learn thus much:
Learn[:] The judgment that is made of our sufferings by carnal men is nothing at all to be heeded; they see not the glory that is wrapped up in our cause, nor the innocence and goodness of our conscience in our enduring of these afflictions; they judge according to the flesh, according to outward appearance. For so, indeed, we seem to lie under contempt [sic], and to be in a disgraceful condition; but all things here are converted to another use and end. . ..
We learn also from hence, the reason why some in days before us have made light of the rage of the world; but they have laughed at destruction when it cometh (Job 5:21,22). And have gone forth to meet the armed men; and with Job’s war-horse, ‘mocketh at fear, and is not affrighted, neither turneth he back from the sword; the quiver rattleth against him, the glittering spear and the shield, he said among the trumpets. (Job 39:22,25). . . . As Paul . . .saith, Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. . ..
Learn also in this to be confident, that thy sufferings have their sound and a voice before God and men. First, Before God, to provoke him to vengeance, ‘when he maketh inquisition for blood’ (Psa 9:12; Gen 4:9–11). The blood of Abel cried until it brought down wrath upon Cain; and so did the blood of Christ and his apostles, till it had laid Jerusalem upon heaps. Secondly, Thy blood will also have a voice before men, and that possibly for their good. The faithful Christian, in his patient suffering, knows not what work he may do for God; who knows but thy blood may be so remembered by thy children, neighbours, and enemies, as to convince them thou wert for the truth? Yea, who knows but their thoughts of thy resolution for Christ, in thy resisting unto blood, may have so good an effect upon some, as to persuade them to close with his ways? The three children in the fiery furnace made Nebuchadnezzar cry out there was no God like theirs! Indeed, this is hard labour, but be content, the dearer thou payest for it to win the souls of others, the greater will be thy crown, when the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall appear; and in the meanwhile, thy death shall be as a sacrifice pleasing to God and his saints
[1] John Bunyan, PAUL’S DEPARTURE AND CROWN Or An Exposition Upon 2 Timothy 4:6-8. This was excerpted from The Complete Works of John Bunyan, available from the E4 Group Electronic Software Library CD, internet http://www.freebiblesoftware.com/ The interested reader is also encouraged to see the on line library located at; http://www.mountzion.org/johnbunyan/text/bun-trinity.htm, for more of Bunyan’s works. “The Struggler,” dates Bunyan’s Paul’s Departure as part of the “second folio” dated 1692. See: http://truthinheart.com/EarlyOberlinCD/CD/Bunyan/OpenInBrowser.html
[2] The following serves as an introduction of sorts. The editor George Offor put forth in his edited version of Bunyan’s works.
This was first posted at SBC Voices at https://sbcvoices.com/what-it-is-to-be-offered-from-john-bunyans-writings/
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