You might also call this “John Owen on Preaching the Gospel to Yourself.”
One of Satan’s great and constant lies is that sin condemns believers. While many know there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ (Romans 8:1), they may not know how to turn feelings of condemnation into joy in Christ for His grace.
John Owen writes in Communion with God that casting our sin upon Christ and receiving His righteousness is not only a joy but a glorious means of fellowship with Christ:
There is nothing that Jesus Christ is more delighted with than that his saints should always hold communion with him by giving him their sins and receiving his righteousness. This greatly honours him and gives him the glory that is his due. What great dishonour we do to Christ to try and get rid of our sins in any other way. ‘Lord, this is your work. This is what you came into the world to do. You call for my burden which is too heavy for me to carry. Take it, blessed Redeemer, and give me your righteousness.’ Then Christ is honoured. The glory of his mediation is given to him when we walk with him in this way.
This greatly endears the souls of the saints to the Lord Jesus and constrains them to value him highly. ‘I have been with the Lord Jesus. I have left the burden of my sins with him. He has given me his righteousness and in this righteousness I can come with boldness to God. I was dead and am alive, for he died for me. I was cursed and now am blessed, for he was made a curse for me. I was troubled but have peace, for the chastisement of my peace was upon him. I did not know what to do, nor where to take my sorrow. But by him I have joy unspeakable and full of glory. If I do not love him, delight in him, obey him, live to him, die for him, I am worse than the devils in hell.’ It is Christ’s great aim in this world to be esteemed highly by his people. And how could he be more highly esteemed than to be acknowledged as the one who takes our sins and gives us his righteousness?
How do we do this? Owen: “By faith.”
Faith exercises itself in this duty by meditation. The heart continually thinks of Christ, and what he has done and wants us to do.
Faith exercises itself in this duty by clinging to the promises in which the excellence, fullness and completeness of the righteousness of Christ are declared and held out to us.
Faith exercises itself in this duty by prayer. By prayer, we lay our sins on Jesus and receive his righteousness.
So this is how we have fellowship with Christ in the grace of acceptance with God.
Quotes from Communion with God (Puritan Paperbacks) by John Owen, pages 144-146.
