Gems From Jonathan Edwards On the Cost of Redemption

The "Champions of the World" Vs. the Lord of Righteousness

The Western world in general is filled with a spirit of self-righteousness.  "We," it is claimed, "are the champions of the world."  

The lyrics to Queen's anthem say it all. 

I've paid my dues
Time after time
I've done my sentence
But committed no crime
And bad mistakes
I've made a few
I've had my share of sand kicked in my face
But I've come through

We are the champions, my friends
And we'll keep on fighting 'til the end
We are the champions
We are the champions
No time for losers
'Cause we are the champions of the world

When it comes to that great and dreadful day when we shall all appear before the judgement seat of God most folk in the West think they have enough leverage.  They are not losers.  They have sufficient moral credit to persuade God to look favorably upon them.  They tell themselves, "I've come through." 

Jonathan Edwards writes:

It is a common thing with men to trust in their prayers, their good conversations, the pains they take in religion, the reformations of their lives, and in their self-denial, to make some atonement for their sin, and to recommend themselves to God.   [History of Redemption, p. 236] 

It is a common thing, indeed, for men to believe they have enough to recommend themselves to God.  "We are the  champions; no time for losers, cause we are the champions of the world."

But confronting this weird, self-righteous calculus is the consistent testimony and warnings found in the Bible.  We are told that Christ has won redemption for His people, known to Him, and elect by Him from the foundation of the earth.  The self-righteousness of Moderns is smashed to pieces when one considers what it cost Christ to save His people.  Edwards addresses the spirit of self righteousness, which is displayed so powerfully in Queen's anthem:

How great a thing that is which you take upon you.  Though you are poor, worthless, polluted worms of the dust, yet so arrogant are you, that you take upon you that work which the only begotten Son of God became man to capacitate himself for and in order to which God made such great preparation.  Consider how vain is the thought which you entertain of yourself--how much arrogance appear in the sight of Christ, whom it cost so much to make a purchase of salvation.  

The "going rate" of salvation paid by Christ for His people required "his wading through a sea of blood, and passing through the midst of the furnace of God's wrath!" 

In that light, then, the arrogant claim that "I've paid my dues, time after time" is a stupid nonsense.