It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again… – Romans 8:34

We generally receive more comfort at the cross than we do at the empty sepulchre. And yet this is just through our ignorance and through the blindness of our eyes; for verily to the enlightened believer there is more consolation in Jesus arising from the tomb, than there is in Jesus nailed to the cross…Now what has the resurrection of Christ from the dead to do with the justification of a believer? I take it thus: Christ, by His death, paid to His Father the full price of what we owed to Him. God did as it were hold a bond against us which we could not pay. The alternative of this bond, if not paid, was that we should be sold for ever under sin and should endure the penalty of our transgressions in unquenchable fire. Now Jesus, by His death, paid all the debt; to the utmost farthing that was due from us to God Christ did pay by His death. Still the bond was not cancelled until the day when Christ rose from the dead; then did His Father, as it were, rend the bond in halves, and blot it out, so that thenceforward it ceases to have effect. It is true that death was the payment of the debt, but resurrection was the public acknowledgment that the debt was paid. “Now,” says Paul, “yea rather, He is risen from the dead.” O Christian, thou canst not be condemned, for Christ has paid the debt. Look at His gore, as it distils from His body in Gethsemane and on the accursed tree. But rather, lest there should be a shadow of a doubt, that thou canst not be condemned, thy debts are cancelled. Here is the full receipt; the resurrection hath rent the bond in twain. And now at Gods right hand there is not left a record of thy sin; for when our Lord Jesus Christ quitted the tomb, He left thy sin buried in it-once for all cast away-never to be recovered. ~ C.H. Spurgeon

https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/spurgeon_charles/sermons/0256.cfm

It is Christ that died… – Romans 8:34

The first reason why the Christian never can be condemned is because CHRIST HATH DIED. We believe that in the death of Christ there was a full penalty paid to divine justice for all the sins which the believer can possibly commit. We teach that the whole shower of devine wrath was poured upon Christ’s head, that the black cloud of vengeance emptied out itself upon the cross, and that there is not left in the book of God a single sin against a believer, nor can there possibly be even a particle of punishment ever exacted at the hand of the man that believeth in Jesus, for this reason, -that Jesus has been punished to the full. In full tale hath every sin received sentence in His death. He hath suffered, the just for the unjust, to bring us to God…Ah! we may look around and defy all our sins to destroy us. This shall be an all-sufficient argument to shut their clamorous mouths, “Christ hath died.” Here cometh one and he cries, “Thou hast been a blasphemer.” Yes, but Christ died a blasphemer’s death, and He died tor blasphemers. “But thou hast stained thyself with lust.” Yes, but Christ died for the lascivious. The blood of Jesus Christ, God’s own Son, cleanseth us from all sin; so away foul fiend, that also has received its due. “But thou hast long resisted grace, and long stood out against the warnings of God.” Yes, but “Jesus died;” and say what thou wilt, O conscience, remind me of what thou wilt; lo this shall be my sure reply, “Jesus died.” Standing at the foot of the cross, and beholding the Redeemer in His expiring agony, the Christian may indeed gather courage…There is in the death of Christ enough and more than enough. There is not only a sea in which to drown our sins, but the very tops of the mountains of our guilt are covered…There is not only enough to put our sins to death, but enough to bury them and hide them out of sight. I say it boldly and without a figure, -the eternal arm of God now nerved with strength, now released from the bondage in which justice held it, is able to save unto the uttermost them that come unto God by Christ. ~ C.H. Spurgeon

https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/spurgeon_charles/sermons/0256.cfm

“Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us”- Romans 8:34

We have before us in the text the four marvellous pillars upon which the Christian rests his hope. Any one of them were all-sufficient. Though the sins of the whole world should press on any one of these sacred columns, it would never break nor bend. Yet for our strong consolation, that we may never tremble or fear, God hath been pleased to give us these four eternal rocks, these four immovable foundations upon which our faith may rest and stand secure. But why is this? why needeth the Christian to have such firm, such massive foundations? For this simple reason: he is himself so doubtful, so ready to distrust, so difficult to be persuaded of his own security. Therefore hath God, as it were, enlarged his arguments. One blow might, we should have imagined, have been enough to have smitten to death our unbelief for ever; the cross ought to have been enough for the crucifixion of our infidelity, yet God, foreseeing the strength of our unbelief, hath been pleased to smite it four times that it might be razed to rise no more. Moreover, He well knew that our faith would be sternly attacked. The world, our own sin, and the devil, He foresaw would be continually molesting us; therefore hath He entrenched us within these four walls, He hath engarrisoned us in four strong lines of circumvallation. We cannot be destroyed. We have bulwarks, none of which can possibly be stormed, but when combined they are so irresistible, they could not be carried, though earth and hell should combine to storm them. It is, I say, first, because of our unbelief; and secondly, because of the tremendous attacks our faith has to endure, that God has been pleased to lay down four strong consolations, with which we may fortify our hearts whenever the sky is overcast, or the hurricane is coming forth from its place. ~ C.H. Spurgeon

https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/spurgeon_charles/sermons/0256.cfm

And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only. – Matthew 17:8

If I want to know whether a certain estate is mine, do I look into my own heart to see if I have a right to it? But I look into the archives of the estate, I search testaments and covenants. Now, Christ Jesus is God’s covenant with the people, a leader and commander to the people. To-day, I personally can read my title clear to heaven, and shall I tell you how I read it? Not because I feel all I wish to feel, nor because I am what I hope I yet shall be, but I read in the word that “Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners,” I am a sinner, even the devil cannot tell me I am not. O precious Saviour, then thou hast come to save such as I am. Then I see it written again, “He that believeth and is baptized, shall be saved.” I have believed, and have been baptized; I know I trust alone in Jesus, and that is believing. As surely then as there is a God in heaven, I shall be in heaven one day. It must be so, because he that believeth must be saved. You see it is not by looking within, it is by looking to Jesus only that you perceive at last your name graven on His hands. I wish to have Christ’s name written on my heart, but if I want assurance, I have to look at His heart till I see my name written there. O turn your eye away from your sin and your emptiness to His righteousness and His fullness. See the sweat drops bloody as they fall in Gethsemane, see His heart pierced and pouring out blood and water for the sins of men upon Calvary! There is life in a look at Him! O look to Him, and though it be Jesus only, though Moses should condemn you, and Elias should alarm you, yet “Jesus only” shall be enough to comfort and enough to save you. May God grant us grace every one of us to take for our motto in life, for our hope in death, and for our joy in eternity, “Jesus only.” May God bless you for the sake of “Jesus only.” Amen. ~ C.H. Spurgeon

https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/spurgeon_charles/sermons/0924.cfm