John Murray on the Active and Passive Obedience of Christ.

John Murray in his excellent book Redemption - Accomplished and Applied speaks on active and passive obedience:

"The truth expressed rests upon the recognition that the law of God has both penal sanctions and positive demands. It demands not only the full discharge of its precepts but also the inflication of penalty for all infractions and shortcomings. It is this twofold demand of the law of God which is taken into account when we speak of the active and passive obedience of Christ. Christ as the vicar of his people came under the curse and condemnation due to sin and he also fulfulled the law of God in all its positive requirements. In other words, he took care of the guilt of sin and perfectly fulfilled the demands of righteousness. He perfectly met both the penal and the preceptive requirements of God's law. The passive obedience refers to the former and the active obedience to the latter."

I can recall my first reading of this, and the realization of the fullness of Christ's salvation of his people! The active obedience of Jesus refers to his life of obedience to God and the entire law. His passive obedience refers his death on the cross (as in passion). I wad struck by the reality that Christ has fulfilled all that is required of us. He's fulfilled it all! This quote states that the law has two parts, the first are the 'positive demands': the law states what God requires of us. We are utterly unable to fulfill these commands in our corrupted nature, yet they are still required of us because God is both holy and just. The second part of the law is the 'penal sanctions', that is, the punishment we are to receive if we do not fulfill the demands of the law. We've already stated that we do not, even can not, fulfill what the law demands, thus we are deserving of the punishment. Jesus has fulfilled this as well.

The first part of the law Jesus satisfies in his active obedience, the second part in his passive. And God the Father accounts both of these to those who are in Christ.

What a full salvation our Triune God has given us. What a glorious Savior Jesus is. I pray that my heart will be moved by the fullness of this salvation, and that my affections will be upon Jesus because of his great salvation.