The Victory of Christ over Sin and the Devil
The Unmatched Victory of Christ
Christ's victory on the cross is unparalleled, surpassing all worldly conquests by defeating sin, death, and the devil.
If we look further in this book, we'll see Christ's great victory on the cross, which was so noble and mighty that there never has been, and never will be, anything like it. If the victory and glory of worldly princes were great because they overcame great armies of men, how much greater was Christ's—which conquered not only the prince of the world, but all the enemies of God, triumphing over persecution, injuries, outrages, and slanders; yes, over death, the world, sin, and the devil; and put all fleshly wisdom to shame?1
Christ's Warfare Without Worldly Strength
Christ fought stripped of human wisdom and power, armed only with the Spirit, and won a glorious victory over all enemies.
The princes of the world never fought without the strength of the world. Christ, by contrast, went to war even against all the strength of the world. He chose to fight as David did against Goliath—stripped of all human wisdom and strategy, and without any worldly power or strength.2 Nevertheless he was fully filled and armed with the whole armor of the Spirit, and in this one battle he forever overcame all his enemies. There was never so glorious a prize of war, nor one more rich and noble, than Christ was on the cross—who delivered all his elect from so harsh and miserable a captivity.3 In this battle he took many blows—yes, and lost his life—but his victory was all the greater for it. Therefore, when I look on the Son of God with a supernatural faith and light—so unarmed, naked, given up, and alone; with humility, patience, generosity, modesty, gentleness, and with all his other divine virtues beating down to the ground all God's enemies and making the soul of man so fair and beautiful—I am forced to say that his victory and triumph was marvelous.4 And so Christ deserved this noble title: 'Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews.'
How Christ Overcame Sin
Christ overcame sin by his sacrificial death, by giving grace to resist sin, by canceling the law's condemnation, and by not imputing remaining concupiscence to those united to him.
But if we want to open up and look closely at his great victories, let us first see how he overcame sin with his innocence, put pride to shame with his humility, quenched all worldly love with his charity, appeased his Father's wrath with his meekness, and turned hatred into love with his many kindnesses and godly zeal. Christ has not only overcome sin—he has killed it. For he himself made satisfaction for it through the most holy sacrifice and offering of his precious body, by suffering a most bitter and cruel death. Also, in another way: he gives all who love him so much spirit, grace, virtue, and strength that they may resist, attack, and overcome sin, and neither consent to it nor let it reign in them.✦5 He has also defeated sin, because he has removed its power: that is, he has nullified the law, which in evil people was the opportunity for sin.✦ Therefore sin has no power against those who are united to Christ by the Holy Spirit; in them there is nothing worthy of damnation.✦✦ And although the remnants of Adam still remain — that is, our concupiscences, which are indeed sins — nevertheless they are not imputed as sin if we are truly planted in Christ.✦✦6 It is true that Christ could have taken away all our immoderate affections, but he has left them for the greater glory of his Father and for his own greater triumph.
From Enemies to Servants
Using the analogy of a prince who spares enemies and makes them serve, Christ leaves disordered desires in us so that they become servants for practicing virtue.
Think of it this way: when a prince fights enemies who once held power over his people and subdues them, he could kill them if he chose, yet he spares and saves them; even though they were once masters over his people, he later makes them serve the very ones they used to rule. In a case like this, the prince proves himself a greater conqueror—by making those who were rulers obey, and making the subjects masters over those they once served—than if he had simply destroyed them in the conquest. For now he leaves continual victory to those he redeemed; otherwise the chance of victory would be gone, with no one left to be subjects.7 In the same way, Christ has left these disordered desires in us so that they might serve us in the practice of our virtues—where at first they reigned over us for the practice of our sin.8 And it can be plainly seen that, whereas at first they were such obstacles that we could not move ourselves toward God, now through Christ we have so much strength that, despite their force, we can walk toward heaven with confidence. And although God's children sometimes fall by frailty into some sin, yet that fall makes them humble themselves, acknowledge God's goodness, and come to him for refuge and help.9
Christ's Triumph Over the Devil
Christ broke the serpent's head, and now uses the devil as an instrument to punish the wicked and train the elect in spiritual warfare.
In the same way, by his death, Christ overcame the prince of demons and all his host, destroying them completely. For, as Paul says, this is confirmed: that Christ would break the serpent's head, as God had prophesied.✦10 Even though the devil tempts us, if we are planted in Christ through faith, we won't perish; instead, we gain great strength and power through his temptation. So it is clear that Christ's triumph, victory, and glory are all the greater for having subdued the devil in this way: whereas he was once prince and lord of the world, holding every creature captive, now Christ uses him as an instrument to punish the wicked and to train and strengthen God's elect in Christian warfare.✦
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If we look further in this book, we shall see Christ's great victory upon the cross, which was so noble and mighty that there never was, neither shall be, such. If the victory and glory of worldly princes were great because they did overcome great hosts of men, how much more was Christ’s greater; which vanquished not only the prince of the world, but all the enemies of God, triumphing over persecution, injuries, villainies, slanders; yea, death, the world, sin and the devil; and brought to confusion all carnal prudence?
The princes of the world never did fight without the strength of the world. Christ, contrary, went to war even against all the strength of the world. He would fight as David did with Goliath, unarmed of all human wisdom and policy, and without all worldly power and strength. Nevertheless he was fully replenished and armed with the whole armour of the Spirit, and in this one battle he overcame forever all his enemies. There was never so glorious a spoil, neither a more rich and noble, than Christ was upon the cross: which delivered all his elect from such a sharp, miserable captivity. He had in this battle many stripes ─ yea, and lost his life ─ but his victory was so much the greater. Therefore, when I look upon the Son of God with a supernatural faith and light ─ so unarmed, naked, given up and alone; with humility, patience, liberality, modesty, gentleness, and with all other his divine virtues beating down to the ground all God’s enemies, and making the soul of man so fair and beautiful ─ I am forced to say that his victory and triumph was marvellous. And therefore Christ deserved to have this noble title: ‘Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews’.
But if we will particularly unfold and see his great victories, let us first behold how he overcame sin with his innocency, and confounded pride with his humility, quenched all worldly love with his charity, appeased the wrath of his Father with his meekness, turned hatred into love with his so many benefits and godly zeal.
Christ hath not only overcome sin, but rather he hath killed the same: inasmuch as he hath satisfied for it himself, with the most holy sacrifice and oblation of his precious body, in suffering most bitter and cruel death. Also, after another sort: that is, he giveth to all those that love him so much spirit, grace, virtue and strength, that they may resist, impugn, and overcome sin, and not consent neither suffer it to reign in them. He hath also vanquished sin, because he hath taken away the force of the same: that is, he hath cancelled the law, which was in evil men the occasion of sin. Therefore sin hath no power against them that are with the holy ghost united to Christ; in them there is nothing worthy of damnation. And although the dregs of Adam do remain ─ that is our concupiscences, which indeed be sins ─ nevertheless they be not imputed for sin, if we be truly planted in Christ. It is true that Christ might have taken away all our immoderate affections, but he hath left them for the greater glory of his Father and for his own greater triumph.
As for an example: when a prince, fighting with his enemies which sometime had the sovereignty over his people, and subdewing them, may kill them if he will, yet he preserveth and saveth them; and whereas they were lords over his people, he maketh them after to serve, whom they before had ruled. Now, in such a case the prince doth show himself a greater conqueror ─ in that he hath made them which were rulers to obey, and the subjects to be lords over them to whom they served ─ than if he had utterly destroyed them upon the conquest. For now he leaveth continual victory to them, whom he redeemed, whereas otherwise the occasion of victory was taken away, where none were left to be the subjects.
Even so, in like case, Christ hath left in us these concupiscences; to the intent they should serve us to the exercise of our virtues, where first they did reign over us to the exercise of our sin. And it may be plainly seen that, whereas first they were such impediments to us that we could not move ourselves towards God, now by Christ we have so much strength that, notwithstanding the force of them, we may assuredly walk to heaven. And although the children of God sometime do fall by frailty into some sin, yet that falling maketh them to humble themselves, and to reknowledge the goodness of God, and to come to him for refuge and help.
Likewise Christ, with his death, hath overcome the prince of devils with all his host, and hath destroyed them all. For, as Paule sayeth, this is verified that Christ should break the serpent’s head, prophesied by God. And although the devil tempt us; yet, if by faith we be planted in Christ, we shall not perish: but rather by his temptation take great force and might. So it is evident that the triumph, victory and glory of Christ is the greater, having in such sort subdued the devil; that, whereas he was prince and lord of the world, holding all creatures in captivity, now Christ useth him as an instrument to punish the wicked and to exercise and make strong the elect of God in Christian warfare.
Scripture echoes
- ↩Rom.6.12 — Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, so that you obey its desires.
- ↩Rom.7.5-Rom.7.13;Col.2.14 — For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in our members to bear fruit for death. Rom.7.6 — But now we have been released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter. Rom.7.7 — What then shall we say? Is the law sin? Absolutely not! But I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known coveting if the law had not said, 'You shall not covet.' Rom.7.8 — But sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, produced in me every desire. For apart from the law sin is dead. Rom.7.9 — I was once alive apart from the law; but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died. Rom.7.10 — And the commandment that was for life, this very one was found to be for death. Rom.7.11 — For sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me, and through it killed me. Rom.7.12 — So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good. Rom.7.13 — So then, did what is good become death to me? Absolutely not! But sin, in order that it might be shown to be sin, was producing death in me through what is good, so that sin might become utterly sinful through the commandment. Col.2.14 — having canceled the written code, the regulations that were against us and stood opposed to us, he has taken it out of the way, nailing it to the cross.
- ↩Rom.8.1 — Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
- ↩Rom.8.9-Rom.8.11 — But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, that person does not belong to him. Rom.8.10 — But if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, yet the Spirit is life because of righteousness. Rom.8.11 — And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.
- ↩Rom.4.7-Rom.4.8;Ps.32.1-Ps.32.2 — Blessed are those whose lawless deeds have been forgiven and whose sins have been covered over. Rom.4.8 — Blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin. Ps.32.1 — Of David. A Maskil. Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Ps.32.2 — Blessed is the one to whom the LORD does not count iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.
- ↩Rom.6.5;John.15.1-John.15.5;Col.2.7 — For if we have become united with him in the likeness of his death, we shall also be united with him in the likeness of his resurrection. John.15.1 — I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. John.15.2 — Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, so that it may bear more fruit. John.15.3 — Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. John.15.4 — Remain in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it remains in the vine, neither can you, unless you remain in me. John.15.5 — I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who abides in me, and I in him, this one bears much fruit; for apart from me you can do nothing. Col.2.7 — rooted and being built up in him, and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.
- ↩Gen.3.15 — I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.
- ↩John.12.31;Eph.2.2;2Tim.2.26 — Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out. Eph.2.2 — in which you once walked according to the age of this world, according to the ruler of the authority of the air, the spirit now working in the sons of disobedience; 2Tim.2.26 — and that they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been captured by him to do his will.
Notes
- 1 ↩carnal prudence rendered as fleshly wisdom: worldly, flesh-bound shrewdness or calculation, not mere practical caution.
- 2 ↩Tudor 'policy' rendered as 'strategy' (human craft/cunning), not modern public policy.
- 3 ↩'Spoil' kept as war-plunder sense via 'prize of war'; the source presents Christ on the cross as that glorious spoil.
- 4 ↩'Liberality' rendered as 'generosity' (open-handed giving), not modern political liberalism.
- 5 ↩Early modern 'impugn' rendered as 'assail' (to attack/fight against), not the modern sense of questioning someone's integrity.
- 6 ↩Kept 'concupiscences' as the technical term for residual disordered desire after Adam; 'imputed' preserved as Reformation justification vocabulary rather than softened to mere 'counted'.
- 7 ↩In the prince analogy, 'them whom he redeemed' are his people freed from enemy rule; the next section applies the same pattern to Christ leaving remaining concupiscences so the redeemed keep winning over them.
- 8 ↩Source 'concupiscences' rendered as 'disordered desires' (residual sinful appetites left in the redeemed); the older technical term remains available if a denser theological surface is preferred.
- 9 ↩Source 'reknowledge' is archaic for 'acknowledge/recognize again'; rendered 'acknowledge'.
- 10 ↩Source attributes the verification to Paul while the crushing of the serpent's head is God's prophecy (Gen 3:15 tradition). Rendering keeps both claims without merging them into a single speaker.
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