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FIFTH LORD'S DAY.
THE SECOND
GENERAL DIVISION OF THE CATECHISM.
OF
THE DELIVERANCE OF MAN.
Question 12.
Since, then, by the righteous judgment of God, we deserve temporal and eternal
punishment, is there no way by which we may escape that punishment, and be again
received into favor?
Answer.
God will have his justice satisfied; and
therefore we must make this satisfaction, either by ourselves, or by another.
EXPOSITION.
Having shown, in
the first part of the Catechism, that all men are in a state of eternal
condemnation, on account of not having rendered the obedience which the law of
God requires, we are next led to inquire whether there is, or may be, any way of
escape or deliverance from this state of misery and death? To this question the
catechism answers, that deliverance may be granted, if satisfaction be made to
the law and justice of God, by a punishment sufficient for the sin that has been
committed. The law binds all, either to obedience, or if this is not rendered,
to punishment; and the performance or payment of either is perfect
righteousness, which God approves of in whomsoever it is found.
There are two ways of making satisfaction by
punishment. The one is by ourselves. This is the one which the law teaches and
the justice of God requires. "Cursed is every one that continueth not in all
things which are written in the law to do them." (Gal. 3:10.) This is legal.
The other way of making satisfaction is by another.
This is the method which the gospel reveals, and the mercy of God allows. "What
the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God, sending his
own Son, &c." "God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, &c"
(Rom. 8:3. John 3:16.) This is evangelical. It is not, indeed, taught in the
law; but it is no where condemned, or excluded. Neither is it repugnant to the
justice of God; for if only satisfaction be made on the part of man by a
sufficient punishment for his disobedience, the law is satisfied, and the
justice of God permits the party offending to be set at liberty, and received
into favor. This is the sum and substance.
Furthermore, there are two things taught in this
question; the possibility of this deliverance, and how it is effected. That
these things may be better understood, we shall now consider:
I.
WHAT THE DELIVERANCE OF MAN IS.
The word deliverance is relative; for every
deliverance is from something to something, as from captivity to liberty. As now
all men, by nature, are the slaves of sin, satan, and death, we cannot better
and more correctly understand what the deliverance of man is, than by a
consideration of what his misery consists in. The misery of man consists, first,
in the loss of righteousness, and in inbred corruption, or sin; and secondly, in
the punishment of sin. his deliverance, therefore, from this misery, requires,
first, the pardon and abolishing of sin, and a restoration of the righteousness
lost; and secondly, a release from all punishment and misery. As therefore, the
misery of man consists of two parts--sin and death--so his deliverance consists
of two parts--a deliverance from sin and death. Deliverance from sin includes
the pardon of sin, that it may not be imputed unto us, and an abolishing of sin
by the renewing of our nature, that it may not reign in us. Deliverance from
death, is a deliverance from despair, and a sense of the wrath of God-- from the
calamities and miseries of this life; and also from death, both temporal and
spiritual.
From these things it is easy to perceive what we are
to understand by the deliverance of man. It consists in a perfect deliverance
from all the miseries of sin and death, which the fall has entailed upon man,
and a full restoration of righteousness, holiness, life, and eternal felicity,
through Christ; which is begun in all the faithful in this life, and will be
fully perfected in the life to come.
II.
WHETHER SUCH A DELIVERANCE BE POSSIBLE.
That this deliverance of man from the ruins of the
fall was possible, may be inferred from a consideration:
1. Of the immense goodness and mercy of God, which
would not suffer the whole human race to perish forever.
2. The infinite
wisdom of God would naturally lead us to expect that he would be able to devise
a way by which he might exhibit his mercy towards the human race, and yet not
violate his justice.
3. A
consideration of the power of God might lead us to the conclusion that he who
could create man out of nothing after his own image, could also raise him up
from the ruins of the fall, and deliver him from sin and death. To deny the
possibility of the deliverance of man is, therefore, to deny the goodness,
wisdom, and power of God. But in God there is neither wisdom, nor goodness, nor
power wanting; for "the Lord bringeth down to the grave and bringeth up." "Unto
God, the Lord, belong the issues from death." "The Lord's hand is not shortened,
that it cannot save." (1 Sam. 2:6. Ps. 68:20. Is. 59:1.)
But we must enquire, particularly, Whence do we know
this deliverance to be possible ? Whether human reason, without the word of God,
can arrive at this knowledge? And whether Adam, after his fall, could know or
hope for it?
That our deliverance was possible, we now know from
the event itself, and from the gospel, or from that revelation which God has
been pleased to make. Human reason, however, if left to itself, could know
nothing of this deliverance, or of the manner in which it could be effected,
although it might probably have conjectured that it was not impossible, (which,
by the way, is very doubtful,) in as much as it is not presumable that so
glorious a creature as man would be created for eternal misery; or that God
would give a law that could never be fulfilled. These two arguments are in
themselves forcible, but human reason, on account of its corruption, does not
subscribe to them. As, therefore, those who are without the church and ignorant
of the gospel, can have no knowledge or hope of deliverance; so Adam, after the
fall, without a special promise and revelation, could neither know nor hope for
it, by the mere exercise of his reason. When sin was once committed, the mind of
man could think of nothing but the severe justice of God, which does not permit
sin to pass with impunity, and the unchangeable truth of God, which had
declared, "In the day thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die." (Gen. 3:17.)
Adam knew full well that it was necessary to make satisfaction to this justice
and truth of God, by the everlasting destruction of the sinner; and hence he
could not hope for any deliverance in his case. He might, indeed, probably have
supposed that deliverance could be effected if satisfaction could be made in any
way, to the justice and truth of God; but he could neither hope for it nor
conceive how, or by whom it could be accomplished; yea, the angels themselves
could never have devised this method of deliverance, had not God, out of his
infinite wisdom and goodness, conceived it and made it known through the gospel.
But some object to what is here said, as follows:
If deliverance seemed impossible to Adam, on account of the justice and
truth of God, then it must now, also, seem to be impossible; for a violation of
the justice and truth of God, cannot take place now any more than formerly. But
the escape of the sinner from punishment would be a violation of these
attributes of God. To this we reply, that if the sinner would escape punishment
without a sufficient satisfaction being made for sin, it would, indeed, be a
violation of the justice and truth of God. Had Adam seen a satisfactory solution
of this problem, he would have had reason to hope for deliverance, especially if
he had considered, at the same time, the nature of God, his infinite goodness,
wisdom, and power, and the end for which he created man; and that it would not
be consistent with the character of God, who is most wise, good, and powerful,
to create a being of such noble powers as man, to endure everlasting misery; or
that he would give such a law to man, as could never be perfectly obeyed. Yet he
could not entertain any certain hope, for, as we have already remarked, before
the gospel was published, neither he, nor any other creature, was able to see,
or contrive a way of escape from punishment, that would be in harmony with the
justice of God; nor could any way of escape ever have been contrived, had not
God revealed it through his Son.
This, now, is the substance of what has been said:
Man, being fallen, could hope for no deliverance from sin and death,
before he heard the joyful promise that the seed of the woman should bruise the
head of the serpent; but yet he ought not, neither could he simply despair as
though it were wholly impossible. For although he could not conceive any
necessary reason from which he might conclude upon his future deliverance, nor
understand the way in which satisfaction could be made, yet it does not follow,
that if a creature could not discover this, therefore God could not discover it.
He ought, therefore, to have looked away from himself to the wisdom, goodness,
and power of God, and not have despaired, although every thing seemed to drive
him to desperation. Yet if the sound of the gospel had not reached his ear,
nothing could have sufficiently comforted him under the temptations to which he
was exposed. But after the promise was once made known, and he was brought to
understand the method of redemption through Christ, then he could not only hope
for deliverance with certainty, but could also resolve all doubts and objections
which might arise, among which we may mention the following:
Obj. 1. The justice of God does not permit those who
are deserving of eternal condemnation to go unpunished. We have all deserved
eternal condemnation. Therefore, our deliverance is impossible, on account of
the justice of God. Ans. Adam saw how the first proposition of this syllogism
could be answered, viz: that the justice of God does not absolve and acquit
those who are deserving of everlasting condemnation, unless satisfaction he made
by a punishment corresponding with the offence.
Obj. 2. The justice and truth of God are both
violated when that is not alone which the former requires and the latter
threatens. But if everlasting punishment and death be not inflicted upon man,
that is not executed which the justice of God requires, and his truth threatens.
Therefore, both are violated if man be not punished, which is impossible. Ans.
Here again, Adam saw that the minor proposition was true only in case no
punishment at all were inflicted, neither upon the sinner himself nor upon some
one else who might offer himself as a substitute in the sinner's room and stead.
But the promise wInch God had been pleased to reveal to him, made him acquainted
with the fact that Christ, the seed of the woman, would, as man's substitute,
bruise the serpent's head.
Obj. 3. That which time unchangeable truth and
justice of God demand, is necessary and unchangeable. But the unchangeable truth
and justice of God demand that the sinner be cast into everlasting punishment.
Therefore the rejection of the sinner is necessary and unchangeable. Ans. He
also saw an answer to the principal proposition of this objection, viz : that
that is unchangeable which the justice of God demands absolutely, and not that
which it requires conditionally; demanding either the everlasting punishment of
the transgressor, or satisfaction through Christ.
Obj. 4. That is impossible winch we have not the
power of escaping. We have not the power of escaping sin and death. Therefore it
is impossible for us to escape these evils. Ans. But here again Adam saw that an
escape from these evils was impossible only in case God neither knew nor would
reveal the way of deliverance, winch was unknown to human reason, and to all
created beings, and winch they never could have discovered.
These and similar objections Adam was enabled,
through the promise of the seed of the woman bruising the serpent's head, to
repel and overcome. We however, who live at the present day, can see, and
understand much more clearly, the solution of these difficulties, than Adam
could, inasmuch as we know certainly, from the gospel and the event itself, as
well as from our own consciousness, that the deliverance of man was not only
possible, and would take place at some future time, as Adam himself saw, hut
that it is also already acccomplishned by Christ. Hence the deliverance of man
is, and always was, possible with God.
III.
WHETHER DELIVERANCE BE NECESSARY AND CERTAIN.
Although God was not under the least obligation to
deliver man from the misery of sin, but was free to have all men in death, and
save none for "Who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him
again," (Rom. 11:35); yet it may correctly be said, that man's deliverance was
and is necessary, understanding by this term not an absolute, but a conditional
necessity, as it is called. This is proven:
1. Because God
has most freely and unchangeably decreed and provided it; and it is impossible
that he should lie, or be deceived. "As I live, I have no pleasure in the death
of the wicked, but that," &c. (Ez. 18:23.)
2. Because God
desires to be praised and glorified forever by man. "He hath made us to the
praise of the glory of his grace." "Wherefore hast thou made all men in vain."
(Eph. 1:6. Ps. 89:47.)
3. Because God
did not in vain send his Son into the world, neither did Christ die in vain. "I
came down from heaven; not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent
me. And this is the Father's will, which hath sent me, that of all which he hath
given me, I should lose nothing," &c. "I came to call sinners to repentance."
"Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our
justification." "If righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain."
(John 6:38-39. Matt. 9:13. Rom. 4:25. Gal. 2:21.)
4. Because God
is more inclined to mercy than to wrath. But in the punishment of the wicked his
wrath is manifested; much more, therefore, will he manifest his mercy in the
salvation of the righteous.
IV.
WHETHER A PERFECT DELIVERANCE MAY BE EXPECTED.
This deliverance of man is perfect in this life, as
it respects the commencement of it; but in the life to come, it will be perfect
also as it respects the consummation of it. Now, it is perfect in all its parts,
being a deliverance from the evil both of guiht and of punishment; then, it will
be perfect also in the degrees of it, when all tears shall be wiped away from
our eyes, when the perfect image of God will be restored in us, and God shall be
all, and in all. This is proven:
1. Because God
does not deliver us only in part, but saves and loves perfectly all those whom
he saves. "The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin." (1 John 1:7.)
2. Because God
will punish the wicked most severely, that they may by these punishments fully
satisfy his justice. He will, therefore, also perfectly deliver the godly, since
he is more inclined to mercy than wrath. Neither is the benefit of Christ more
imperfect, or of less force than the sin of Adam. This would be the case, if he
did not deliver us perfectly, because we have lost all righteousness and
salvation in Adam. A perfect deliverance is, therefore,to be expected, but by
degrees, as it has been shown. In this life it is perfect; in the resurrection
it will be more perfect; and in glorification it will be most perfect.
V.
HOW THIS DELIVERANCE IS ACCOMPLISHED.
The deliverance of which we have now spoken is
accomplished: 1. By a full and sufficient satisfaction for sin. There is such a
satisfaction, when the punishment which is inflicted on account of sin is
equivalent to that which is eternal. 2. By abolishing sin, and renewing our
nature, which is done by restoring in us the righteousness and image of God
which we have lost, or by the perfect regeneration of our nature. Both of these
are necessary to our deliverance.
Satisfaction is necessary, because the mercy of God,
as has been shown, does not violate his justice, which demands satisfaction. The
law binds either to obedience or punishment. But satisfaction cannot be made
through obedience, because our past obedience is already impaired, and that
which follows cannot make satisfaction for past offences. We are bound to render
exact obedience every moment to the law, as a present debt. Hence, obedience
being once impaired, there is no other way of making satisfaction except by
punishment, according to the threatening:
"In the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt
surely die." (Gen. 2:17.) If a sufficient punishment be endured to satisfy the
law, God is reconciled, and deliverance becomes possible. So, in like manner, the abolishing of sin, and the renewing of our nature are necessary: because it is only upon the condition that we cease to offend God by our sins, and are thankful to him for our reconciliation, that he is willing to accept of this satisfaction. To be willing that God should receive us into his favor, and yet not be willing to abandon sin, is to mock God. But it is not possible for us to leave off and forsake sin, unless our nature be renewed. It is in this way, therefore, that the deliverance of man is made possible.
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