NOTES OUT OF THE CATECHISM CLASSES Of Rev. J. Fraanje Using The Catechism Book

Of the Law of God and of Prayer

Lesson 35 Part II

Our Heidelberg Catechism asks, “Whence knowest thou thy misery?

Answer: Out of the law of God.

Which of these three laws are meant here? Can we rightly see our misery in the ceremonial or civil laws?

We could see our miserable state in part of them. If we witnessed a thief or a murderer being put in jail we certainly would see something of our misery. In the state of righteousness, before the fall, there were no laws against stealing or murdering needed. There was no sin.

And what was the meaning behind the sacrifices and purifications? If there had been no sin there had been no impurity. If there had been no guilt there would be no sacrificial offerings necessary. Both of these law types, in some measure, reveal the misery of man, but not completely.

When I am outdoors and the sun is shining I can see a likeness of myself in a shadow on the ground. The sun makes it possible to see a figure of myself similar to that seen in still water. But can I see in the shadow or reflection whether I am dirty or clean? No, the shadow or reflection is not that clear. We need a mirror to see that. And do you know what that represents?

Reverently speaking, the moral law of the ten commandments is a clear mirror in the hand of the Holy Spirit in which He shows man his complete misery. And where does he see that? In the first table of the law with its four commandments and in the second table with its six commandments. These two tables comprehend the absolute, perfect demands of God.

What is the general meaning of the first table?

Answer: To love God above all else.

And the second table?

Answer: Our neighbor as ourselves.

That is the contents of the Divine demand. I am not saying man of the post fall era can fulfill God’s commands, no, we shall see that presently. I am merely saying the Lord had so created us to be able to fulfill it, and that His demand remains the same and this was confirmed in the giving of the law upon Mount Sinai.

Does not the law of the ten commandments show our total depravity and our impotence in that we cannot keep even one of those commandments? There is no mirror in the whole world that reflects so exactly our image as does the decalogue.

The catechism speaks of it thus: “Man has robbed himself and all his descendants of these gifts (of the ability to keep the law) by yielding to the devil and his own willful disobedience.

We could say it this way too. When we had the ability to accomplish the whole law we were unwilling and now we are neither able nor willing. No man in his natural state has the ability to desire or the ability to accomplish it. It no longer exists.

But how does man respond? Does he accept this situation? Without grace, never. He always tries to use his inability as an excuse. He does not say, “I am unwilling, but I am unable.” Without saying so he places the blame on the Lord for requiring something from him that is impossible to perform.

I made it plain to you by examples in our previous lessons. If a person owes ten thousand dollars to someone and actually had it in his possession to make payment but recklessly gambled it away, would the creditor say, “Mr. So and so, you once had the ability to pay me, but now you are entirely unable, so I shall just release you from this obligation?” Even if the man were jailed for his debt, the obligation to pay remains until it has really been paid. Nothing is deducted.

If he never pays, well, then he never is released from his debt and furthermore the debt becomes his children’s when he dies.

This is the situation in respect to the moral law and unless another kept that law for us the claim shall accompany us into death and condemnation. It will burn upon our consciences eternally without respite. The men who wrote the catechism were strongly convinced on this point. They said in question 10, “Will God suffer such disobedience and rebellion to go unpunished?

Answer: By no means; but He is terribly displeased with our original as well as actual sins; and will punish them in His just judgment temporally and eternally, as he hath declared, “Cursed is everyone that continueth not in all things, which are written in the book of the law to do them.”

What is then absolutely necessary?

Since through our obstinacy we have become impotent and the obligation lies upon us undiminished, another must satisfy that law for us. Otherwise we shall remain eternally indebted, set off as a transgressor and punished. Now, because of our miserable state as related to us by the law, we need a Mediator. The children of God will surely experience this before anything else because the Holy Spirit will point out the law to them. They will no longer say, “I can do nothing about it”, but will sincerely acknowledge that they stand guilty of breaking every commandment in thought, words and deeds.

When God sought Adam, (Adam did not seek God) He found him in his unrighteousness and at enmity with Him because he struck God vindictively concerning His own creation saying, “The woman whom Thou gavest to be with me.” When God first confronts His children they are all like that. I visited in a home one time where two small boys began quarreling. One said, “You did it.” The other called out, “It is not so, it is your fault.” In anger they began hitting and pushing one another. When I saw this taking place, I said, “Both of you come over here to me and I’ll tell you something. I want you to listen closely.”

“Once upon a time two men went to the temple, one was a Pharisee and the other a Publican. The Pharisee stood in the front of the temple thanking God that he was such a good man. But the Publican stayed in the background smiting upon the chest. (I did not say upon whose chest). Now you must tell me whose chest the man smote?

One of the boys said, “Upon his own chest.”

I said, “Correct, and you should do that too.” Neither did the Publican say to the Pharisee, “You did it.” No, he evidently had done it himself because he called out, “God be merciful to me a sinner.”

This is what the Holy Spirit does to all His people, showing them they have transgressed the whole law. Justly they he under the curse and wrath of God. Like the Publican they possess penitent feet which cause them to stay at the rear of the temple, penitent eyes which they dare not raise, and penitent hands which they use to smite their own guilty selves. But what else do they have?

Most important they have a penitent heart which confesses they are sinners, and what follows in the story? “This man went down to his house justified rather than the other.”

Was he justified because he admitted and confessed his guilt? No, absolutely not. This impossible.

We have been taught that justification takes place not because of faith but through faith. The Pharisee justified himself but the Publican was justified by God for Christ’s sake.

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