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The Belgic Confession of Faith (10)

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The Belgic Confession of Faith (10)

9 minuten leestijd Arcering uitzetten

Article 8 (2)

When we speak about good pleasure and the thoughts of peace, this first of all applies to the Father. The special work of the Father is:

A. The planning of the way of salvation.

B. The electing of sinners. We speak of the electing love of the Father. 1 Peter 1:2 tells of “the elect according to the foreknowledge of the Father.”

C. Another work of the Father is the creation; for He is the Creator. “But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things” (1 Cor. 8:6).

D. He is also the provider of all things. Providence is a special work of the Father. When Jesus encouraged His disciples, He told them not to be too concerned about the day of tomorrow, “Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?” (Matt. 6:26).

E. The Father is also the One in the Trinity who represents the Trinity. In the Counsel of Peace, or the covenant of redemption, the Father represents the whole Trinity as the holy righteous Being and is the One who maintains justice. He is the Judge and therefore when the Lord begins in the heart of a sinner, that person learns to know not a Father, but an angry and a holy Judge. In

1 John 2:1 we read, “We have an Advocate with the Father.” These are the personal works of the Father.

The personal works of the Son are these:

A. In the Counsel of Peace the Son gave Himself to be a Surety and Head of the covenant. The Father did not give Himself, but the Son gave Himself in the covenant. Psalm 40 says, “Lo, I come, in the volume of the book it is written of Me.”

B. The Son is the One who purchased salvation. This is all the work of the Son. He merited salvation through His birth, suffering, and death. Hebrews 9:12 tells of the High Priest who by His own blood entered once into the holy place.

C. The Son also pleads for His Church, a work which is not attributable to the Father or the Holy Spirit. Although the Holy Spirit sheds light upon it, the Son is the One who pleads for His people. As the Father is the Judge, the Son is the Advocate and Intercessor. In Romans 8:34 we read, “Who also maketh intercessions for us.”

D. The Son is also the One through whom the Father created all things and He will be the Judge of all creatures at the end of this dispensation. The Father has given the judgment unto the Son. “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ” (2 Cor. 5:10). Although the Father maintains justice, the execution of it is laid upon the Son. At the end of time, then the Lamb will be the Judge.

The personal works of the Holy Spirit are:

A. The application of Christ’s benefits: regeneration, justification, sanctification and glorification. We should always realize the need for the work of a triune God in our life. We not only need the work of Christ, as a suffering and dying Mediator, but also the applying work of the Holy Spirit. In our proclamation of God’s Word and message, the work of the Spirit should always be mentioned too. In Titus 3:5 we read, “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost.” The Holy Spirit applies the benefits to the hearts of the believers.

B. The Holy Spirit also dwells in the hearts of the believers. He makes them the temple of the Holy Ghost. “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?” (1 Cor. 3:16). Has it ever become a wonder for you that the Holy Spirit is willing to come and dwell in the heart; for by nature our heart is a synagogue of Satan?

C. The Holy Spirit is also said to give life, not only spiritual life, but also in natural aspects. “Thou sendest forth Thy Spirit, they are created: and Thou renewest the face of the earth” (Ps. 104:30). This is said to be a personal work of the Holy Spirit; but it is also the Holy Spirit who quickens the dead sinner and glorifies the power of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ in the heart of a dead sinner.

D. The calling and qualifying of man for the service of God is also a work of the Holy Spirit. All God’s people are office-bearers and they will receive a calling and qualification for that which the Lord wants them to do. “As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto

I have called them” (Acts 13:2). If the Lord calls to a special office, such as the ministry, then He will also give an impression of that in the heart of those who have to separate such a person. The Holy Spirit not only calls man to a special service, but also qualifies him for it with special gifts. He also causes these talents to develop within them and gives them the ability to use them. This is a continuing work until the end of their life.

E. The Holy Spirit’s work is gathering, teaching and guiding the Church by means of the Word of God. The Lord Jesus said, “He will guide you into all truth.”

F. The writing of the Scriptures was also inspired by the Holy Spirit. 2 Peter 1:21 says, “For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.”

G. The preparation of the human nature of Christ in the body of Mary was also a work of the Holy Spirit as we see in Luke 1:35, “The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee.”

Salvation is thought by the Father in heaven. Salvation is bought by the Son on earth. Salvation is wrought in the heart of man by the Holy Spirit. That is the work of the Trinity in respect to salvation. This work cannot be limited to salvation, for it is also apparent in creation and providence; however, it is necessary for us to know the work of salvation in our own life.

When salvation is wrought in our heart, then the Holy Spirit is the One who begins to work even though we cannot separate this from the Father who sends the Spirit, and the Son who demands that the Spirit will go forth. First a sinner learns to know that He has sinned against God and is without God in the world. He does not know of the triune God. He sees that God is holy, just and good. There is an incomprehensible longing for this God.

When the Lord works in a person, the Person he will first begin to know is the Son, although the Spirit is the first to work in his heart. It pleases God to show him that he is Adam — and then all hope is cut off. The Second Adam will be revealed to a sinner in that moment when he bows under God, subscribes to his death sentence, and agrees with God that he should be cast away. When there is no hope, then the Lord opens the door of hope through the Second Person in the Trinity, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Later the sinner will learn to know the Father, if it pleases the Lord to teach him what He taught the disciples and Mary Magdalene, “I ascend to My Father, and your Father.” Then the sinner receives a coming home with the Father. Outside of this, they feel like a homeless people. There will be a longing of a truly converted soul to have a place with the Father, as did the prodigal son.

The last Person which will be revealed to them is the Holy Spirit. Then it becomes Pentecost. Then there is the sealing witness of the Spirit, and the Spirit becomes the representative of Christ, dwelling in the heart. Then they may have a seal which says that what they have received is right and true, and that they have not deceived themselves. This is God’s guarantee and seal, witnessing with the Spirit that they are the children of God. Then we see what Bethlehem really means. Then we see it in its fullness: God manifest in the flesh. Then we see what Good Friday, Easter, and Ascension day really mean. Pentecost sheds full light upon the facts of salvation. Then salvation is secured not only in the work of Christ, but in a triune God.


It would be a wonder if we could learn to know what a poor, retarded boy once saw. He said, “I see One, and the One is Three, and the Three is One, and all these Three are all for me.”


It would be a wonder if we could learn to know what a poor, retarded boy once saw. He said, “I see One, and the One is Three, and the Three is One, and all these Three are all for me.”

Also in regard to this doctrine, how true is that which the Lord Jesus Himself testified in Matthew 11:25, “I thank Thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.” Blessed are we if we may be such a babe — taught by Him, in these mysteries of His kingdom.

Rev. C. Vogelaar is pastor of the Ebenezer Netherlands Reformed Church of Franklin Lakes, New Jersey.

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Bekijk de hele uitgave van woensdag 1 juli 1992

The Banner of Truth | 28 Pagina's

The Belgic Confession of Faith (10)

Bekijk de hele uitgave van woensdag 1 juli 1992

The Banner of Truth | 28 Pagina's