Canons of Dordt (21)

The Lord is not only merciful, He is also just, and His justice requires that our sins should be punished. We cannot escape this punishment unless satisfaction is made for our sins. No self-improvement, no human righteousness or piety will give satisfaction to God. However, there is One who can save sinners to the uttermost. We read of Him in Acts 4:12, “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other Name under heaven, given among men, whereby we must be saved.”

That Name becomes so necessary and so precious to a discovered and convicted sinner.

Of this Savior we also read in Article Two of the Second Head of Doctrine.

Since therefore we are unable to make that satisfaction in our own persons or to deliver ourselves from the wrath of God, He hath been pleased in His infinite mercy to give His only begotten Son, for our surety, who was made sin, and became a curse for us and in our stead, that He might make satisfaction to divine justice on our behalf. God gave His only begotten Son. This is a gift of His mercy, a gift which was so necessary because self-deliverance was not possible. It is true, by nature we always try, but in vain, to make ourselves acceptable to God. Man tries to reconcile himself with God. The methods may vary, but all these efforts are fruitless attempts, from a broken covenant of works, to satisfy a holy and just God.

The Roman Catholics come with their good works as an addition to the work of Christ. Some will try to merit heaven with their decent life. Others suppose that with their self made faith they will be able to meet God. The heathens even bring human sacrifices.

Man always tries to lean on something, and this concerns not only unconverted, unregenerate sinners, but also those whose eyes have been opened, who have seen something of their debts rising up before them and who know that God must be angry with such sinners as they are. They say, “Have patience with me, and I will pay Thee all.” They try to make a ground of their tears, prayers, frames, and experiences. However, all these efforts are shown to be of no value when the Lord shows unto them that He must maintain His justice and cannot accept: anything which is polluted by sin. Man is condemned and lost unless a surety can be found in his place. God Himself, in His mercy, has provided a Surety for them.

The only Surety

We read in Genesis 43:9, “I will be surety for him; of my hand shalt thou require him.” Judah gave himself as a surety for Benjamin. Christ is the greater Judah, who willingly, from love to His Father and to His Church, gave Himself to be condemned and cursed in the place of His people. The apostle testifies in Hebrews 7:22, “By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament.” It was in the place of sinners that He was laid in the manger, that He lived in Nazareth, that He was despised, suffered, was made a curse, and was nailed on the cross of Golgotha. When the eye of faith may behold Him, carrying our curse, shame, and iniquities, then He becomes utterly precious. The prophet speaks of Him in Isaiah 53:5, “But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed.”

The Remonstrants said that Christ came for sinners, that is, for their benefit. He made salvation possible, if they only might accept it with their free will. So it depends on our decision whether that profit is also for us. Our fathers stated it differently. They said, He “became a curse for us and in our stead, that He might make satisfaction to divine justice on our behalf.” That is much richer than what the Remonstrants said. Nobody could ever satisfy the demands of God's justice. There is no one who can give a ransom to God. By the works of the law no one will be justified before God. However, the apostle may testify in Romans 8:3, “For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh.”

In their place

Therefore Christ came under the law, bowed under its demands in perfect obedience. Thus, in their place, Christ has carried away the guilt and sins of those whom the Father has given unto Him. He died in the place of condemnable sinners, so that they may receive life through Him.

That the suffering of Christ was substitutionary appears clearly from Romans 5:7-8, “For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

For a condemnable people He has taken upon Him the curse, and as a cursed One He was cast away. In the place of His people He suffered the anguish of hell, and He drank the unmingled cup of the wrath of God. This cup could not be taken away from Him, but He bowed under the will of His Father, the holy Judge, and said, “Thy will be done.”

How precious this willing Surety becomes for one who has learned his curse, and who is worthy to be cast away. The apostle cries out in 1 Peter 1:3, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to His abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.”

Sinners, there is One who is able and willing to save: a perfect Savior, a Surety of whom we read in Galatians 3:13, “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us.”

Blessed are those who may find in Him righteousness and peace with God, who may say with Thomas, “My Lord and my God.” No, there will be no ground for boasting in the creature, but they will praise Him because He has done it.

Young and old, by nature you live under the curse and wrath of a holy God. Ask the Lord to show you this, so that your false rest may be taken away. May He teach you all you do to try to pay your debts is of no value to Him. There is a complete Savior and willing Surety, and the way of salvation has been opened for the chief of sinners. What a blessing it is if we may be driven out of our hiding places, and we as poor and needy sinners may learn to take refuge in Him.

Deze tekst is geautomatiseerd gemaakt en kan nog fouten bevatten. Digibron werkt voortdurend aan correctie. Klik voor het origineel door naar de pdf. Voor opmerkingen, vragen, informatie: contact.

Op Digibron -en alle daarin opgenomen content- is het databankrecht van toepassing. Gebruiksvoorwaarden. Data protection law applies to Digibron and the content of this database. Terms of use.

Printen