Canons of Dordt (22)

Judah gave himself as a surety for his brother Benjamin. Christ is the greater Judah, who gave Himself to be condemned and cursed in the place of His people. The suffering of Christ was substitutionary, in the place of sinners. He suffered the anguish of hell, and He also drank the unmingled cup of the wrath of a holy God. We read in Galatians 3:13, “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us.” There is a complete Savior and a willing Surety, and the way of salvation has now been opened for the chief of sinners.

Of this Surety, of this Savior, we read also in the Second Head of Doctrine, Article 3.

The death of the Son of God is the only and most perfect sacrifice and satisfaction for sin, and is of infinite worth and value, abundantly sufficient to expiate the sins of the whole world.

Christ is the Surety appointed by God. He laid down His life to merit life for sinners. We read in John 1:29, “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” The question is, did He lay down His life for everyone? The Remonstrants say “yes,” for they believe the doctrine of universal redemption. In their opinion Christ died for all people, and now it depends on us, whether we will benefit from this or not. It depends on our faith and our acceptance of Christ's redeeming work. Christ made salvation possible for everyone, they say, but we must use our free will to accept Him as our Savior.

He gave His life for the sheep

Our fathers rejected this false doctrine. The holy Scriptures are also very clear about this. Did not the Lord Jesus say in John 10:11, “I am the good Shepherd: the good Shepherd giveth His life for the sheep”?

The angel spoke to Joseph about the Son that Mary would bring forth, saying, “Thou shalt call His name JESUS: for He shall save His people from their sins.”

No, Christ did not die for everyone. In His high priestly prayer He said in John 17:9, “I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which Thou hast given Me: for they are Thine.” It is a terrible doctrine that teaches that Christ has died in vain for many who would not be willing to accept Him and therefore would not be saved.

However, although we believe in a limited atonement, Christ's death was abundantly sufficient to expiate the sins of the whole world. The all-sufficiency of the work of Christ is so great that the chief of sinners can be saved.

The all-sufficient sacrifice of Christ

We read in Lord's Day 15 of our Heidelberg Catechism that Christ “sustained in body and soul the wrath of God against the sins of all mankind.”

No, it does not say that He died for all mankind, but He has borne the indivisible wrath of God against the sins of mankind. That means He has borne the full wrath of God, which cannot be divided into a part for the elect and a part for the ungodly. It is His holy abhorrence of and anger against sin. Christ has borne this holy, eternal wrath of God in its full extent, and therefore there is also such a fullness of righteousness in Him, such an all-sufficiency, that we may say that even if we would have all the sins of Adam's posterity bound together, the blood of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, cleanseth from all sin. Christ's work is sufficient, so that even if there would be thousands of worlds full of filthy sinners, all these could be washed in the blood of Christ. His death is o f infinite worth and value. What a wonder it is to a sinner who has been brought to the end of all his efforts to save himself and to pay off his debts, when the Lord reveals something o f the all-sufficiency of the sacrifice o f Christ. Then if such a one can be saved, it will be certainly possible for everyone.

There is room indeed for the most vile and most wretched sinner.

A distinction

However, we must make a distinction between the purpose of the sacrifice and the all-sufficiency of it. The purpose was not to bring this sacrifice for everyone. Then His purpose must have failed, and that is impossible. The purpose was to redeem those who were given unto Him by the Father: His elect, His chosen people. No, we do not know who these elect are. God's Word says in Deuteronomy 29:29, “The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.”

No other offerings acceptable

This sacrifice is the only offering. The apostle speaks of it in Hebrews 10:14, “For by one offering He hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.”

There was nothing else that could satisfy the justice of God. It is a painful lesson to learn that nothing of our tears, our prayers, our good works, or our frames can satisfy God. All that we want to present unto the Lord must fall away.

The brothers of Joseph received their money back into their sacks. They had taken it along to pay for the corn from the storehouses of Joseph. That is an illustration of how the greater Joseph, Christ, deals with His people. They will have to learn that nothing imperfect can be acceptable in the sight of a holy and just God. There are times in their lives that they try to incline the heart of God by their weeping, pleading, crying, and reforming their life. However, God can accept only that which is perfect.

This perfect offering is given by the death of the Son of God. Christ has cried out from the cross, “It is finished.” He is not a helping Savior, not One who saves partially and then leaves us to complete His work. No, He is a complete Savior for a totally lost and undone sinner. We may confess that we are such sinners, but the emptying, discovering work of the Holy Spirit is so necessary in order to make us what we truly are.

What an infinite power and value there is in His blood, in His righteousness. Nothing is missing there, nothing can be added, nothing needs to be added, but also nothing may be added by us. We could say, “How easy it is then to be saved!” Yes, that is true, but this will be understood only if we have truly suffered shipwreck with all our efforts to save ourselves or at least to contribute something to His work. He saves alone, He saves completely, He saves sinners to the uttermost. What a lifelong lesson it is to learn to lose everything outside of the Lord Jesus and to understand that salvation is by grace alone. We can be so sound in our doctrine and yet have in our hearts the Arminian or Roman Catholic error of a human contribution to this perfect work. It is only by the powerful work of the Holy Spirit that we realize no work by us is possible and that we lose everything, but then also we may find a full salvation in this precious, suitable, and willing Savior whose Name is Jesus. There is rest for the wearied soul in the complete and finished work of the Mediator.

Naomi told her daughter-in-law, “Sit still, my daughter, until thou know how the matter will fall: for the man will not be in rest, until he have finished the thing this day.”

Wait upon Him then that He may save you and finish His work also in you. Blessed are those who may put their trust in Him.

— to be continued —

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