Canons of Dordt (47)

The Lord has given rich privileges to His children. He has opened their prison, broken the bonds of sin, and made them willing followers in the way in which He goes before them.

Although they are truly rich and blessed, however, there is a battle to be fought against the power of sin. The flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh. God’s children will never reach a stage of perfection while in this life. The infirmities of the flesh cleave to them as long as they continue in this world. Of these remaining infirmities we read in the Fifth Head, Article 2.

Hence spring daily sins of infirmity, and hence spots adhere to the best works of the saints, which furnish them with constant matter for humiliation before God, and flying for refuge to Christ crucified; for mortifying the flesh more and more by the spirit of prayer, and by holy exercises of piety; and for pressing forward to the goal of perfection, till being at length delivered from this body of death, they are brought to reign with the Lamb of God in heaven.

True believers desire to be delivered from all sin. It is the longing of the new life to be holy and never anymore to grieve a good-doing God. Yet, there is still the old man, the corrupt flesh with its sinful desires. This causes a continual battle in the lives of God’s children.

A spiritual battle

Our fathers spoke of this warfare in the forms of liturgy.

The Form for the Administration of Baptism says, “And if we sometimes through weakness fall into sin, we must not therefore despair of God’s mercy, nor continue in sin.”

In the Form for the Administration of the Lord’s Supper we read, “Therefore, notwithstanding we feel many infirmities and miseries in ourselves, as namely, that we have not perfect faith, and that we do not give ourselves to serve God with that zeal as we are bound, but have daily to strive with the weakness of our faith and the evil lusts of our flesh; yet, since we are (by the grace of the Holy Spirit) sorry for these weaknesses, and earnestly desire to fight against our unbelief, and to live according to all the commandments of God.”

Also our Confession of Faith makes mention of this spiritual battle in Article 15, where it says, “But that a sense of this corruption should make believers often to sigh, desiring to be delivered from this body of death.”

How biblical this language is, when we compare it to what Paul confesses in Romans 7:18, “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.”

This is the experience of God’s people in their lives. Faith can be so weak and unbelief so strong. There is that terrible distrust that doubts God’s love and faithfulness toward us. Then there is not the delight in God’s service that we should have. Then our prayers can be so formal, and our hearts can be so cold. If God would not preserve His own work, if they would have to persevere in their own strength, it would be a lost case. That wonderful word “kept,” however, means so much to all true pilgrims. And it means even more as they come closer to the end of their journey.

It is true, God’s children are holy in Christ, but they must continue to fight against the mighty enemies without and within. How afraid are they that God’s Name will be dishonored because of them.

Humiliation before God

Why is this warfare so necessary?

It serves to their humiliation before God. No, grace does not teach us to boast of how great sinners we are, but makes us ashamed of ourselves and makes us grieve because of our own foolishness, and thus to humble ourselves before a holy God. Then we are ashamed that we have not been more watchful in prayer, have been so slothful, that there was such a lack of diligence and zeal in our lives, that we have not more often sought the power of God to fight against our infirmities. Spiritual pride has caused so much damage, even if it was clothed in an appearance of humility and we spoke humbly of our poverty.

The Lord knows how to bring His people into the valley of humiliation. He gives discovering light, so that all that remains of them is what Asaph said after he was brought into the sanctuary of God, “So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before Thee.”

Taking refuge to Christ

This knowledge of our spiritual poverty and of the remaining infirmities of the flesh cuts off all hope that we by our own strength will obtain the victory in this battle. The Spirit, however, also teaches us that there is a mighty and willing Savior, who was crucified and made a sacrifice for sin.

The burden and guilt of sin must drive God’s church to Christ. He alone is able to overcome all the enemies. His almighty power alone is sufficient in this battle. His strength is made perfect in our weakness. The more knowledge of self, if it is well, the more hunger and thirst after the righteousness of Christ. This longing is not only to be acquitted from guilt and to have our sins pardoned, but also to be renewed, to be sanctified, to be made holy. In all disappointments with self we will say, with Simon Peter in John 6:68, “Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life.”

What do we know of this fleeing to Christ? Our fathers often spoke of “making use of a crucified Christ.” How few are the exercises of faith in our days in the lives of God’s children. There is so much resting where no true rest can be found. Christ delights to give, also today, but it is so sad if we lean upon past experiences, feelings, and if we can help ourselves outside of Christ. Therefore old Christians often used to say, “Ask for much discovering light.” That light will make us poor in ourselves and make Christ necessary, so that we will need Him and come as undeserving, wretched sinners at His feet.

Mortification of the flesh

The inward desire to be holy and the sorrow because of our sin will also cause us to supplicate the Lord to make us what we are not and to give us what we need in this battle. How often we go to the battle in our own strength, but then we will be defeated by the enemy. We will not be put to shame, however, if we may say with Jehoshaphat, “For we have no might against this great company that cometh against us; neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon Thee.”

The experience of our remaining weaknesses and sins will not make us passive. When we loathe ourselves because of our sin, there will be a sighing unto God for help and for His renewing grace. It is a sad sign of our low spiritual condition if the inner room is left empty and there is no storming of the throne of grace.

Longing for perfection

If there is truly a dying to self, there will be a yearning for the time when there will be no sin anymore and for the final deliverance. There will be a pressing forward to the goal of perfection. That goal will be reached only when God’s children are delivered from the body of death and are brought to reign with the Lamb of God in heaven.

That was the reason Paul desired to depart and to be with Christ, which was far better. He had learned to cry, “Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” This time will come for all those who here have sighed under the burden of sin.

The glorious future for all true warriors is that they will reign with the Lamb of God in heaven. They will wear the victor’s crown, no more by foes assaulted. Often they have feared that they would still perish in the hands of the arch enemy. But thanks be to God, who gives the victory to all those who have fought the good fight of faith in His strength. Therefore Asaph could say, “Thou shalt guide me with Thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.”

Young and old, life is often a warfare. Perhaps you have many trials and difficulties. Sometimes you seem to drown in the waves of sorrows and disappointments. Happy are you if you know the only Refuge, the only comfort in life and in death, the Lord Jesus Christ. For life is not only a warfare in a general sense. Bunyan wrote about the holy war. May many, also of our young friends, learn to fight this battle by God’s grace under the great Captain, Jesus Christ. Then we will no longer fight against God, but cling to Him and His throne of grace. Christ has fought the battle alone and obtained the victory. He has overcome all His enemies. Blessed are those that may trust in Him.

— Rev. C. Vogelaar
(Kalamazoo, MI)

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