The Mediator

Rev. D. de Wit, Barneveld, the Netherlands

(Last of six articles about sin based on The Treasure Book by Zacharias Ursinus)

In the five previous articles we tried to portray something about the manner in which the subject of sin is handled in The Treasure Book. Immediately prior to this subject matter it is written, “Conscience dictates to every man such a syllogism as this: yea, it is nothing else than a practical syllogism formed in the mind, whose major proposition is the law of God; the minor, is the knowledge of what we have done, contrary to the law; and the conclusion is the approbation of the sentence of the law, condemning us on account of sin—which approbation will be followed by grief and despair, unless the consolation of the gospel is brought nigh unto us, and we obtain the remission of sins for the sake of the Son of God, our Mediator. It is in this way that we obtain a knowledge of our sinful state and exposure to eternal condemnation.” In such a paragraph the need of a Mediator is already heard.

Before The Treasure Book speaks of the Mediator, sin and the total corruption of man is considered and also the punishment for sin. We know this from Lord’s Days 3 and 4. The total corruption of man is compared to the manner in which God has created man, namely, good and according to His own image. The deep fall of Adam and original sin are considered. Original sin is the root cause of actual sin and leads to both temporal and eternal punishment. The free will of man receives special consideration. The Treasure Book considers not only what the state of this will was before the fall but also what it now is after the fall. There it is written, “In this state the will is free, but is always incited to evil, and can do nothing else but commit sin. The reason for this is that after the fall man has been deprived of the knowledge of God in his understanding, and of the inclination to be submissive in the will and in the heart. In its place there has come a blindness and an aversion towards God which man cannot put off, unless he is regenerated by the Holy Spirit.”

It is striking in this portion how The Treasure Book speaks about regeneration. The will after regeneration is renewed although not perfect. Whenever that will is governed by the Holy Spirit, there is also a willingness to do that which is good. When that governing is lacking, there is a falling into sin. It is striking that The Treasure Book speaks of regeneration as a moment in the lives of God’s children when the renewed will which has been worked by God’s Spirit begins to desire that which is good. It would be a separate study to consider how The Treasure Book uses the word “regeneration.” The free will, after this life, when a person has entered glory and “is perfectly converted,” will only want to do what is good and will no more choose to do evil.

When the corruption of man is pointed out (and let us never get used to that), as well as the punishment we deserve because of sin, then The Treasure Book directs us in the way to the Mediator. God is terribly angry with both original and actual sin. God, who is the highest Good, has an aversion to and hatred of all sin and unrighteousness. He intends and has the firm resolve to punish sin and also, indeed, carries it out. The greatness of this anger cannot be expressed because it is without end. This is sometimes described as a consuming fire.

The punishment of sin is a righteous punishment and is attributed to a righteous judgment. The Lord does not do this as a tyrant but as a righteous Judge. The punishment is in agreement with the greatness of the misdeed and is both temporal and eternal. God may not only punish, but He also desires to do so, for He has revealed that in His Word.

Also here a person will devise ways to evade God’s justice. “Isn’t God merciful, and for that reason therefore He will not punish sin?” God is not only most merciful but He is also most just. That righteous justice requires a just punishment for sin.

How necessary it is to know this so that there comes a place wherein we will call for a remedy, yea, for the Mediator and Deliverer. It is with these words that The Treasure Book also ends the section about misery: “Let us therefore learn to know our misery from the law, and from the law the threatening of the punishment upon sin. Let us while experiencing our great misery be incited to seek that comfort which can only be given through Christ Jesus our Lord, ‘who is over all, God blessed forever. Amen’ (Romans 9:5b).”

Whatever is the ground of one’s distress, it should drive him to, not from, God.

— John Flavel

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