Page:Southern Presbyterian Journal, Volume 13.djvu/599



When we consider how people ignore the laws of God and transgress his commandments without concern, it seems that the doctrine of sin, summarized in Chapter VI of the Confession, must be the most important doctrine of all. And until people acknowledge that their lives offend God, presumably this doctrine is indeed the most important in a practical approach. But when sin is recognized as such, then it will seem that Chapter VIII, which outlines the remedy for sin, is the most important.

Of course, this feeling that one doctrine or one chapter is the most important is purely psychological, momentary, and relative to a particular purpose. One might as well ask which wheel or tire of an auto is the most important. Presumably it is the tire that is about to run over a tack. Otherwise they are all equally important. This is true of the chapters of the Confession because they fit together as a system and are not haphazard and disjointed. It was previously pointed out in one of these articles that the doctrines of predestination and providence underlie effectual calling and perseverance of the saints; the covenant bears on New Testament baptism; and of course the fall of man necessitates a Redeemer and Mediator. They all fit together.

Chapter VIII is longer than most. It contains a wealth of material. First, the work of Christ is referred to the eternal purpose of God. This work is then divided into the functions of prophet, priest, and king. Two lines further, it is stated that the Father from all eternity gave to his only Son "a people to be his seed, and to be by him in time redeemed, called, justified, sanctified, and glorified." This divine truth, so frequently mentioned in the Gospel of John, seems to have been slighted in contemporary preaching. Whether this is so or not, the ministers and the people can determine by trying to recollect the last sermon on the subject.

The second section of this chapter mentions the deity and the humanity of Christ, the two natures in one person. And though this recalls dim memories of ancient Chalcedon, it is equally important today. If Christ were a mere man, he could not function as a mediator; nor could he if he were simply God. In both cases he would be confined to one extreme and fail to link the two. If Christ were neither God nor man, but an angel or something, he would be a barrier between God and man rather than a mediator. But as both God and man, as truly God as man and as truly man as God, Christ can be the Mediator and unite God and men.

The Virgin Birth, the life of humiliation, the pain of crucifixion, the resurrection of the same body in which he suffered, the ascension, and his return to judge men and angels at the end of the world, are all essential; but here they can only be listed.

Of supreme importance (everything is of supreme importance) is the significance of Christ's crucifixion. By his death, says Section V, Christ "fully satisfied the justice of his Father, and purchased not only reconciliation, but an everlasting inheritance . . . for all those whom the Father hath given him." The central point of the Christian message, the point which every faithful evangelist must emphasize, the first point that a Christian should understand about salvation is that Christ's death satisfies divine justice. Today it is customary to call this the doctrine of the Atonement; but it used to be called the Satisfaction, and Satisfaction is rather the better name.

When Christians are asked what is their favorite passage, they cite John 3:16 or the twenty-third Psalm, or a portion of Isaiah. And no one can fail to appreciate the beauty of these passages. But if a malevolent demon were to deprive the world of the Bible, and to me was given the heavy responsibility of preserving just a few lines for posterity, I would unhesitatingly pass by the twenty-third Psalm, the beautiful portions of Isaiah, and even John 3:16. I would select Romans 3:25-26. These Pauline verses do not have the beauty of the Psalms, nor the majestic style of Isaiah, nor the emotional appeal of John 3:16; but they have the heart of the gospel, they explain precisely what Christ did in his death, they show the method of salvation.

Other matters in Chapter VIII must be omitted in order to mention the final section that guarantees that Christ did not die in vain. "To all those for whom Christ hath purchased redemption, he doth certainly and effectively apply and communicate the same." As Isaiah said, "He shall see of the travail of his soul and shall be satisfied." And as Christ himself said, "All that the Father giveth me shall come to me." Thus we are assured that no one for whom Christ died will be lost.

Many times I have preached in rescue missions. Looking at these half drunken derelicts, these miserable victims of gross sin, one could wonder whether it was any use to preach to them. How can their perverted minds be expected to respond to a Christian sermon? Certainly no natural ground of expectation is possible. But if any of these gutter bums has been given to Christ by the Father, Christ doth effectually communicate redemption to him, "effectually persuading them by his Spirit to believe and obey," or as was stated in Chapter VII iii on the Covenant, giving them "his Holy Spirit to make them willing and able to believe."

Therefore the preacher need not be discouraged, for God has promised that "my word shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it." (Isaiah too has some passages worth preserving.) DECEMBER 1, 1954