Category: Shorter Catechism

WSC Question 19:  What is the misery of that estate whereinto man fell?

Answer: All mankind by their fall lost communion with God, are under his wrath and curse, and so made liable to all miseries in this life, to death itself, and to the pains of hell for ever (Gen. 3:8,10,24; Eph. 2:2-3; Rom. 6:23).

An explanation: What is the estate of misery that sin has brought mankind into? We have lost our communion with God. We see this from the very beginning of our rebellion in Adam, when God came seeking fellowship after Adam, he and his wife hid from their Creator-Lord (Gen. 3:8ff). We still have a disposition to seek to hide from our Creator, and seek to avoid Him in our fallen condition (although we cannot in reality, Psa. 139:7ff). Now, we are miserable in that we have lost fellowship with our God, and thus have lost the communion with Him we were created to enjoy.

Although we are made in God’s image, we have lost the sweet fellowship with God that brings peace and comfort to our souls. We have lost His gracious presence and kind favor toward us by nature. The Bible speaks us of being hopeless by nature, “without God in the world” (Eph. 2:12). We should understand that we can find no other satisfaction and lasting hope for our souls. We have been made for God, and there is no true satisfaction except in Him (Psa. 63:1-5; 73:25,28). God is man’s chief good, though in his sin He suppresses this truth and seeks after idols (Jer. 2; Rom. 1:19-32). Man has lost his way and his true identity as a creature and servant of God.

Another aspect of our misery is that we are now under the wrath and curse of God. The Bible tells us that we are “children of wrath, even as the rest of mankind” (Eph. 2:2-3), and condemned to eternal punishment, and that the wrath of God even now abides upon us by nature (John 3:18; 36). God’s favor and mercy is wonderful and life-enriching, and to be without it makes us miserable by nature.

We also must struggle against all kinds of sicknesses, evils, diseases of body and mind, and living in turmoil and conflict with other human beings for most of this life. And on top of that, we must also face death. Romans 6:23 says: “The wages of sin is death.” Because of our sins against God, we will suffer death because of the fall (unless Christ returns first), and this brings great sadness and misery to our lives in at least two ways: 1. In the sad loss and helpless estate it brings to us when we lose loved ones (1 Thess. 4:13ff); 2. In the fear and threat of it that hangs over our lives all of our days (Heb. 2:14-16). The fear of death is a chief reason for many psychological and spiritual problems in this present age.

Let us be thankful for the Lord Jesus Christ who willingly came to take our sins upon Himself; to be made a curse for sinners on the cross; bto bring reconciliation with God and other men. Jesus came to bring us hope, holiness, happiness, and spiritual health in Him. What a Savior! Although we struggle, there is no longer condemnation and wrath hanging over us, death has been defeated, and Christ has made it a doorway of hope to eternal life with God. We yet live in an estate of sin and misery on our pilgrimage until heaven, but we are being rescued from it daily as the Life-Giving-Spirit of God brings change, comfort, rest, peace and power from the Age to Come into our present circumstances as we walk by faith!

A Prayer: Lord and Father, thank you for the hope you bring in a world of sin and misery. Though we still suffer and experience death, and oftentimes struggle in our relationships, nevertheless, you have begun our healing. We have been justified by the righteousness of Christ, and have been adopted into your family, and in our sanctification, you are renewing us, and giving us hope, and filling us with the love of Christ to help us to live joyfully in this fallen world. Forgive us for our ingratitude. Let us live joyfully before you!

In Christ’s love,
Pastor Biggs

WSC Question 18: Wherein consists the sinfulness of that estate wherein man fell?

Answer: The sinfulness of that estate wherein man fell, consists in the guilt of Adam’s first sin, the want of original righteousness, and the corruption of his whole nature, which is commonly called Original Sin; together with all actual transgressions which proceed from it (Rom. 5:12-21; Eph. 2:1-3).

An explanation: All men are under two kinds of sins: Original and Actual (“…Want of original righteousness, and the corruption…with all actual transgressions…”; see Psalm 51). The Bible teaches that all men are conceived and born into sin and iniquity. Ecclesiastes 7:20 says: “Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.” God chose Adam as a public person to be the representative head of the human race; Adam was the best and wisest choice, chosen by God. His offence and sin led to our corruption because God imputed the guilt of the sin to all mankind (“…Adam’s first sin…”). The Bible describes it thus: “…Many died through the one man’s trespass” (5:15); “…The judgment following one trespass brought condemnation…” (Rom. 5:16); “…Because of one man’s trespass, death reigned…” (Rom. 5:17). Adam’s sin brought an estate characterized by sin, trespass against God’s Word, judgment, condemnation and death.

Sin and condemnation is manifested in our enmity toward God and our aversion and powerlessness from doing good and righteous things. The Apostle Paul describes this:

“For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out” (Rom. 7:18).

We are prone to do evil, enslaved to sin: “For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin” (Rom. 7:14); “…Among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind” (Eph. 2:3). This condition is summarized in Romans 3:10ff: “…As it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one…”

Every aspect of man has been tainted by sin (“…Corruption of his whole nature…”) (Gen. 6:5, mind and imaginations; Rom. 3:13-15, 6:12ff, body as an instrument of sin); there is a great need of a regeneration and renovation of the whole man, body, soul and spirit (see 1 Thess. 5:23). As sinners, let us be humble before the Lord, and realize that only by His grace in Christ can we be set free from sin. Only in Christ, can we be forgiven and fully restored to God, renovated back into God’s image (Eph. 2:14-18, 4:17-25). Let us confess our sins and not fool ourselves thinking to hide our sin and corruption from God or others! (Psa. 139:23-24; 1 Jo. 1:7-2:2). We must be born again! There is no hope for mankind apart from Christ! (John 3:3, 16-18, 36)

A Prayer: Lord and Father, we are undone, miserable, fallen, and unable to help ourselves from our sinful predicament. We are conceived in sin, born into iniquity; we are far from you by nature, and do not good, only do evil continually. We cannot eve desire the good apart from your initiating and saving grace to us in Christ! Thank you for your grace in Christ! Thank you for making us alive while dead in sin, and beginning the restoration of our whole selves into the image of Christ! Glory to your name! Thank you that we love the good now. We delight in your commandments! (Psa. 119:15-16).

In Christ’s love,
Pastor Biggs

Question: WSC 17: Question 17: Into what estate did the fall bring mankind?

Answer: The fall brought mankind into an estate of sin and misery.

Scripture memory: ^ESV Romans 5:12-14: Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned…” (also Rom. 8:20-25).

An explanation: There is a lot of unhappiness in the world. As the blues song says, “Nobody knows the trouble I’ve seen”; this is the sad testimony of many souls in this world. In the Bible, we learn that true happiness (or “blessedness”) and contentment for man comes from holiness (Deut. 8; Ecc. 8:12, 12:13; Matt. 5:3ff). Holiness is God-likeness in our person and hearts. We were created upright and holy, and so we were happy (Gen. 2; Eph. 4:23ff; Ecc. 7:29). But mankind has fallen into an “estate of sin and misery”. The opposite of holiness and happiness is sin and misery: “…My soul is bereft of peace; I have forgotten what happiness is” (Lam. 3:17).

Mankind has been crippled and made sorrowful by sin. God’s image in man has not been wholly been lost in the fall, but it has been defaced and deformed. Like a beautiful statue that has fallen and crumbled into pieces, or a magnificent painting that has been sprayed with graffiti on a bathroom wall. There remains some beauty in the pieces and painting, but because man is incapable of healing himself from this awful predicament, there is much sorrow and misery.

Because of sin, man’s heart is deceitful above all things and sick (Jer. 17:9), unable to do good (Jer. 4:22), self-satisfied (Hos. 13:5-6; Rev. 3:17), full of futility and vanity, and darkened in understanding, dead in trespasses and sins,  and aliented from the life of God (Eph. 2:1-3; 4:17-18).

But not only was mankind effected by the fall into sin and misery, but all creation, all nature, this entire world in which we live deeply feels the subjection and bondage. As the Apostle Paul puts it, the creation has been subjected to terrible sin and misery because of Adam’s sin, and now longs for the full restoration of all things:

“For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope ^ that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies…” (Romans 8:20-25).

Every deer that runs from your presence, every lion that roars at you, every snake that seeks to bite you, is a reminder that you have single-handedly made a mess of creation in your rebellion against God, and been unfaithful in caring for creation and nature as you were created to do, and the animals’ behavior toward you can be healthy reminders of your sin against God (and them! Thank God, that in his kindness, he gives us loving Labradors who love us silly in spite of our sins!! Pets are evidences of God’s grace).

Let us thank God that Jesus Christ has come into this world of sin and misery, not only to bring man restoration and hope in His salvation, but to begin the New Creation with the sending of His Spirit. Christ in His sorrow, misery, forsakenness, and brokenness on the cross, has come to bring us joy, hope, reconciliation to God, healing through His love—and a new world for us to live in characterized by holiness and happiness!

God in Christ is reconciling sinners through the Gospel, restoring the image of God in them, and preparing the cosmos for a full and restoration and blessedness! As the Apostle Peter teaches us:

“But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace” (2 Peter 3:13-14).

A Prayer: Father, thank you that you sent Christ to bring a new creation into our hearts (2 Cor. 5:17); that you have begun the process of restoring us into your blessed image, and to give us a foretaste of joy and bliss of the New Heavens and the New Earth (Eph. 1:14; Heb. 6:4-6). Thank you that you have begun the restoration of the sons of God and the whole cosmos (Rom. 8:22ff)! Let us live as those who hope with great faith and patience for the full realization of all of your powerful promises to be fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Thank you, Holy Spirit, that you have come to bring forth in our hearts the power of the Age to Come, and the immeasurable great resurrection power that we need to be holy and sanctified and blameless on the Day of Christ’s appearing (Eph. 1:19ff)! Amen.

In Christ’s love,
Pastor Biggs

Question: WSC 16: Did all mankind fall in Adam’s first transgression?

Answer: The covenant being made with Adam, not only for himself, but for his posterity; all mankind, descending from him by ordinary generation, sinned in him, and fell with him, in his first transgression

Scripture memory: ^ESV Romans 5:12-14: Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned– ¹³ for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law. ¹⁴ Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come (also Gen. 2:16,17; Rom. 5:12; 1 Cor. 15:21,22).

An explanation: All mankind sinned in Adam, except one: The Lord Jesus Christ, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, of the substance of the Virgin Mary, descended from Adam (Luke 3:38; Heb. 2:14-18), and was kept from the taint and contamination of sin from the Holy Spirit (Matt. 1:18; Luke 1:35; Heb. 7:26). Only He was not corrupted by sin, nor has he sinned in corruption. He is “holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners…” (KJV, Heb. 7:26).

All other men are born and conceived in sin, and are guilty and deserving of God’s just judgment upon sinners (Psa. 51; Rom. 3:23). All men have sinned, but also do truly sin experientially in their daily lives. As the Apostle Paul testified on behalf of all sinners: “So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand.” We are guilty before God for our sins in Adam, as well as guilty for our actual sins. We must remember that we are not sinners merely because we sin; we sin because we are sinners by nature. “Because all sinned…” (Rom. 5:12b). We are at root sinful: “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad, for the tree is known by its fruit” (Matt. 12:33; Eph. 2:1-3).

How did all mankind sin in Adam? God made a covenant with all mankind in Adam as His chosen representative of the whole human race. God chose the best representative for all mankind. Adam’s descendants were not only in him as a father, or as “in his loins” (Heb. 7:10), but Adam was the common Head and Representative chosen by God for all mankind. This covenant was called the “Covenant of Works” (Hosea 6:7; as we have learned in earlier lessons, see also Westminster Confession of Faith, chapter 7) and life was offered not only to Adam but also to his posterity. If Adam had stood, his posterity would have stood in obedient faithfulness; but Adam fell, and so all fell in and with him (Heb. 2:6-11).

Let us thank God for infinite wisdom and unsurpassing love for sinners in that He would send His Beloved Son in our nature to bless with salvation all those who believe in Him, those elected by Him before the foundation of the earth (Eph. 1:3-11), all for the praise of HIs glorious grace! What we could not do as fallen sinners, God could do, and did do, in our nature ‘for us’!! (Rom. 8:3-4; Heb. 2:14-18). Christ did not take the nature of angels, but of Adam, of Abraham–our nature!! In our union with Jesus Christ, His perfect righteousness is made our righteousness! (Rom. 3:24-26). Christ is our Head, our Covenant Keeper, who makes us alive and gives us eternal life and hope in Him!! “For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive” (1 Cor. 15:22).

A Prayer: Though fallen in Adam by nature, without God and without hope in the world (Eph. 2:14-18), you redeemed us, O Savior of our Souls, O lover of sinners, Blessed Redeemer of God’s elect! Thank you for willingly being our covenant head, and saying to the Father: “Behold, here am I and the children God has given to me!” (Heb. 2:13). You have freed us from our sins, from the fear of death and from slavery to the devil. “To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood” (Rev. 1:5b). Let us live for you! Amen.

In Christ’s love,
Pastor Biggs

Question: What was the sin whereby our first parents fell from the estate wherein they were created?

Answer: The sin whereby our first parents fell from the estate wherein they were created, was their eating the forbidden fruit.

Scripture memory: “So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate…[Adam said]: The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.” – Gen. 3:6,12

An explanation: We should understand that there was nothing intrinsically evil in the fruit of the forbidden tree. What made the eating of the fruit evil was that it was forbidden by God. God forbade Adam and Eve from eating the fruit to try their obedience. God desired to test their obedience to His Sovereign Lordship as their King. Their eating was a great sin because it was a transgression of God’s specific and clear and holy Law (“Sin is lawlessness,” 1 Jo. 3:4). The sin was against a holy and perfectly just God, who had shown great kindness in His condescension to enter into a covenant with Adam (Hos. 6:7). “By the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners” (Rom. 5:19a). The sin was also against Adam himself, his soul, body, estate, upon his family, and his posterity. “Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned…” (Rom. 5:12).

     Thomas Vincent lists seven specific sins that were committed in this terrible act that brought mankind into depraved darkness: 1) Rebellion against God as their Sovereign King; 2) Treason, in conspiring with the devil, God’s enemy, against God; 3) Ambition, in aspiring to a higher state, to be as God; 4) Luxury (Greed and Discontentment), in indulging to please the sense of taste, in inordinately desiring the fruit over fellowship with God; 5) Ingratitude to God, who had given them everything in the garden for their enjoyment; 6) Unbelief, in not believing God’s warning that I they disobeyed they would die; 7) Murder, in bringing death by this sin, upon themselves, and their posterity.

Let us soberly remind ourselves that ever sin we commit is no small matter; there are no “peccadilloes!” The smallest sin deserves God’s just wrath and eternal punishment. “Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!” (James 3:5, KJV). In breaking the Law of God through disobedience in these points, our first parents (and we in them! Psa. 51:5; Rom. 5:12-14) were guilty of breaking all of the Law: “For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it.” – James 2:10. But God in His mercy, sent His Beloved Son to keep the Law in our place, and to die under the curse of it!

“For the grace of God hath appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us, to the intent that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly and righteously and godly in this present world; looking for the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ; who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a people for his own possession, zealous of good works” (Tit. 2:11-14).

A Prayer: Lord God, and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ, Please forgive me for my sins. Thank you that you are faithful and just to forgive me when I transgress your law ( Jo 1:9). I deserve to die, and to be condemned under your just wrath, but you have provided Christ a Mediator for me, an Advocate, and He has died in my place as a holy propitiation (1 Jo. 2:2). Thank you, dearest and kindest King! Let me live faithfully and obediently to you according to your Holy Law (Rom. 8:3-4). In Jesus’ Holy Name, Amen.

In Christ’s love,
Pastor Biggs

Question: What is Sin?

Answer: Sin is any want of conformity unto, or transgression of, the law of God. (1 John 3:4)

Scripture memory: “Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness.” (1 Jo. 3:4).

An explanation: Sin is described in so many descriptively deplorable ways in Holy Scripture. Sin is lawlessness (1 Jo. 3:4); sin is disease; sin is an enslaving master (John 8:34); sin is poison (Num. 21:8); sin is like leprosy; sin is evil; sin is a formidable foe against righteousness (Rom. 7:7ff); sin is a reproach to people (Prov. 14:34); sin is constantly threatening mankind (Gen. 4:7; Rom. 7:18-20); sin brings God’s wrath and condemnation upon it (Rom. 5:13); sin brings death (Rom. 6:23). God hates sin (Jer. 44:4; Zech. 8:17).

Everyone in this world does it, and has been tainted by it, but no one knows how to really define what it is. Unless the Holy Spirit regenerates the sinful heart, a person will not even take much notice of it, let alone seek to define it. The Confession teaches us that sin is defined not first in relation to one another as creatures, but is defined in our relation to God the Creator! “Sin is any want of conformity unto, or transgression of, the law of God” means that God makes clear what His perfect righteousness is, and what He demands of every human being in His Most Holy Law, and sin is that which does not conform to this righteous law, and would transgress against it. God defines what righteousness is by His very own character, as the Perfectly, Holy and Righteous God. When a human being does not live up to this righteousness, and actually transgresses God’s righteous law, he is guilty of sin, and without grace and hope in a Mediator, will be condemned and eternally damned under God’s just judgment (Matt. 5:17-20; 7:23).

We must remember that the evil of sin is not first in what it does to mankind (although this is unimaginably and heartbreakingly evil!); the evil of sin is that it has the proud audacity to offend a Holy and Kind Creator and God.

     The Law of God is “the commands and rules flowing from God’s sovereignty, whereby His will is manifested, and the creature bound to obedience” (J. Flavel). We should remember that God condescended to clearly reveal His will, His righteous commands and law to Adam in the beginning,  has written that law on all men’s consciences (Rom. 2:14-16), and has clearly revealed them in His Word. All creatures are to give perfect conformity (Matt. 5:48; Mark 12:30) to God’s Law from the heart, and evidenced in their lives. When we sin, we transgress this Law. The Law is not sin (Rom. 7:7), it reveals sin (Gal. 3:21-24). The Law is good (Rom. 7:12), but it is powerless to change sinful hearts and give them the ability to keep it. That is why Romans 8:3-4 is such glorious news!

“For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.”

     Thanks be to God for sending His Son, the sinless Lamb of God, Holy, Harmless, Undefiled by sin (Heb. 7:26), to be our sin-bearer (2 Cor. 5:17-21). God the Father condemned sin in the flesh in Jesus Christ on the cross. The crucifixion of Jesus is where the evil of sin is manifested! Jesus underwent death, the terrors of his conscience, and the torments of hell under God’s wrath in order for us to be able to live by HIs Spirit, and so to be justified by faith alone through the righteousness of Christ alone (Rom. 3:21-26), and sanctified by faith in Christ as we seek to live God’s law out of love and gratitude in our union with Him.

A Prayer: Dear Father, in Jesus’ Name, let me be further rid of sin and conformed more in the image of my Savior, your Beloved Son. Lord, let me be freed from both the penalty and the power of sin. Let me love what you love, O LORD, and hate sin as you hate it! Thank you, Jesus, that you have redeemed me from all lawlessness (Tit. 2:14). Amen.

In Christ’s love,
Pastor Biggs

Question: Did our first parents continue in the estate wherein they were created?

Answer: Our first parents, being left to the freedom of their own will, fell from the estate wherein they were created, by sinning against God (Gen. 3:6,7,8,13; Eccl. 7:29).

Scripture memory: “See, this alone I found, that God made man upright, but they have sought out many schemes” – Ecclesiastes 7:29

An explanation:

     “Our first parents…fell…by sinning against God.” God called Adam to be covenant representative of all humanity. He was made upright in holiness and righteousness, but he sinned against God. Adam had not been perfect or completed in his walk before God. Adam was able to sin, and able to not sin. If he had kept the Covenant of Works through obedience, he would have been confirmed in an estate of perfect righteousness.  Adam and Eve sinned, and caused all of humanity to be tainted by sinful guilt, pollution and brought us under God’s condemnation (Psa. 51): “So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.” (Gen. 3:6). Our first parents sinned against a holy and glorious God, who is perfect in His nature and must punish sin.

     “…Being left to the freedom of their own will…” The freedom of the will is emphasized here to teach that Adam and Eve are alone guilty and culpable for their sins before God. God did not make Adam and Eve sin. God ordained their sin, but God did not cause them to sin; God is not the author of sin (see WCOF, chap. 3). John Flavel wrote that God did not make man sin, but withheld that further grace which he was not obliged to give to them. The will of man in the Garden of Eden, in the time of man’s probation according to the Covenant of Works, was free to do both good and evil (Eccl. 7:29). After the fall, man’s will was still free, but free only to do what is evil, and will freely choose the evil and sinful above God and His righteous good. Man’s will is enslaved by sin, and so now humanity is free only to sin against God and others.

God the Father sent the Lord Jesus Christ to come and to live perfectly obedient according to God’s Glorious Law! To be condemned for our sins in our place (Rom. 8:1; 2 Cor. 5:21). Jesus came to reconcile God with man, and to free up the will of man to be able to do good, and resist evil. The Lord Jesus has sent for His Spirit to change our natures and wills to restore believing man to an estate of uprightness, holiness and righteousness, but comforming us into His image: “For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers” (Rom. 8:29); “…To be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness…” (Eph. 4:23-24). The glory of sanctification in our union with Christ is to be able to will the good for God, and to seek to be sincerely obedient to him by His grace and Spirit!

A Prayer: Thank you, dear Father that you have not left us in our sins without hope: “For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly” (Rom. 5:6). You have sent Christ Jesus to earn perfect righteousness for us, and to deliver our enslaved wills from sin (Eph. 2:1-3), and empower us to fight our flesh and keep in steep with the Spirit of God (Gal. 5:16-26).

In Christ’s love,
Pastor Biggs

Question: What special act of providence did God exercise toward man in the estate wherein he was created?

Answer: When God had created man, he entered into a covenant of life with him, upon condition of perfect obedience; forbidding him to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, upon the pain of death. (Gen. 2:17)

Scripture memory: “But the law is not of faith, rather “The one who does them shall live by them.” (Gal. 3:12)

An explanation: Our God and Creator voluntarily condescended to His creatures to enter into a covenant with us. Simply stated, a covenant is a mutual agreement and engagement (more permanent and binding than what we call a contract), between two or more parties, to give or do something. There are two primary covenants God has made with man: “The Covenant of Works”, and “The Covenant of Grace”.

The Covenant of Works was made between God and Adam as representative and covenant head of the whole human race in his estate of innocency. In this covenant, life and happiness with God was promised to Adam and all those he represented as covenant head, if he was to perfectly and personally obey God’s commandments. Death was threatened as a consequence of his disobedience: “…In the day that you eat of it you shall surely die” (Gen. 2:17; cf. Rom. 6:23).

Because Adam sinned, it plunged the whole human race into sin and rebellion against God: “…Just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned…” (Rom. 5:12). Now, a sinner can never gain life and righteousness through obedience to this covenant: “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.” (Gal. 3:10; cf. 3:12, 4:21).

But God was gracious and offered to man the Covenant of Grace, whereby His own Beloved Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, would take upon Himself man’s nature (Heb. 2:11-16; Phil. 2:6-8), to do the commandments and live by them (Gal. 3:12), and die under the curse that sinful man brought upon himself:“Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us” (Gal. 3:13).

Where Adam failed the covenant as representative head, Christ, the Second Adam, perfectly kept the covenant by obeying God’s perfect law, on behalf of sinners. As Romans 5:18-19 teaches: “…As one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous.” Let us thank God that we are heirs of a better covenant! “Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises” (Heb. 8:6). “The righteous shall live by faith.” (Gal. 3:11).

A prayer: Thank you, Lord and Father, that you sent Jesus Christ to keep your commandments perfectly for us, as our Covenant Head and Kind King, and He is the “one who does them and shall live by them” (and has, for us!); He is the one who said: “I desire to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart” (Psa. 40:8). Jesus’ perfect righteousness has been imputed to us by faith—you are holy and just in upholding your perfect law and punishing sin, but also you are the magnificent and glorious justifier of all who believe in Christ Jesus! (Rom. 3:21-26). Thank you, dear Lord, that we are under a “better covenant” that is established on better promises because we have a better Meditator! (Heb. 8:6).

In Christ’s love,
Pastor Biggs

Question: What are the works of providence?

Answer: God’s works of providence are his most holy, wise, and powerful preserving and governing all his creatures, and all their actions.

Scripture memory:

Scripture memory: “[Jesus] is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high…” – ^ESV Hebrews 1:3

An explanation:

What a glorious God we serve in that He preserves and governs all things by His great wisdom and Almighty power! Glory to His Most Powerful, and Blessed Holy Name! The Bible teaches us that our God preserves both man and beast (Psa. 36:6), and He governs all the nations of the earth whether they recognize His rule over them or not, to direct and guide them for His purposes for history in Jesus Christ (Eph. 1:9-10; Psa. 67:4; Prov. 16:9)! God upholds all things in their being; if He were to cease to uphold any creature, any created thing at any time, it would cease to exist! (Psa. 104:30; 119:89-91; Acts 17:28).

All of God’s Works are glorious! (Psa. 104:24). The Lord is not only powerful in His works, but good and kind in and through them (Psa. 145:17). He upholds the universe and all created things in their being, but also provides for their sustenance and enjoyment! (Heb. 1:3; Ecc. 2:24-25; 1 Tim. 6:17). The Bible sweetly teaches that the eyes of all living creatures “look” to God, and God opens His gracious hand to “satisfy the desire of every living thing (Psa. 145:16).

God as a Father to His children, has a special interest in watching over, protecting and blessing them. He causes the sparrow to fall to the ground, but counts every hair on His children’s heads, and cares for us because of His great love to us in Jesus Christ (Matt. 10:29-31). He clothes the grass of the fields with lilies to display His goodness and glory, and this is to remind His children that He will always provide and care for them! (Matt. 6:26-30). Although He allows His dear children to experience great tribulation and suffering in their union with Christ, He will always sustain us, and use these hard circumstances as means to free us more from indwelling sin, and cause us to be more dependent upon Him, and to be ever thankful for His grace and love.

Our Heavenly Father will cause all things to work out for the good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose in Christ! (Rom. 8:28; Gen. 50:20). As the Heidelberg Catechism puts it: “…That without the will of my heavenly Father, not a hair can fall from my head; yea, that all things must be subservient to my salvation.” No amount of suffering will ever separate us from our Father’s love; it will only make us stronger, like victorious conquerors! (2 Cor. 12:9ff; Rom. 8:35-39).

Let us never forget as God’s people: His providence toward His creatures is Most Holy: “The LORD is righteous in all his ways and kind in all his works” (Psa. 145:17); Most Wise: “O LORD, how manifold are your works! In wisdom have you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures” (Psa. 104:24); Most Powerful: “[God] who rules by his might forever, whose eyes keep watch on the nations…” (Psa. 66:7; cf. Dan. 4:35).

A prayer:

Dear Most Holy, Wise, and Powerful Heavenly Father. There is nothing that can happen in this world, nor continue in this world, without your most holy, wise, and powerful preserving and governing of all things. All you do is good, and will result in your glorification and worship, and for our good! Thank you. Let us trust you.

In Christ’s love,
Pastor Biggs

Question: How did God create man?

Answer: God created man male and female, after his own image, in knowledge, righteousness, and holiness, with dominion over the creatures

Scripture memory:

“God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion… over all the earth… So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female…“Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over...” – Genesis 1:26-28 (Also see Col. 3:10; Eph. 4:24).

An explanation:

Man was the climax and great masterpiece of God’s creation work. As Image-Bearer of the Triune God, man was a mirror reflection of God’s glory on earth (J. Calvin). Man was created to be a covenant creature completely dependent upon God and His Word. Man was made to be God’s vice-gerent (or vice-regent) over creation to serve God as a Servant-Son over the whole earth, having rule or dominion as prophet, priest and king before the face of God.

As the Westminster Larger Catechism, Question 17 summarizes the Biblical teaching: “After God had made all other creatures, he created man male and female; formed the body of the man of the dust of the ground, and the woman of the rib of the man, endued them with living, reasonable and immortal souls;(Gen. 2:7; Job 35:11) made them after his own image, in knowledge, righteousness, and holiness;(Col. 3:10; Eph. 4:24) having the law of God written in their hearts,(Rom. 2:14-15) and power to fulfil it,(Eccl. 7:29) and dominion over the creatures; yet subject to fall.”

Man was made in God’s image, both male and female. God’s image and likeness means that man had God’s knowledge, righteousness, and holiness, with dominion over the creatures. Man and woman were to subdue the creation in their proper roles under God’s Covenant Lordship, filling the earth with more image bearers (“godly offspring”, Mal. 2:15), and glorifying God and enjoying their service to Him as their Heavenly Father. Man and woman were to serve God with perfect knowledge of God in their understandings, righteousness in their wills, and holiness in their affections.

Man in His rebellion against God caused sin and death to come into the world (Rom. 5:12), terribly marring and deforming the image of God, and giving himself over to slavery to satan (Eph. 2:1-3). This terrible rebellion and fall into sin caused man’s mind to be darkened in His knowledge of God (Rom. 1:18ff), and sinful in His will and disposition towards God and others (Eph. 4:18-22). Although man was made a little lower than the angels, and was created to be confirmed in righteousness and holiness, and crowned with glory and honor (Psa. 8), because of man’s sin, this glory and honor was not fully realized.

In God’s good and gracious plan of redemption, the Eternal Son of God took upon Himself a human nature, yet without sin, to perfectly attain this glory and honor through obedience to God’s Word (Heb. 2:6-18). Jesus Christ succeeded perfectly in keeping God’s holy commandments, where Adam failed. Jesus is the image of the invisible God; He is the perfect and righteous Servant-Son, the Second Adam, the Prophet, Priest and King, who was crowned with glory and honor in His resurrection and exaltation, who remakes and reforms sinners through the powerful work of the Holy Spirit.

A prayer:

Father, thank you for not leaving us in our sins under the penalty of the death and the curse. Thank you for sending Jesus Christ to redeem mankind. Grant us righteousness, holiness, and dominion as we serve you as your sons in Jesus. Let us put on the new man, created in Christ Jesus in righteousness and true holiness (Eph. 4:24).

In Christ’s love,
Pastor Biggs