Sermons Vander Kam on HC Lord's Day 2
Q&A 5 Sermons Vander Kam on HC Lord's Day 2
Q&A 55 Q. Can you keep all this perfectly?
A. In no wise; for I am prone by nature to hate God and my neighbor.
And this in connection with Lord's Day 2, Question and Answer 5. Last answer of Lord's Day 2, "Can you keep all this perfectly," that is referring to the summary of the Law, "Can you keep all this perfectly?," and the answer "In no wise, for I am prone by nature to hate God and my neighbor."
Beloved in the Lord, this is the last question and answer of Lord's Day 2, and as I mentioned a couple weeks ago, this is the kind of a thing that we find here in the Catechism in the first part, but it indeed goes deeply into the whole matter of what sin is, so that we may come to a knowledge of how great our sins and misery are. But it is also very brief, and that already in the next Lord's Day we go into the matter concerning the historic development of it. How it has come to pass that that sin is in the world, but here in Lord's Day 2 we especially look into the matter of the nature of sin. Consequently, we have also taken it question by question by question in order that we may see clearly what is involved. That we may see clearly all the things that are connected with it, so that we may also realize fully later on how great is our redemption. That we may then also be able to go on to gratitude, and that we may see how beautiful and how great it indeed is. And when we look at the nature of sin beloved, we must realize that it is not a matter of keeping commandments, and that it is not a matter where we are going to lose ourselves in the various minutaie of the various commandments that have been given. But that it is rather a matter of the heart, and that is the thing that we must always keep before us very clearly. That it is the matter of the heart and that is the matter of judging motives, which you and I may not do. The laws of men may not do, we may not judge motives. That is the thing that has become virtually a proverb, and that's what God does all the time. And that is also the very heart of the Law of God, that it is judging motives. That it looks at the heart of man, and that it is not sufficient that we are going to keep these things and not others. That we are going to do certain things and that we are going to refrain from doing others. But that it is this, that it is the matter of the heart, where is the heart, where is the love; that, says Jesus, is the important thing.
So then, we are to love God above all, that is the Law. We are to love our neighbor as ourself, that is the Law, and it is not to be found first of all, in all the various rules and regulations. But those things must be realized, that it is a matter of the heart, and consequently it is not something that flies at the periphery; that lies so to speak, on the very surface. But it goes into the heart of man and thereto to plumb the depths of that, to plumb the depths of what is found there, so that it may be exposed, that it may be brought to life, and that thus the Word of God may also deal with it.
Forgiveness is something that is virtually un-understandable. That there can be forgiveness for such as you and I are, that there is forgiveness for sin such as we have committed. It is astounding, and those are the things that we have virtually taken for granted. Because if you don't go deeply into this whole matter of how great our sins and miseries are, then you are going to make ever so many errors and all the rest. Then you are going to make ever so many errors in regards to the knowledge of the Scriptures, of the Gospel, because you don't fully understand it. And therefore, we go deeply into this matter, so that we may know that indeed it is something that we have to know before anything else, and that is how great our sins and miseries are.
We speak to you this morning on our inability to keep the Law. There are four things to which I wish to call your attention; first of all, the denial of that; secondly, the reason for it; thirdly, the extent of it; and finally, the limitations found in it.
First of all there is this beloved, that this is something that is denied, that there is an inability to keep the Law. When the Catechism comes to this last question and answer of Lord's Day two, here we are dealing with such things that we would say, 'Now it is going way too far.' That I am prone by nature to hate God and my neighbor; I've never heard of that before. You've never heard of that anywhere else. The only place where you ever hear of that is here in the Heidelberg Catechism, where it brings it out ever so clearly; "I am prone by nature" — listen to the words carefully — "I am prone by nature to hate God and my neighbor," while the commandment was this, to love, and I am prone by nature to hate. That is the way in which it is placed before us. And then there is that denial beloved, that is so common in our day and that is this; that is going way too far. You may not go that far; thereby you have undercut all the goodness in man. But not only that, haven't you thereby also undercut as it were, the very image of God? Let us put it theologically as we also see it, that thereby we have also undercut the image of God in man. And that of course, we may not do. That image of course, is something that He has placed upon every creature, upon every human being. That He has placed there in order that His glory might shine in it. Those are the things that we will also see later on in the discussion of the Heidelberg Catechism.
But these are the concerns that are here voiced, concerns that we have gone way too far in this, and that the Catechism also generalizes, and that it generalizes to such an extent, that it says that all men are of that nature; that I by nature am prone to hate God and my neighbor.
Now that is the kind of an answer that I would not look for; that is the kind of an answer that I do not appreciate; that is the kind of an answer that I would reject. That is the kind of an answer that I would reject by nature because of the fact that I see ever so much good in this world about me. That I see there ever so much that is of such a nature for which I thank God, for which I give thanks to Him again every day for the things that we still have. And then to say, as this last question and answer of Lord's Day 2, "that I am prone by nature to hate God and my neighbor." Well — that is a generalization, there are such, there are such, the world has seen a Nero. Even in our lifetime, in the lifetime of some of us, we have seen an Adolph Hitler, and have seen a Joseph Stalin. And these people of whom it can be said, that they are prone by nature to hate God and their neighbor. But look at the reaction; the reaction of the whole world against their atrocities. And the reaction was this, that it certainly did not reveal that the others considered themselves to hate God and their neighbor. No, it was this, that there was a humaneness, that there was a humane attitude, that they sought to uphold. That when our troops came into Germany and Poland in 1945 and there freed the concentration camps, the whole world stood in absolute horror of what had been seen there. And then to say, ah, that is everybody is prone by nature to hate God and my neighbor; that's going too far. That is a generalization. And, as someone has said, "All generalization," including this one, "is false." Every generalization, to say that everybody does this, all things are this way, there is no exception; aren't those things always false?
Now that is the way in which the Catechism nevertheless comes, and it comes to us very clearly and says, and there is no mistaking of the intent of this. You realize that immediately. It is clear and crisp, it is not this, that we are falling short, and it is not this, that the compilers of the Catechism are urging us to confess our shortcomings. No, there are no such things as shortcomings. It is plain SIN. We have transgressed, we have gone contrary to the commands that He has given. We have done those things which He has forbidden. And that is the way in which it comes to us and says, "Christ has informed us that we are to love God above all," and we hate Him. By nature we are prone. Christ has taught us that we are to love our neighbor as ourselves; and we are prone by nature to hate him. That is how great our sin and misery is, according to this confession. Is that true? Is it that bad? Then it is so bad that your heart doesn't know where to look for redemption. Then it has to be a miracle of God if there is to be redemption. And that's precisely the direction in which we are to go, that we will realize that that whole matter of redemption is a miracle, the kind of thing that you would never have expected. That no man would have ever have thought out.
Then you have to know how great your sin and misery is. And it here makes no apologies for it whatsoever, but it goes to the very heart of the matter and says, this is the situation. And then it is denied, and it is denied on every side. And in the world about us, if this is proclaimed, that they would laugh you to scorn and say, that's not the way I see it. And that is not the way I behold man. And yet at the same time, when we look at the first page of the newspapers today, that we will also come to the conclusion that the writers of the Catechism are not so far off. All of the hatred that comes to expression in this world; all the hatred that comes to expression in murder and theft and rape and all the other crimes that are being committed. This is not so far from home. But that I am by nature prone; that there I have some difficulty yet. Because, I don't know; I believe that that is going a little bit too far, don't you. That others to that, I can understand, in a measure, but I would never do that. And then Nathan comes to David at the time, and David writes Psalm 51 no doubt immediately after that. And Nathan says to him when he had described to him the heinous sin that had been committed in Israel, that this man, this rich man who had an abundant flock takes that one sheep, that one lamb of this poor man and sacrifices it when he has company. And David says, "Let that man pay fourfold." Yah, "and thou art the man."
That's the way the Catechism comes. And that says that I am prone by nature to hate God and my neighbor. Now you can't get farther away from it, from the truth, can you. Where Christ has said, LOVE HIM with all your heart, mind, soul and strength, and your neighbor as yourself; and then I am prone by nature, not only to not to love, not to love Him enough, but to hate Him. And that may be denied, but the Scriptures reveal to us that is the truth, that's exactly it. When you read and study Psalm 51 or Psalm 32 or Psalm 130, there you see to what depths the psalmist goes to show the sin not as it is resident in the world about us, but as it is in his own heart. And that's what the Law deals with, with the heart of the matter; desperately wicked, says Jeremiah, who can know it. So bad.
Secondly, then also the reason for that inability. That inability for us to keep the Law, what is the reason. Then notice the question; the question is so often overlooked, in ever so much preaching on the Catechism. But can you keep ALL this perfectly, that's the point. Are you able to keep all this, that has here been demanded. It is not this, that we are going to make a certain attempt, nah, the attempt is never rewarded. God does not reward the attempt, only the accomplishment. It is not this, that we are going to give somebody an "A" for effort. No, it is this, that it is demanded of him that he is going to do all the things that have been commanded, all these things. All things that are demanded of him, all the things that are commanded of him; he is to love God above all with heart, soul, mind and strength. He is to love his neighbor as himself; all these things, and then do it perfectly. C'mon now! But that is the way beloved, in which the question is asked. That is the way in which the question is asked in order that we will also get the matter clearly, very clearly before us. That it isn't the matter that we are going to get, that we going to wonder about all these things, just exactly what the situation is, what is the nub of the problem. No, it is going to put it before us, ever so clearly so that a child is able to understand. Are you able to keep ALL of this. But, is that the matter. Isn't it enough that I am going to keep part of the Law, isn't it enough that I am going to make a good attempt. That we are at least going to attempt to love God. No, He wants 100 percent. Isn't it enough that I am going to attempt to give my neighbor his due. No, you are to love him.
Now these are the things of course, that have never been asked by anyone else. There is no human law that has ever asked that. It simply comes to us and says "do this, whether you like it or not; do it." And there is not the question, do you love doing it. It says to you again on April 15 that you are to pay your taxes. That's the demand, that's the law, that's the command, and you don't have to love to do it. You just do it. It says to you that you are not to kill, and if you kill you are going to pay for it, but it doesn't say that you have to love your neighbor, just so you don't kill him. But the Law of God comes and says that it is not enough not to do those things that are evil, but that you are to do such things that He requires, that is, that the heart is bared, and that you are going to realize that it is indeed love to him that has to be expressed. What is in man, and He knows what is going on there. And as a result of that, He is also able to judge whether the outgoings of the heart, says the prophet, the outgoings of the heart are in tune with His will whether they love the Lord God above all, whether they love the neighbor; that's why he is not killed, that's why you do not steal his goods, etc. Because you love him. Can you keep all these things? Can you keep all this?
That is the requirement of the Law, and that is the requirement beloved, that is so clear, that anyone is able to understand, nobody is going to say, that Law of God is a jumble, I lose myself in it, I can't find out what it really is, because that Law is so difficult, difficult to understand. No, it isn't. Our God is able to make Himself so plain. He is able to put it in such a way so that it is clear as crystal. And that is the way also these, these men who lived so close to Him have put it in question and answer and have said, "Are you able to keep all things?" No...Are you able to keep it all perfectly; that is, that there is nothing there which you are going to say, that is not quite up to par. What are we dealing with? We are dealing with the absolute. When He comes with the absolutes of the Word, absolutes of the Law, and you are not able to see that, you aren't able to see why this has to be, or that has to be; I don't care. He says so, and that's enough. And He says, then do all of these things and do them perfectly. That is the reason why you are not able to do it. That inability to keep the Law of God is something that might be debated, and that one might say, well I am able to keep it to a certain extent, that I am able to do such a percentage of it, or such a percentage. That's not the question; the question is, are you able to keep all of this? One hundred percent. And then do it perfectly. That is the demand, and then the answer comes of course, can you keep all this, can you do that. Aw, now you don't even have to look at the answer anymore, because the question has already defeated you. That it has defeated you so totally, so that you conclude that certainly there is no one, there is no one who has attained to such a position of holiness. Who is so removed from sin that he is now able to keep all of this, and then do so to perfection. C'mon... And that's why a later question in another Lord's Day will also ask, Is God not doing the just deserts to man. By asking of him what he cannot do, and that's what He does. He asks things that which he cannot do, He asked him to love God above all and his neighbor as himself, and he can't do it. Are you able to do it? To ask the question is to answer it. That is the way in which it is put here, so that we will be so clear on it. That it will be unmistakably clear to everybody. That in the eyes of God we are miserable sinners that hate God and neighbor, are prone to by nature. That is the difficulty. Because when this question is asked, that is the kind of a question that we have really not quite expected. We would have asked concerning this, because of the previous question and answer where Christ has given us that summary of the law. Then that there is a question concerning it, that we would have expected of course, but not to this extent, do we? That He would now ask, are you able to keep all of this, and then perfectly? That is the reason for our inability, inability to keep the Law. Do you want to know whether you are able to keep it, here it is clear as crystal. You can't.... You can't even make a beginning, and you have to do a whole lot more than make a beginning, you have to do it perfectly.
Thirdly, notice the extent.
Well, and coming to the answer to this question, in now wise, for I am prone by nature to hate God and my neighbor. Now it is put very carefully in order that we will also see that there is still a remnant of hope left. But that the remnant becomes very small. That is by nature that we are going to go contrary to the will of God. That it is that nature of man, in other words, that nature has to be changed. It is not something that has to be remodeled from the outside, no, it has to be a radical change of nature within. We are by nature prone to hate God and our neighbor. That is the situation that we have. That is the kind of a situation to which we have come, that it is that nature, that nature that has become totally depraved. That it is that nature that is such that it is no longer capable of doing anything that God has required of us. But that we are prone to do the very opposite. Not only that we do not attain to it, but we do the opposite of what He requires. That is the way in which it is placed before us, that is the answer. So that it is in no wise, by no means, we can't do it at all. This humble command to the dust, this is so humiliating that I can't do it, that I can't even approach to it, that I don't get any kind of a mark of excellence. It is something that humbles us to that kind of an extent and that beloved, is necessary for the acceptance of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. That we are humbled, humbled to the dust, and that is the problem in the great majority of American churches. That humbling, that humility is not found and then of course, there is no Gospel because they don't believe that they need it.
You need that Gospel when you realize that we are totally, in no wise able to do this, but that by nature we are prone to do the opposite. Then you realize that there is something very drastic that has to happen. And that drastic thing that has happened is this, that God has given His Son, and that was the only way out. All of humanity together could not do it, there is no creature found, as a later Lord's Day will put it step by step, but that God, it has to be a Triune God or there would be no redemption. Oh, but these who believe in a old, old Theist, yah, but we have too. Hear Oh Israel, the Lord thy God is one, one. And now all of a sudden, there comes Jesus Christ, because as I often mentioned to my students and I know that there are many who disagree with it, but that there really, really is no proof in the Old Testament for a Trinity. There are some things that point in that direction, I know that, but there is no proof. Not necessary, until Jesus comes and then, who is He? Yah, now the question is this, and now He comes and makes it abundantly plain. This is far beyond our thinking, far beyond our understanding, that this can ever happen, that God can send His Son, and that is the only way that redemption would be found, because that redemption of ours, that took something. Seeing that it is so bad, our situation is so bad. Seeing that we are in no wise capable of doing this, the extent of it is so broad. There is no limit, practically. We do the opposite of what He wants. No, as the result of that of course, those who have denied this situation claim that thereby man is virtually pictured as a beast.
Well, in a way beloved, it is this, that he is pictured as worse than a beast. A beast tears and kills, devours, in order to eat, in order to live. But it does not hate. There is no animal that hates, it can't. There is no animal either, that loves, it can show some affection; a pet. But there is no such thing as love. That is found only in that image of God. That is able to love, that has the intelligence, and has that heart, has that emotion, so that it is able to love. And, as the result, is able to hate. That is the awful situation, the awesome situation in which he finds himself. And I know that I am going into some things that may not have been explored for you before. But nevertheless, these things are so necessary for us to know, so that we may realize the beauty and the glory of the salvation that has come. We have descended to that kind of a place that we are actually able to hate. And then hate Him who is the love, the God of love. It is unbelievable isn't it, that we are able to fall that low, but that is the way it is here described and the Scriptures underwrite that. They show that again and again, with all of the children of Israel. You see the horrors that they had there endured, you see the stiffnecked people turn against their God. And then we have a picture of that which is given us in Lord's Day 2, Question and Answer 5.
So that, the extent of it, aw, it is so broad. It is so broad that it goes to the very extremes. That we have descended there to such an extent that in many ways it can be said that we have fallen lower than the lower creation. Because we hate.
And finally, notice also the limitation.
Now there are certain limits that have been set to it. I referred to it a couple weeks ago in regards to these things on a Tuesday evening in this Bible society. And there also mentioned the difference between that absolute depravity and that total depravity, and that is, a very important distinction. That we have not yet descended to this that it is an absolute thing, that it is such that we have become like demons. No, we are still men, we are still human. But nevertheless there are certain barriers, there are certain bars. It is like a wild beast that is set behind bars. We are prone by nature, so that, seeing that we are prone by nature, then there are certain bars before us, to keep us in line. That's what you do with a wild animal that you have in a zoo. You put bars so that it is not able to get at you. But these bars that are set there before men, those are the ones that are also distinguished in Scripture clearly. Those are the things that we still are able to enjoy, and for which we give thanks. That He has set certain limitations to it, that that which is prone by nature does not burst out everywhere, all the time. But that it is held in check, and that it is checked in this way, that it is like bars before us, such as the laws, the Laws of God and the laws of men, that still makes this life a possibility. And that there is that conscience that still speaks. An animal has no conscience, but you and I do, and that speaks. And then there is that public opinion. Now I don't want to do something like this because, what is so and so going to think of that? But that is a strong, strong thing to hold us back. That is a deterrent, and consequently there are these bars that are set up before us, in order that that nature is not going to burst out everywhere and do those things of which it is capable. It is being held in check. There are still such things that are done in which we can rejoice.
But at the same time beloved, that we will also see that it is indeed that the time is indeed coming when those bars are also going to be removed. And that we are already approaching that, seemingly very fast. The time is coming say the Scriptures, when these bars are going to taken away, and that man is going to burst out of that limitation and that it is going to be shown everywhere, what he is prone to. The days of the anti-Christ are coming. And the days of the anti-Christ are going to be such that if it were possible, says Jesus, of course it isn't, but if it were possible, they would even lead the elect astray. So sore will be the tribulation, so great will be the terror, so great the persecution. It's coming — it's coming fast. We are already living in an age in which of course, bigotry is one of the worst things that can save a person, that he is a bigot. We are not to discriminate against any race, against any minority, against any defective, except evangelical Christians. You may discriminate against them, in fact, you ought to. That is almost written into law today. Sign of the times. It's coming, and it is coming fast. And it is high time that the church of Jesus Christ be fully aware, because even in the church the trumpet of the Gospel is no longer giving a certain sound. And what must it be then in the world about us if the church is not giving them a complete and certain sound. They know not where to turn. That's why that Word is so absolutely essential, that it is going to be proclaimed to its fullness. That that church may still be a salting salt. That it may be a light upon a hill, that it may shine to men round about us. That we are to evangelize, by all means. But that we are to evangelize according to the Word. Are you able to keep all these things perfectly — in no wise. On the contrary, I am prone by nature to hate God and my neighbor. But that nature is not going to triumph because the Gospel of Jesus Christ comes with this; Christ asked Peter, and there's a lot more to it; and I'll preach on it sometime perhaps; there's a lot more to it but, Christ asked Peter that morning after the resurrection, "Lovest thou me?" And Peter doesn't have to guess, or wonder. He says almost with tears in his eyes; "Lord thou knowest all things, thou knowest that I love thee." Sure, things can turn. The Gospel turns men. And then says the apostle John when he is coming to the close of his life, the man is almost 100 years old, and he writes to the church of that day and he says, "Hereby we know that we are the children of God if we love the brethren." Love to God; love to our fellowman; restore through the Gospel. That is the Word of God. Amen.....
We thank Thee Heavenly Father, for Thy grace bestowed on us, that Thou hast given us Thy Word, and that in that Word Thou hast made plain to us those things which we are to know unto eternal life. We pray Heavenly Father, that that Word may be applied to our hearts and lives in order that therein we may find all the things that are needful. Bless us further on this day, bless the Sunday School and Catechism classes as they meet. Bring us together again in this evening into Thy house that we may keep this entire day holy unto Thee. And forgive our sins, in Jesus name. Amen.....
Information What's New Our Beliefs Sermons Literature U.R. Churches Classis Michigan Links Search Feedback Home