Sermons Vander Kam on HC Lord's Day 4
Q&A 9 Sermons Vander Kam on HC Lord's Day 4
Q&A 99 Q. Does not God, then, wrong man by requiring of him in His law that which he cannot perform?
A. Not at all; for God made man capable of performing it; but man, through the instigation of the devil, by his own willful disobedience, deprived himself and all his posterity of these gifts.
Beloved in the Lord, when we look at the Heidelberg Catechism then we would almost come to the conclusion with only a cursive looking at it that it certainly is not balanced very well. That it asks us in the very first Lord's Day, "What is necessary for us to know?", and then there are given those three famous things of course, that we all know so well, that first of all we are to know our sin and misery; secondly, we are to know our salvation; and thirdly, we are also to know our gratitude. But at the same time we also see then very clearly, that there are only three Lord's Days that are devoted to sin and misery, and twenty-seven that are devoted to our salvation. And therefore it does not look to be very well balanced, it is almost like a sermon that has three points, and all of the emphasis falls on the third point. That there is not that kind of a balance so that it is equal, and yet at the same time we realize that that first part is so very, very important. And consequently we look upon these things many a time and say, well perhaps it is good that there were only three Lord's Days that are devoted to this. And that there are so many more that are devoted to the matter of salvation because of the fact that it is certainly also a far more noble, and a far more appealing thing to look into. A far more appealing subject than that of our sin and misery. That is not the reason why the catechism has looked upon it in only three Lord's Days. Because in those three Lord's Days, it looks at it very deeply, in order that it may come to a conclusion that is very, very clear. And that is, that our sin is greater than what you had ever imagined, than what you had ever thought, than what you had ever heard of. And at the same time, that the salvation given us through the blood of Jesus Christ is also more glorious than anything that you had ever imagined. These are the things that we must see very clearly at the very outset, and again that we will also see that is all under the guidance and under the direction of that very first question and answer, that is, "What is your only comfort." And that it is therefore also necessary because that second question already asks, "How are you able to live and die in this comfort." So that then you have to know your sin and misery, to die in this comfort, to live in this comfort. You have to know the way of salvation to live and die in this comfort, and that is also true in regard to your gratitude. But it is so often true beloved, that when we look at this first part that we have divorced it from that matter of having it as our only comfort. That we look upon it as something that is objective, that is out there, and that we look at it as divorced from everything else. And that we look at our sin and it is so great that we have almost given up, and it is a good thing that the catechism then follows with those 27 Lord's Days concerning our salvation. So that it may be made clear to us that that sin and misery is not the last word.
But we must always see it in the light of comfort, and that also when it asks concerning the justice of God, when it asks concerning His righteousness, that we will always realize that it is in that context of comfort, and that is usually lost from sight. That we will look upon all these things individually, the love of God and our comfort is something that is very easily tied together. The justice of God and our comfort is much more difficult. And that is the thing that we must look at very carefully this morning in order that we will also see that this is also given to us, for our comfort, that we may know the way, and that we may know the way of life, the way of life, the way that leads to Him, the way of salvation, and that that salvation is never going to be brought about except that God is just, that He is righteous, and otherwise it will never happen. That is different from the usual view of Christianity today. The usual view of Christianity today is this, that we are to bask in that love of God, and if that love of God is hidden then there is nothing left, because the justice of God is something fearful, something that we have to get away from, that we must not emphasize.
We speak to you this morning on "God's Justice Questioned."
That's what it does here. Has not God wronged man by requiring of him in His law, that which he cannot perform. God's Justice questioned. Notice in the first place, the reason for that questioning; secondly, the answer that is given to us; and finally, the danger that is involved in it.
Now when it comes to this matter beloved, it concerns the justice of God, that is something that is very, very clear. There is good reason for it, because you and I don't do such things. We don't ask the impossible, and that's what God does. He asks the impossible of us and that is the way in which it is also put in this question. 'Is it not, doesn't He wrong man by asking of him that which he is not able to perform.' He knows we can't do it, and then He requires. Nah, this is the kind of a thing that nobody else does. And if that is justice, then it may well be questioned. Then you and I conclude that it is injustice that is not proper, that it is the justice that certainly does not square with ours, when God comes here and He asks of man that which he is not able to perform, and that He does. He asks that man is going to keep all of the commandments; we read them this morning. And there is not one of them that you and I are able to keep, and if we keep not one of them or if we stumble in one, says the apostle, then we are guilty of all. And that's what He asks of us. And not that we are going to make an attempt but that we are going to keep it perfectly; that's what He asks. We can't do that and He knows it, and still asks it. That is the justice of God displayed. That is the way in which it is displayed in both Old and New Testament. That He requires those things which you and I are not able to keep whatsoever. Where we don't even begin to make an attempt, where we don't even make a beginning. Those are the kind of things that He requires of us, and is it any wonder that modern theology, if you would read modern theology today you would indeed be shocked at the way in which they speak of God. They speak of Him as one who is a bully, a God of the Old Testament, the God who demands of Israel what it cannot bring, the God who demands of His people of all ages that which they cannot do. I don't do that, and you don't either. When we are dealing with our children for example, we do not require more of them than what they are able to do. That would not be trust. That would not be just.
Now what kind of justice is that then when God does it? That is the transposition. That is the way in which it is argued. And these are things that may not be done, that is, the way in which it appears to us immediately. That you and I don't do such things because of the fact that that would not be right. I may not ask of a child who is crippled that he run. I may not ask of a child who is not an 'A' student that he gets all 'A's. I mayn't do that. I have to deal with him in the way in which he is, where he finds himself, and that is the only thing that I may ask of him; that he is going to do his very best. And when he has done his best, then I may not expect anything more. But God does. And therefore that justice that He uses, or the justice that I use as a parent are poles apart. They don't even look alike. And then when we hear of the justice of God and see how it is displayed in the Word of God, how He deals with men, I went into it just a little bit last week; very much on the surface, we'll go into it more this time. But very much on the surface, and that is this, that when you see these things in the world at the present time, people who have never done any wrong to anybody else, and these are the ones who are persecuted, these are the ones who are suffering. And that those who are ungodly seem to be prospering. Nah, that is one of the questions that arose in Scripture times again and again.
This is the basis of Psalm 73, this is the basis of the book of Job, this is the thing that you read in Jeremiah; that there is a complaint about God's providence; how does He lead, why does He lead things in the way in which He does, when He can do anything that He wants to. Why is it that a nation such as Yugoslavia, the former Yugoslavia must suffer so tremendously at the present time? Why is it that these things occur, when He is Lord of Lords, and King of Kings, and can do whatsoever He pleases. That doesn't look like justice to us, and we of course, know what justice is, don't we. We know what justice is and we can also judge whether something is just or not, can't we. So that the Son of God stands before man the judge and He judges him to be guilty. That's how much we know about justice. Pilate said, "No, I cannot find any fault in him, but go ahead, crucify him." Caiaphas said, "Away with him." That's the thing that you find. When man sits as judge upon God, then he judges Him and he judges Him harshly because the justice that I know and the justice that I appreciate is not the kind of justice that God exhibits. And therefore He is in the wrong; does He not wrong man, and I say yes. That is the answer of man. He wrongs man when He asks these things of him that He knows we cannot do. Now that is not the way that we would do it and consequently as I warned about last Sunday, we are of course, far more merciful than He is. We are far more gracious, we are far more just, we are far more loving; and then you are in real danger and you realize it. Then you stand in real danger when you have that kind of an approach. When you believe that the justice of God is faulty, and that my justice is pure, that that justice of God does not stand the test, because He has wronged man, in the way in which He has dealt with him.
Now these are the kind of questions of course, that are strange to us in many ways, and yet on the other hand beloved, are also the questions that arise in our minds time and again. But they are the kind of questions to which we usually do not give voice. But the Catechism faces it, and the Catechism faces it squarely, and says now, doesn't God wrong man by asking of him that which he cannot do. Now that is the kind of a confession that I appreciate. Because that was the question lurking in the back of my mind too, but I didn't quite dare ask it. I didn't quite dare ask it because after all, I have to worship the living God. I have to come to Him and I have to bring honor and glory to Him, and now to say that He has wronged man; but that was in the back of my mind. And now the Catechism says, doesn't He do that? Faces the issue squarely; it isn't an academic problem people, not at all, it isn't a problem that we are able to talk about in our studies, it isn't a problem that we are able to talk about philosophically, but it is a problem that is there before every child of God, every day again. Doesn't God wrong man by asking of him the law and that's why most people have thrown the law out. He wrongs man by asking that of him. So, get rid of it, and then you get rid of a little bit at least, of the injustice of God. They question the justice, that justice that has been upheld in the Scriptures again and again; that justice which is spoken of in the Psalms, and is spoken of so beautifully in Psalm 89 which we sang a moment ago. That justice which is spoken of in Psalm 85 that I read to you this morning. That justice that is spoken of by the prophets, that justice of which Jesus Christ speaks. And that justice of God is questioned; questioned by whom? By man, who believes that he is able to sit in judgment on the justice of God. And then says, it doesn't carry, it doesn't hold, it's false; He wrongs man.
That is the way in which the Catechism, the confession has placed it before us. There are questions that arise there, yet it faces them, and it faces them squarely so that you and I may come to a clear confession, a confession of our faith, a confession of our God, a confession of His works, of His ways, of His Word, or all that He does, and that we may confess it properly. That is the purpose. But that is also the reason for the questioning, because it seems to us, indeed, that that justice is not very good.
Secondly, notice the answer.
The answer that is given beloved, is this, not at all, does God wronged man; not at all. Yah, that is here waved out of the way so easily, no He doesn't wrong man at all. Yah, but at the same time, do you really believe that? Do you really believe that He is doing justly when He causes real oppression to fall upon certain families or upon certain nations when they have not deserved it? Or do we have to come to the conclusion that all men are deserving of the very worst, and therefore if they don't receive the very worst they still ought to be thankful. Aw, you know yourself that is a very, very small comfort. It is the kind of an approach that we hear time and again, we are not worthy of anything, you know, and therefore whatever comes, well, really, what are we to say, and therefore, has he wronged man? Not at all, not at all. But you notice the fallacious reasoning. The fallacious reasoning in this way, that He is speaking here in the question, does not God then wrong man, that is man today; by requiring of him in His Law that which he cannot perform. And then the answer is this, not at all for God made man, oh, that's Adam, that's Adam. So the question is about me and you, and the answer is about Adam and Eve. And now you realize that is fallacious thinking. That is not the kind of a clear thinking that we are accustomed to in the Heidelberg Catechism. That is not the kind of clear thinking that we ought to have whenever we approach the Word of God. That we are to approach that Word in such a way so that we will realize that all the things that are given to us there are also going to be sought out by the understanding, as Paul speaks of it in 1st Corinthians. That I will serve Him with my understanding and then my understanding must also be met in this way that it is going to be logical. Logical? After a fashion. But here he uses the term man in two different ways in the same question and answer, and these are the things that are very difficult for us to follow.
For He is wronging man today by asking of him that which he is not able to perform, and then answers and says, no that is not wronging him at all because He made Adam in such a way that he was able to keep it, yah, but He didn't make me that way. Well that the fallacious reasoning is this, that He is dealing with the one man at one time, and with another at the other. And therefore is not very well able to say, therefore it does not hold true. But, we must realize that here we are not only dealing with a historical situation, that it is Adam that He is speaking of in the answer, who has lived so many thousands of years before you and I did. But that He is speaking here of the one who was our representative, that He is speaking here of the one who was our father, who was the head of the human race. And that to him were given these gifts, and that from him they were also distributed to others; to the whole human race. Because it is now that race that He is dealing with, and not the individual man so much, so that that race that has come forth from Adam, that is the one concerning whom the question is asked; now does He not wrong man, does He not wrong that race. No, that race was made perfectly good. Don't laugh, but it is very much like this, that a young man shoots his father and mother and then casts himself on society's mercy because he is an orphan. He has willfully, by his own doing, done these things. He has willfully cast a side the ability so to walk before Him that he was able to keep it. He has not kept it at all, and that is the way we see man today. But that is the man that has sprung from Adam and Eve, our first parents, our representative, the head of the human race. So you see, it is not as fallacious as what it looks on the surface. And again, to look at it a little bit more deeply is this; we not only at this situation beloved, that He visits one family with all kinds of difficulties and not another, and we see no reason for it at all. Why is it that I do not have cancer and another does, why is that, I don't know, I don't know. And I am not able to explain to anybody that has these difficulties, not at all. But the thing of it is that it goes much farther than that. You know that in the Scriptures we hear of various things that are very difficult for us to understand. And these are also given for our admonition upon whom the ends of the ages are come, says the apostle. Abram goes and every child knows the story, Abraham goes to Egypt when there is a famine in the land; he has been given that land of Palestine, you know, land flowing with milk and honey and about the only thing that you read from then on is this, that there were famines.
And he goes back to Egypt, and he says to Sarah, he says, "Say that you are my sister, and not my wife, because you are a beautiful woman, and it might go hard with me if they know that I am your husband." So she does and she makes clear to the house of Pharaoh that Abraham is her brother. Abraham has sinned and who pays for it; Pharaoh. Is God just? Where is that justice? This Pharaoh cannot help it that this man Abraham has sinned in the way in which he has. And we also run stuck with some of these things, but see it in the light, also of Lord's Day 4, question and answer 9. That Abraham is the one who is safeguarded and Pharaoh is the one who suffers, great difficulties came upon his whole house, according to Genesis. Again, the reign in the days of Saul and David, and Saul commits iniquity, he commits sin, he has to wait for Samuel to come to offer sacrifice, and he waits a long time, but Samuel still isn't there, but Samuel is the priest, and finally Saul can't wait anymore because the battle is coming and he has to have the blessing of God; so he sacrifices, and because of that God's kingdom is going to be taken away from him. David commits adultery with Bathsheba, murder against Uriah, and he can stay. That is the difficulty that we are facing. Is God just? Does he not wrong man? Then no way! Not at all.
Now because of the fact beloved, and this is the thing that we so often overlook, and that is the justice of God is seated upon the covenant; the covenant mercies. And that He has given His covenant promise to a David and not to a Saul, and He is going to keep it. And that He has given His covenant blessing and promise to an Abraham and not to Pharaoh, and is going to keep it. And there you see the justice of God, that it is bathed in something of an entirely different nature than what we usually think. Because we think of that justice as being something of course, that is the opposite of grace; is the opposite of love. And then Isaiah comes to us and says, "Zion shall be redeemed", with what -- grace, love; no, "Zion shall be redeemed with justice." Now that justice of God receives an entirely different meaning. Has He wronged man? Not at all, not at all. No, that justice of God has to stand. We sang of it in the words of Psalm 89 a moment ago that justice is the cornerstone of His throne. His throne, His kingship is based upon justice, and if that justice were taken away that throne would topple, it would fall. So that the kingly work of God, God as king over all, God as the God of heaven and earth; it is depended upon this; His justice. Has God wronged man? Man is so important, so important. Does He wrong man, has He wronged me? Could you imagine that, that He, God of heaven and earth, maker of all things, who upholds all things would wrong me. Unimaginable!
And then we begin to see a little bit of what that justice of God really means, that that justice of God is something far more than an objective entity, that we look at and are able to dissect and look at it and say, that isn't quite right, He shouldn't do this, He shouldn't do that. He has done this wrong, and He has done that wrong; no - no. Justice is the cornerstone of His throne. Zion shall be redeemed with justice. And that justice of God stands and I adore that justice. I worship a God of justice, and the trouble in this world and the trouble in the great majority of the churches of this day is this, that they have cancelled the justice of God, and then of course, have no God left.
And notice finally, the danger.
The dangers that are resident is this beloved, that we ask the question, that we question the justice of God; it is this, He made man capable of performing it all, performing it; but man through the instigation of the devil, by his own wilful disobedience, deprived himself and all his posterity of these gifts. Man has gone contrary to all the things that God gave him, and those are the things that I have inherited and you have inherited. These are the things that are inherited; that is, the inheritance that has come down to us from our earliest fathers. And that is still with us today. Does He not wrong man? Not at all, not at all. The danger is this, see, that when we begin to question the justice of God, then we question the very hearts of everything else. Then we question who God is! And that is precisely the point, the God concept is at stake today. There is no longer the God of the Scriptures, but it is the god whom they have made in their own image, after their own likeness, and that is the god whom they seek to bring worship to. If you can call that worship. They have made a god in their own image, that is, one who has the approval of man; not a God of the justice of the Old Testament, the Old Testament is ruled out. You are not able to deal with the Old Testament because of the fact that there you have a God of justice and not the God of love. But it is rather this, that we are to have the God of the New Testament so that it is a loving God, and Jesus as a friend; and that is the way in which the American church world of today brings its worship, brings its adoration. To a loving God and a dear friend in Jesus, and never mind the fact that He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and that that Son of God is going to stand at the latter day upon the earth and is going to judge all men. Now a friend we have in Him, a friend. That is the way in which they have hollowed out the whole concept of God as it is given to us in the Scriptures. They have hollowed out the whole concept of salvation; there is no salvation, when you follow the footsteps of the modern church. There is no salvation at all, if the justice of God has been questioned or overthrown; because that justice of God is the way through which He has redeemed us.
He sees to it that every last farthing is paid, and that is the reason when we follow the Christ on His way of suffering we must look at it so carefully. And that we will therein see that indeed this God is the God of justice who meets His Son and demands of Him the last farthing so that the evil one is no longer to lay anything to our charge; to the charge of those who are in Christ Jesus. There's nothing left; He has paid it all, that is His justice. His love didn't overlook anything. And say, aw, that's good enough; no, as we say, that's what I say with my child; that's good enough, you've done your best. No, that's not it, it all has to be done or He denies Himself, and that He will never do. And woe to a people who has a God who denies Himself. Woe to a people who has a God where there is no justice. And then to question it. The very fact of questioning it is dangerous. It is so dangerous because then there is no salvation left. And of course, when you look at the salvation that is proclaimed throughout this country and throughout the world today by the modern church, then you will find that it is this, that it is a corrective, that you are to correct ever so many of the little things that have gone wrong in life. But when that corrective is used then you have also gone to the very extreme, that is, the best that you are able to do and all that you have to do, while my salvation is based upon the suffering and death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. "I was determined to know nothing among you," says the apostle, "but Jesus Christ and Him crucified." Did it have to go that far, that justice of God. Didn't He wrong His Son? That would be the next question. But no, all these things were done in order that I might have that true comfort, and that's why the justice of God must also be maintained and otherwise that comfort of which Lord's Day 1 spoke is gone, is gone, nothing left. But when that justice of God is upheld, and His mercy, and His truth, and His love. I read Psalm 85 of course, with a purpose this morning, and there in verse 10 you have a bringing together of all these things that we can never get together. Loving kindness and truth have met together. Righteousness and peace have kissed each other. That which we can never get together is that which comes naturally together in Him. If a judge is merciful, he isn't just. If he is just, he often isn't merciful. If a father is just, he is often unkind, and if he is kind then he is often unjust. And in Him they all meet and they kiss each other. They are in perfect harmony; His justice and His love, they are both complete, they are both so great that there is none like it. That justice of God stands, it's perfect, and that love of God stands, it's perfect. There is nothing lacking in either one, and that is God, that is the God of the Bible, that is the God concept to which we have to hold, which we have to worship, which we have to adore.
God's justice questioned; but the answer is clear. There is no questioning of that justice possible. Amen....
We thank Thee heavenly Father, for the Word wherein Thou hast spoken to us, wherein Thou hast revealed Thyself. And we thank Thee that we may know that Thou art a God who dost uphold justice, and mercy, and love and truth. We thank Thee, Oh God that Thou hast revealed it to us. Apply Thou it to our hearts by the operation of Thy Holy Spirit. Cause Thy blessing to rest upon us the remainder of this day. Grant that we may keep this entire day holy to Thee. Bring us into Thy house again in this evening that we may again follow the Christ of God on His pathway of suffering. Forgive our sins, and hear us in Jesus name. Amen....
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