Lord’s Day 5
Q12. Since, according to God's righteous judgment we deserve temporal and eternal punishment, how can we escape this punishment and be again received into favor?
God demands that his justice be satisfied. Therefore full payment must be made either by ourselves or by another.
Scripture Proofs — King James Version
Exodus 23:7
“Keep thee far from a false matter; and the innocent and righteous slay thou not: for I will not justify the wicked.”
Romans 2:1–11
“Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things. But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things.”
Isaiah 53:11
“He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.”
Romans 8:3–4
“For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”
Commentary — Zacharias Ursinus (1616)
Having shown, in the first part of the Catechism, that all men are in a state of eternal condemnation, on account of not having rendered the obedience which the law of God requires, we are next led to inquire whether there is, or may be, any way of escape or deliverance from this state of misery and death? To this question the catechism answers, that deliverance may be granted, if satisfaction be made to the law and justice of God, by a punishment sufficient for the sin that has been committed. The law binds all, either to obedience, or if this is not rendered, to punishment; and the performance or payment of either is perfect righteousness, which God approves of in whomsoever it is found.
There are two ways of making satisfaction by punishment. The one is by ourselves. This is the one which the law teaches and the justice of God requires. "Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the law to do them." (Gal. 3:10.) This is legal.
The other way of making satisfaction is by another. This is the method which the gospel reveals, and the mercy of God allows. "What the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God, sending his own Son, &c." "God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, &c." (Rom. 8:3. John 3:16.) This is evangelical. It is not, indeed, taught in the law; but it is no where condemned, or excluded. Neither is it repugnant to the justice of God; for if only satisfaction be made on the part of man by a sufficient punishment for his disobedience, the law is satisfied, and the justice of God permits the party offending to be set at liberty, and received into favor. This is the sum and substance.