Here, you essentially have a follow up to Lord's Day one of the catechism. Knowing our sins, our redemption, and our praise and thankfulness, we deal with the misery of our sins. The child of God knows the greatness of his salvation by the KNOWLEDGE of his sin. This is not a discussion or theological discussion of sin itself, but a knowledge of it in our life and a knowledge of our salvation! We know it in the law of God as we are condemned...but having God's justice satisfied for us in Christ!
Set Forth to us: This too is a spiritual question. The world too can discuss misery as there are many. Suffering, atrocities of war, diseases, etc....and they can commiserate with us about misery as we too understand these things as we share in them. But, the question is do we understand that the consequences of sin is condemnation before God (the curse) and our misery?! We are cursed of God and we too alone are children of wrath and can do nothing in and of ourselves to take care of our misery and curse. We need Christ! Against our misery we see the cross and Christ and our redemption full and free! (If we don't know our sin, why would we even need Christ?) It is a matter of the knowledge of sin and that hell encompasses our misery like the church of Laudacia. God gives us eyes to see by setting in front of us the law. This is the first work of God in regerneration.
Impossible: The law requires that I love God with all my heart, mind, soul, and strength in my life all the time. Has to do with love NOT obligation. Love from the heart to do these things WILLINGLY! That is what God's demand is! That law is deep and not only judges us on the outside in our often times Phariseeism, but judges the inward heart too and wants an inward keeping of the law too. The law exposes us and there is not righteous "no not one!" And we have nothing to say as the law condemns us knowing full well we are indeed polluted with sin and are sinners.
Result: Once we see this we are channeled to the cross as we see our sin as the backdrop of our salvation. Even as we are exposed by it and even deserve the curse for it by the Lord, what is impossible in us is possible in Christ! As a child of God even our best works have sin attached to them and we only have a small beginning within us. But that knowledge instilled within us brings us to the cross!
Sin is not a popular discussion today, but let us continue to talk about it lest the cross is diminished. The love of God in all its depth...unfathomable!!! Do you know your sin? Stand before the law of God with me and reflect from the inside out. We deserve hell and the curse, but have been given heaven.......
Do you see how much brighter a diamond looks against the black cloth background? How much more glorious our salvation against the backdrop of our sin. Thanks be to God!
"Speaking Carefully" James 3:1-2 James comes down very heavy on the evil of the unruly tongue. Everywhere you look you see the lie running rampant ("Talk is cheap" being a common phrase.) James speaks not to the world, but addresses the church of...[ abbreviated | read entire ]
"Let Your Light So Shine!" Matthew 5:16 This follows the beatitudes that we are all well aware of and we are to be faithful to them as the light and salt of the earth. We are CALLED to be what we ARE. The virtues God has made us and the gifts of...[ abbreviated | read entire ]
"Running the Race set before us" Hebrews 12:1-3 After the heroes of faith, the child of God today finds proper application as we too walk the battle of faith and are headed for a homeland! If they could walk by faith in the time of dispensation,...[ abbreviated | read entire ]
"Exercising Ourselves unto Godliness" Eph. 6:10ff, I Tim. 4:7&8 At this time Tim is laboring in the congregation that Paul set up. Paul advised Timothy as a young man in the Word as it helps him and the congregation. This Word applies to all...[ abbreviated | read entire ]
"Exhorted to Mutual Exhortation" Hebrews 3:12&13, Psalm 95 In the Old Testament, Israel's behavior after being delivered was despicable. Hardened hearts, striving and testing the Lord after being delivered with 10 amazing plagues being...[ abbreviated | read entire ]