Lord's Day 8

Devotion

In John Bunyan’s Pilgrims Progress we read of one occasion when, while Christian and Hopeful were on the Way to the Celestial City, they saw another path, on the other side of a fence, that was smoother and easier than the Way. When they came to the new path, they found it was very easy for their feet, and another traveller, named Vain-Confidence, who was ahead of them, told Christian and Hopeful that the path led to the Celestial Gate. So they decided to continue along the new path.

That night, however, they heard Vain-Confidence fall into a Pit, dashed into pieces, and they repented of ever having left the Way. As they tried to make their way back, Christian and Hopeful were captured by Giant Despair, and thrown into the dungeon of Doubting-Castle, where they were tortured and tormented, until Christian began to despair and cry out for death. “I do not know whether it is best to live like this, or to die out of hand. My soul chooses strangling rather than life, and the grave is easier for me than this dungeon!”

The catechism teaches that in our sin we lose communion with God, come under his wrath and curse, and become liable to all the miseries of this life, to death itself, and to the pains of hell forever. This is what Christian and Hopeful experienced when they tried to find an easier way to God’s presence, this is what we experience when we stray from God’s will.

The pilgrims now, to gratify the flesh, will seek its ease; but, oh! How they afresh Do thereby plunge themselves new griefs into! Who seek to please the flesh, themselves undo.

Prayer

Gracious God, forgive us for wandering from your Way, and do not give us any comfort or hope until we find our comfort and hope in you. Restore us to your way and truth, that we might be found faithful. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Question 18

Q. 18. Wherein consists the sinfulness of that estate whereinto man fell?

A. The sinfulness of that estate whereinto 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.

Scripture Proofs

Rom. 5:10-20;

For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

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— for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law. 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.

But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man’s trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many. And the free gift is not like the result of that one man’s sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification. For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.

Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for fall 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. Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more,

Eph. 2:1-3;

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 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.

James 1:14-15;

But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.

Matt. 15:19.

For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander.

Question 19

Q. 19. What is the misery of that estate whereinto man fell?

A. 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.

Scripture Proofs

Gen. 3:8;

And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.

Gen. 3:10;

And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.”

Gen. 3:24;

He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life.

Eph. 2:2-3;

in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 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.

Gal. 3:10;

For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.”

Lam. 3:39;

Why should a living man complain, a man, about the punishment of his sins?

Rom. 6:23;

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Matt. 25:41;

“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.

Matt. 25:46;

And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

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