The Many Functions of God

John Calvin Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one.Gal. 3:19-20 We established last time that the law came after the promise of God to be racio!s to the ho!se of "braham. God promised free race# and the Jews were to lean !pon this promise for their salvation# $nowin that God wo!ld mercif!ll% send them a &edeemer# thro! h whom the% wo!ld obtain remission of their sins. 'rom this# (a!l concl!des that the law )which came after the promise* did not abolish that which had been ordained and established b% God. +owever# it wo!ld be eas% to ass!me that the law was added to stren then the promise# as if it had been wea$ in isolation. ,ndeed# the apostle seems to ar !e alon those lines in the -pistle to the +ebrews# where he sa%s# in the words of Jeremiah# that God wo!ld provide a new law.the ospel. /he apostle e0plains that the law iven b% 1oses was imperfect and ins!fficient for salvation )+eb. 2:3*. "t first# it mi ht seem that the same co!ld appl% here to the law and the promise# that the promise re4!ired a finishin to!ch# as if it were incomplete in and of itself# and needed to be perfected. 5therwise# s!rel%# the law is s!perfl!o!s6 7et# it wo!ld be a ainst all reason to s!ppose that God wo!ld ive !s this doctrine for no p!rpose at all8 We m!st# therefore# ive o!r attention to e0aminin the f!nction of the law# and to discoverin to what end it was iven# lest we mista$enl% ass!me that the ospel promise was inade4!ate# and onl% partiall% beneficial for salvation. (a!l states that God did not intend to provide !s with a means of 9!stification or salvation when he sent !s his law: it was added# he sa%s# ;beca!se of trans ressions;. ,t was not created simpl% to $eep !s on a ti ht rein )as the sa%in oes* beca!se of all the evil and depravit% in the world: for we have man% ordinar% laws and stat!tes which have been form!lated to p!nish crime here on earth. ,f we were all li$e an els# blameless and freel% able to e0ercise perfect self-control# we wo!ld not need r!les or re !lations. Wh%# then# do we have so man% laws and stat!tes6 <eca!se of man;s wic$edness# for he is constantl% overflowin with evil: this is wh% a remed% is re4!ired. ,f we were all health%# we wo!ld have no need of medicine# b!t man;s intemperance means that there will alwa%s be diseases# and# therefore# remedies m!st be so! ht o!t. /he e0istence of so man% civil laws bears testimon% to the fact that we are totall% evil and depraved and# therefore# need to be restrained and harnessed. <!t (a!l does not !nderstand the f!nction of the law in this wa% .he oes m!ch f!rther. +e declares that God ave his law in order to e0pose man;s ini4!it%# which proves# therefore# that this is not a means of salvation8 'or heat and cold cannot ori inate from the same so!rce8 ,f a fo!ntain is sweet# we cannot see$ bitter water there: li$ewise# if a fo!ntain is bitter or salted# we m!st see$ elsewhere for sweet water. /he same can be applied to the law. Wh%# then# was the law iven6 ,n order that men co!ld be do!bl% convicted of their sins before God and realise that their h%pocris%# self-flatter%# desire to hide behind e0c!ses# and other s!ch sins are vain and to no avail. +ence# in the fo!rth chapter to the &omans# and the fifteenth verse# (a!l ar !es that we cannot be 9!stified b% the law# since it brin s !pon !s nothin b!t the wrath of God. )+e is referrin to God;s ven eance.* ,n a certain sense# it co!ld be said that both life and death proceed from the law. 'or the law condemns !s all and sentences all to death b% showin that we are acc!rsed and abominable in God;s si ht. What foll%# therefore# to see$ to be 9!stified simpl% b% its observance8 (a!l also states in the seventh chapter to the &omans# and the ei hth verse# that the law act!all% ca!ses sin to increase8 We are alread% liable to condemnation# even before we have heard the law: as it is written# those who have sinned witho!t the law will nevertheless perish )&om. 2:12*. ,n

other words# the heathen# altho! h the% have no code from which the% stra%# still have the inner witness of their conscience# which acts as their 9!d e. /h!s# men are worth% of damnation well before the% are s!mmoned into God;s presence and e0amined# God havin ta$en his place on the 9!d ment throne. 7et those who persist in sinnin and offendin God believe themselves to be fa!ltless8 'or we are s!b9ect to s!ch self-flatter%# that altho! h we are wallowin in sin# o!r consciences will never once feel ashamed witho!t the law: the% will remain d!ll and insensitive. ,nstead# we wo!ld feel at libert% to do whatever wic$ed thin s we desire. <!t when once we hear the law# we reco nise sin# and are forced to h!mble o!rselves before God )or else nash o!r teeth li$e rebels8*. God awa$ens !s thro! h the law and leads !s to ac$nowled e o!r desperate condition. ,t is li$e a man whose face is covered with filth: people la! h at him b!t he does not !nderstand wh%8 ,f someone were to brin him a mirror# he wo!ld be ashamed and steal awa% to clean off the dirt# b!t he will onl% do this when he has discovered his ! liness8 5r if a man has some sort of deformit% which ma$es others afraid to loo$ at him# he will not realise that he has s!ch a disfi !rement !ntil a mirror is bro! ht before his e%es8 /he same applies to !s: altho! h we are f!ll of evil and ini4!it% to the e0tent that heaven and earth are ashamed of !s# and God prepares an awf!l fate for !s# we o on o!r wa% !npert!rbed8 Wh%6 <eca!se we are !naware of o!r sin: we are so blinded b% o!r own h%pocris% that we cannot perceive an% dan er. <!t the law reveals 9!st who we are# and sets before !s the 9!d ment of God. /he law teaches !s that we will be condemned if we fail to do certain thin s. "nd what are these thin s6 ,t is not simpl% a matter of !ardin o!r feet# hands# e%es and ears: no# we m!st $eep o!rselves p!re and free from all coveto!sness. 5!r inte rit% m!st be s!ch that all o!r affections# tho! hts and desires are centred !pon God. We are not to be enticed or led astra% b% an%thin in this world. <!t where can s!ch a person as this be fo!nd6 =ow God has ascended his throne and sits as 9!d e# and he has prono!nced his sentence !pon !s.we are acc!rsed beca!se we are fo!nd to be trans ressors# which# indeed# we are. /hat is the miserable condition of the h!man race. /his is wh% (a!l sa%s in this passa e that the law was added ;beca!se of trans ressions;. +owever# the law does have other f!nctions. 'or e0ample# one of the chief reasons wh% we need the law is to teach !s how we are to worship God. ,t shows that we are to hono!r him b% o!r obedience# rather than each person livin as a law !nto himself8 /he law helps !s to distin !ish between ood and evil. What is the ;reasonable service; that God deserves6 ,s it not to s!bmit o!rselves to his will# as (a!l sa%s in the twelfth chapter to the &omans# verse one6 ,s this not a most e0cellent f!nction of the law.to show !s how we ma% please God and what r!les we are to obe%# rather than for !s to be str! lin in vain# believin we are servin God when we are not6 <!t when (a!l spea$s of the law bein added for trans ressions; sa$e# he does not intend to ive !s an acco!nt of the !ses of the law and the fr!its it prod!ces. We have said that the law instr!cts !s# and teaches !s to discern between ood and evil: it !r es !s b% means of oads# as it were# to ive o!rselves wholl% to God. <!t (a!l is referrin to the law in the conte0t of the passa e he is e0po!ndin # provin that the law is not s!perfl!o!s# %et# neither is it a means of 9!stification. ,ndeed# its f!nction is to confo!nd !s and reveal that we are sinners in a twofold sense# to convict !s of o!r sin and leave !s witho!t e0c!se. ,n fact# we soon realise that there is a bottomless pit awaitin !s. /his is wh% the law was iven: it was added to the promise# not beca!se the latter was powerless witho!t it# !nable to brin salvation witho!t assistance from another so!rce: not at all# sa%s (a!l8 ,t was added in order that we mi ht realise that God is ri ht to condemn !s all# and to ive o!r minds no rest from an0io!s and tort!o!s tho! hts# in order that o!r despair mi ht lead !s to find hope in his promise. ,f we ob9ect that the promise co!ld have achieved this alone# the answer to this is ver% simple. "ltho! h God has revealed himself as >avio!r# and shown !s that we will be condemned !nless he has merc% !pon !s# we cannot respond as we o! ht !nless he first h!mbles !s. /hro! h his promise# he calls !s to himself with the tender love of a father. /his o! ht to be s!fficient to ma$e !s aware of o!r sins and to ma$e !s hate them: %et# we are so comfortable in o!r sins that we will not ive them an% tho! ht !nless we are coerced. /herefore# after God had made this promise to man# we sho!ld have roaned !nder the b!rden of sin and so! ht ref! e in the race of the ?ord Jes!s Christ# b!t we did

not# that is# !ntil God dealt !s a few mi ht% blows with his hammer thro! h the law8 @oes this not reveal o!r wic$edness# that we ab!se God;s $indness to !s# and !se it for an occasion to flatter o!rselves6 5f necessit%# he deals harshl% with !s# and e0poses what we are tr!l% li$e# to alarm !s so that we mi ht r!n to him for race. /he word ;added; here indicates that (a!l is acc!sin !s of despisin God;s oodness# revealed in his entle and racio!s call. ,ndeed# we virt!all% constrain him to !se force in order to h!mble !s: onl% when o!r wills are th!s inclined b% force will we see$ his race in the ?ord Jes!s Christ. "t this point# (a!l adds that the law applied ;till the seed sho!ld come to whom the promise was made;. /he ;law; chiefl% refers to the ceremonies# altho! h we can also incl!de all the 4!alities# circ!mstances and details of the law# as we sa%. ,f we ta$e the law to refer onl% to the /en Commandments# then what (a!l sa%s here is entirel% inappropriate8 'or even toda% the law carries wei ht# in that it is o!r r!le for livin . ,t reveals to !s the will of God# $eepin !s from livin as va abonds# aimlessl% wanderin abo!t from place to place# as it were# for the pathwa% is set o!t before !s. /herefore# beca!se the law teaches what is ri ht# it is timeless and will end!re to the end of the world. ,t is important for !s to enter into the mind of (a!l here and realise that he is referrin to the promises# c!rses and ceremonies of the law. 5n the one hand# we are promised that if a man obe%s# ;he shall live in them; )?ev. 12:A*. We have alread% dealt with this. =e0t# there is the threat: ;C!rsed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this law to do them; )@e!t. 23:2B*. /he law# as we have discovered# onl% promises salvation to those who have lived p!re lives in all inte rit%. "ll of !s fall short of this and# therefore# the promise does not appl%. /his is the first point. ,f we ob9ect that God is moc$in at men# the answer is# not at all8 &ather# we are so f!ll of pride and arro ance that we thin$ we can achieve salvation b% o!rselves. /herefore# God has to sa%# ;,f %o! are as virt!o!s as %o! thin$ %o! are# prove it to me. 'or m% part# , have iven %o! m% law and , have prepared a reward for %o! if %o! obe% it. 7o! will not be disappointed if %o! serve me. -ternal life is promised %o!# b!t first %o! m!st do %o!r d!t%.set to wor$8; -ven if men were to attempt to do so with all their mi ht# the% wo!ld do!btless discover wea$ness of which the% were previo!sl% !naware. /h!s# the promises of the law do not appl% to !s# %et# nor are the% thwarted# beca!se the% serve a rather different p!rpose. /he c!rses of the law are infallible. /he followin te0t condemns !s all: ;C!rsed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this law to do them.; We are obli ed to f!lfil them all# and there m!st not be one sin le point at which we fail. We are wron if we believe we can serve God in part: he does not divide !p his commandments in this wa%. +e desires the one who is chaste to abstain also from pl!nderin # pilla in # cheatin # violence and ever%thin else. >ince this is the case# these warnin s are bindin !pon !s all# and (a!l was aware of this. Concernin the ceremonies# the% serve to hi hli ht o!r lost condition. We have alread% referred to what (a!l sa%s in Colossians chapter two# and the fo!rteenth verse# where he describes them as ordinances which are desi ned to bind !s and $eep !s in place. ,f a man borrows a s!m of mone%# he then owes it and m!st pa% it bac$ with his own hand. /his o! ht to be s!fficient. +owever# if he sec!res a mort a e# he is obli ed !nder penalt% to pa% it bac$# especiall% if it be a p!blic matter. /his ma$es his b!rden reater. /he same applies to the ceremonies. /he law was s!fficient to condemn all man$ind# for all have sinned: %et God# seein the pride that was so deepl% rooted in o!r hearts# added ceremonies to place !s !nder an even more solemn obli ation to him. <!t (a!l sa%s that all this was onl% ;till the seed sho!ld come;: in other words# the law cannot harness or restrain those who p!t their tr!st in the ?ord Jes!s Christ. &ather# it leads them to faith and the% find in Christ all that is lac$in in the law8 /h!s# when God is harsh in his condemnation# it is onl% to proc!re o!r salvation# and the fact that he th!nders a ainst !s is an evident to$en of his e0ceptional race towards !s8 +ow is this6 , have alread% said# and e0perience bears this o!t# that we wo!ld never stop ab!sin his $indness to !s# !sin it for o!r advanta e if this were not the case. /herefore# God m!st arrest !s and act as o!r 9!d e# so that we hear the dreadf!l sentence and sin$ in despair. /hen we e0pect no less than eternal death# and this verdict is confirmed and ratified b% his law. 7et# all is desi ned to h!mble !s in order that we

mi ht come to the ?ord Jes!s Christ with tr!e Ceal and in sincerit%. +avin e0perienced s!ch an !ish and torment in o!r consciences# we will learn to rest entirel% !pon him. /his is wh% the law onl% applied ;till the seed sho!ld come;. ,f we# then# as$ how it was that o!r forefathers obtained salvation# the answer is that altho! h the law rei ned before the comin of the ?ord Jes!s Christ with re ard to o!tward thin s# nevertheless# o!r fathers still had to rel% !pon the race the% had been promised )despite the fact that Christ had not %et come*. We shall learn more of this presentl%. =ow we have resolved the followin point: that the law did not alter the promise# neither was it added to s!pport the promise# as if it had been ins!fficient alone for salvation. &ather# it was added beca!se of man;s pride and arro ance# that we mi ht h!mbl% see$ the merc% that is offered !s in the ?ord Jes!s Christ# and that# thro! h him# we mi ht be enabled to receive and en9o% his for iveness. "t this point (a!l mentions that the law ;was ordained b% an els in the hand of a mediator;. +ere he a!thorises the law and indicates that we are to receive it with all d!e reverence. +owever# we are onl% to appl% it in the wa% that God intended8 /o ma$e this point# (a!l spea$s of an els# to demonstrate that God had man% witnesses who ave a!thorit% to the law and showed how it was to be received and esteemed. <!t (a!l;s main ob9ect here is to spea$ of the 1ediator.that is to sa%# the ?ord Jes!s Christ. 1an% have tho! ht this was referrin to 1oses# since he was a mediator between God and man with re ard to doctrine. +owever# this is hardl% a s!itable interpretation8 "fter all# (a!l firstl% spea$s of an els# and then of the 1ediator as their head# the one who holds the position of s!preme soverei nt%. /his cannot be applicable to 1oses8 ,ndeed# (a!l;s ar !ment here is that there is no disparit% between the law and the ospel concernin the free promise of salvation. ,n order to reiterate this# he refers to the ?ord Jes!s Christ# e0plainin that when the law was established# it was with his hand and !nder his leadership. /his word ;hand; often implies power in >cript!re# and here it is !sed to draw a contrast between the an els and Jes!s Christ himself. (a!l mentions the assembled an els beca!se their presence sho!ld ens!re that the law is heeded b% men# and accepted witho!t reservation. /he an els were witnesses of God;s ma9est%# %es# b!t the 1ediator is even reater than the%8 /he ;hand; here implies his headship# revealin that he has soverei n a!thorit% and# therefore# has the chief commission of ordainin the law. /his o! ht not to seem stran e to !s: for when the an el appeared to 1oses he said# ;, am the ?ord; )-0od. 3:B*. 7et he is called an an el8 /his means that he was a messen er of God as the word implies: %et he sa%s in effect# ;, am the ?ord# whose bein proceeds from m%self alone;. /his cannot be said of an% creat!re )incl!din the an els* who# li$e o!rselves# were made from nothin 8 ,t wo!ld have been blasphem% for an an el to !s!rp s!ch a title# which belon s to God alone. We m!st# therefore# reach the concl!sion that this an el was none other than the ?ord Jes!s Christ# who was alread% f!lfillin his role as 1ediator. /his# indeed# is borne o!t b% (a!l in 'irst Corinthians# chapter ten and verse nine# where he spea$s of the rebellion of the Jews in provo$in God to an er with their m!rm!rin s and foolish l!sts. (a!l sa%s that the% were temptin Christ himself# who led and !ided them thro! h the wilderness. /herefore# , have no diffic!lt% in believin that o!r ?ord Jes!s Christ was alread% a mediator# beca!se in man% different wa%s he acted to reconcile men to God the 'ather. /his is wh% the apostle writes in the -pistle to the +ebrews that Jes!s Christ is the same# ;%esterda%# and toda%# and forever;# and that we m!st cleave to him and not be carried abo!t with ;stran e doctrines; )+eb. 13:2*. +ence# (a!l is teachin !s that Jes!s Christ mediated between God and man in order that poor sinners mi ht be ranted relief from their tro!bled minds concernin the 9!d ment of God. =ow we can re9oice beca!se God has provided a mediator thro! h whom we ma% obtain race to approach him. <!t the ?ord Jes!s Christ is also a mediator in another sense# and that is that God has alwa%s comm!nicated to man thro! h him. 'or there is s!ch a !lf between God and o!rselves# we are so alienated from him thro! h sin# that we cannot have access to him. +e can onl% stoop to !s thro! h a mediator. ,ndeed# is this not what the vision of Jacob teaches !s in the twent%-ei hth chapter of Genesis# verse twelve6 ,t tells !s there that Jacob saw a ladder# at the top of which God was enthroned

in ma9est%# and the an els were ascendin and descendin on this ladder. /here can be no do!bt that this ima e was to reveal to Jacob that we are e0cl!ded from the $in dom of God !ntil a means is fo!nd to reconcile heaven and earth. ,n other words# the ?ord Jes!s Christ# who is ;God manifest in the flesh;: he is hi her than the heavens# %et he has identified with !s in that he too$ o!r nat!re !pon himself and became a man.frail# b!t witho!t sin. "ltho! h he was perfect# he too$ !pon himself o!r infirmities. /his is how it was that the law was ordained b% the hand of the ?ord Jes!s Christ. /h!s# it follows that there can be no contradiction between the law and the ospel# for Jes!s Christ never chan es and cannot den% himself. =ow let !s t!rn o!r attention to (a!l;s ne0t statement. +e sa%s ;a mediator is not a mediator of one# b!t God is one;. <% sa%in that the 1ediator is not ;of one;# he implies that the ?ord Jes!s Christ came to ather to ether in one all thin s in heaven and on the earth# as he sa%s in the first chapter to the Colossians )Gal. 1:20*. >ome have !nderstood this te0t to mean that Jes!s Christ had more than one nat!re: others# that if he is the 1ediator for all man$ind# it follows that there can be no disharmon% between the law and the ospel. +owever# (a!l is clearl% referrin to the brin in to ether of Jews and Gentiles here8 ,n effect he is sa%in # ;7es# Jes!s Christ was 1ediator when the law was set forth# that God mi ht h!mble men thro! h him to the end that the% mi ht receive his race. <!t let !s notice that# altho! h he was alread% 1ediator when he presented the law to the Jews# his office was to e0tend m!ch f!rther# since he was also to ather the Gentiles who were c!t off from God. 'or tho! h# for a time# God chose the descendants of "braham above the rest of h!manit%# %et at the end of time he has made !s parta$ers of the salvation from which we were once estran ed. /hose of !s who were afar off have been welcomed in alon side those who were previo!sl% close to God.; ,ndeed# in that other passa e# (a!l calls Jes!s Christ ;o!r peace;# since he has reconciled and !nited to God both those who were alread% near )the Jews* and those who had no $nowled e of God )-ph. 2:13*. We have been accepted into the bod% of his ch!rch beca!se of Christ;s comin . /hose who were once separated b% a reat distance have been !nited# not onl% with God# b!t with one another. =ow we !nderstand (a!l;s teachin in this passa e# b!t in order to profit from all we have considered# there is a specific lesson we o! ht to learn from this one fact: that God ave !s his law thro! h an els. /hat is# that these same an els will be witnesses a ainst !s if we i nore or pass b% the law# or trample it !nderfoot# as it were. /h!s# the an els will have the ri ht to as$ God to aven e o!r !n odl% rebellion. When God chose an els to assist him in the settin forth of his law# he was not pla%in ames: rather it was in order that we mi ht reverence the law. 7es# it is tr!e# we cannot perfectl% f!lfil what it demands: however# if we were to stop there# we wo!ld be totall% en !lfed in despair# and remain !nder the sentence of eternal death. ,f God has racio!sl% ta! ht !s his will and enabled !s to discern between ood and evil# o!r response o! ht to be to bow o!r nec$s to receive the %o$e that God places !pon !s# a response of s!bmission to him. /his is the first point. >econdl%# the law is desi ned to prompt and pric$ o!r consciences# beca!se we are so cold# lethar ic and inactive that we wo!ld never come to God of o!r own accord. /he law# therefore# sho!ld ca!se each one of !s to e0amine o!rselves: indeed# for o!r own instr!ction# we wo!ld do well to commit to memor% the commandments of God and recite them mornin and evenin . ?et !s# therefore# $eep o!rselves on a ti hter rein# since the an els observe and watch over !s. +avin been emplo%ed b% God to establish the law# the% will not allow !s to despise it# or to p!t it to an open shame as if it were worthless. '!rthermore# the law is there to condemn !s# and we will receive this condemnation in the presence of these same an els# re ardless of how m!ch men ma% have praised and appla!ded !s. -ven if the whole world were on o!r side# it wo!ld co!nt for nothin . 'or wh%# then# wo!ld God have chosen to have his an els there to assist with the p!blication of his law# if not to teach !s to be ashamed of o!r sinf!lness# h!mble o!rselves willin l% and see$ salvation in the ?ord Jes!s Christ6 "s for the ?ord Jes!s Christ bein the 1ediator of the law# we can be s!re that if we have

so! ht ref! e in his race# the law no lon er has the power to condemn !s# nor to ca!se sin to have dominion over !s. 'or we m!st bear in mind what (a!l wrote in the 'irst -pistle to the Corinthians# chapter fifteen# and the fift%-si0th verse: ;the stren th of sin is the law;. /he law sharpens sin# as it were# leavin !s mortall% wo!nded. /herefore# if we do not en9o% the consolation spo$en of here# we will s!rel% be seiCed with terror and have no ass!rance of salvation# despite the promises made b% the ?ord Jes!s Christ. We will constantl% be wei hin these tr!ths which seem so contradictor%# sa%in # ;>!rel% the law came from God6 7et God condemns !s thro! h it8 "ltho! h he sent the ?ord Jes!s Christ to be the remed%# there does not appear to be an% wa% of escapin its sentence8; /h!s# we will be tormented b% s!ch tho! hts. <!t if we consider that the ?ord Jes!s Christ was the 1ediator who established the law# we realise that if he is o!r "dvocate toda%# he is able to for ive !s. /h!s# we do not have to be co!nted amon st the lost. 7es# God has indeed prono!nced his c!rse !pon !s# and we have been oppressed b% the torment and an !ish that this has created. 5!r evil does at first seem to be inc!rable# b!t we $now that o!r ?ord Jes!s Christ is able to f!lfil both roles: that is# to teach !s h!milit% thro! h s!ch terrif%in tho! hts# and %et also to ass!re !s of salvation. /h!s# when we are cast down in this wa%# the onl% wa% to be raised !p is to reco nise that the 5ne who was established as the 1ediator of the law has been revealed to !s toda% in this same office of 1ediator# as some of !s can testif% from o!r own e0perience. 'inall%# let !s notice that he is not the 1ediator for one nation alone# b!t for the whole world beca!se we are all God;s creat!res. 7es# b% the sin of "dam we were all c!t off# b!t the ?ord Jes!s came to ather to ether thin s in heaven and thin s on earth# as we have alread% disc!ssed )Col. 1:20*. /his bein the case# we sho!ld never do!bt that God accepts !s toda% as heirs of his promise# beca!se he sees !s as the spirit!al children of "braham. "nd altho! h we are livin in da%s ver% different from the time of the ceremonial law# which divided some people from others# this does not prevent !s from bein able to approach God with boldness. +ow is this6 <eca!se ;God is one;. /here ma% be Jews and Gree$s# and man% other different nations# with a variet% of lan !a es# morals and wa%s of life# and certainl% each individ!al is f!ll of inconsistencies and s!b9ect to chan e# with no firm anchora e: b!t let !s all learn to fi0 o!r e%es !pon God# for he is one. +e has iven !s his law and his ospel: let !s not thin$ that there is an% contradiction between them# for the% are in perfect harmon%. ?et !s# rather# be led b% these means to come to the ?ord Jes!s Christ. "nd how can we do this6 5nl% when we are stripped of all pride# and feel that horror and rep! nance that ma$es !s detest o!rselves !pon the realisation that we are spirit!all% dead. /hen we will come to the ?ord Jes!s Christ# $nowin that God the 'ather accepts !s if we come in his appointed wa%. Wh%6 'or he is one. When he ave !s his law# he did not intend to diminish the a!thorit% of the promise which preceded it. When he revealed his race more f!ll% in the ospel# it was not beca!se he considered the law worthless or invalid# for it provides !s with a r!le for livin . /h!s# to avoid bein !nder its c!rse# the law teaches !s that the onl% escape is fo!nd in that >eed which was promised at the be innin of time# and in whose hands o!r salvation is sec!re: that is# in the ?ord Jes!s Christ.the fo!ntain and so!rce of all blessin . =ow let !s fall before the ma9est% of o!r reat God# ac$nowled in o!r sins# and as$in him to ma$e !s increasin l% conscio!s of them# that we mi ht detest them. 1a% we not onl% confess them with o!r lips# b!t ma% o!r hearts also be in f!ll s!bmission to God;s +ol% Word. 1a% his free race comfort !s# as it has been revealed to !s in o!r ?ord Jes!s Christ. 1a% his +ol% >pirit contin!all% transform !s# in order that if we are f!ll of rebellion# he ma% brin !s !nder his control and ma$e !s mee$# read% to follow his hol% will and devote o!rselves completel% to him. We pra% for all these thin s# sa%in # "lmi ht% God# and o!r heavenl% 'ather# etc

ar!ed up by "ance George

arshall