Answer. God will have his justice satisfied; and therefore we must make this satisfaction, either by ourselves, or by another.
Exposition
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 par 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.
Furthermore, there are two things taught in this question; the possibility of this deliverance, and how it is effected. That these things may be better understood, we shall now consider:
I. What the deliverance of man is:
II. Whether such a deliverance be possible:
III. Whether it be necessary and certain:
IV. Whether a perfect deliverance may be expected:
V. How it is accomplished.
I. What the Deliverance of Man Is
The word deliverance is relative; for every deliverance is from something to something, as from captivity to liberty. As now all men, by nature, are the slaves of sin, satan, and death, we cannot better and more correctly understand what the deliverance of man is, than by a consideration of what his misery consists in. The misery of man consists, first, in the loss of righteousness, and in inbred corruption, or sin; and secondly, in the punishment of sin. His deliverance, therefore, from this misery, requires, first, the pardon and abolishing of sin, and a restoration of the righteousness lost: and secondly, a release from all punishment and misery. As therefore, the misery of man consists of two parts—sin and death—so his deliverance consists of two parts—a deliverance from sin and death. Deliverance from sin includes the pardon of sin, that it may not be imputed unto us, and an abolishing of sin by the renewing of our nature, that it may not reign in us. Deliverance from death, is a deliverance from despair, and a sense of the wrath of God—from the calamities and miseries of this life; and also from death, both temporal and spiritual.
From these things it is easy to perceive what we are to understand by the deliverance of man. It consists in a perfect deliverance from all the miseries of sin and death, which the fall has entailed upon man, and a full restoration of righteousness, holiness, life, and eternal felicity, through Christ; which is begun in all the faithful in this life, and will be fully perfected in the life to come.
II. Whether Such a Deliverance Be Possible
That this deliverance of man from the ruins of the fall was possible, may be inferred from a consideration:
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Of the immense goodness and mercy of God, which would not suffer the whole human race to perish forever.
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The infinite wisdom of God would naturally lead us to expect that he would be able to devise a way by which he might exhibit his mercy towards the human race, and yet not violate his justice.
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A consideration of the power of God might lead us to the conclusion that he who could create man out of nothing after his own image, could also raise him up from the ruins of the fall, and deliver him from sin and death. To deny the possibility of the deliverance of man is, therefore, to deny the goodness, wisdom, and power of God. But in God there is neither wisdom, nor goodness, nor power wanting; for “the Lord bringeth down to the grave and bringeth up.” “Unto God, the Lord, belong the issues from death.” “The Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save.” (1 Sam. 2:6. Ps. 68:20. Is. 59:1.)