50. With what subject does the second chapter of the Canons deal?
The subject of the second chapter of the Canons is the vicarious atonement of Christ.
51. How is this subject related to that of the first chapter?
The vicarious atonement is related to the subject of the first chapter as effect is related to cause. The two doctrines are inseparably connected. There can be no atonement if there is no election. The doctrine of election or the denial of this doctrine necessarily determines our view of the death of Christ.
52. What, in general, is the teaching of the Arminians with respect to the atonement of Christ?
As far as the character of Christ’s death is concerned, the Arminians by no means argue among themselves, but they all maintain that in Christ and in God’s intention, the death of the cross is for the salvation of men without distinction. A salvation which is to be realized on condition of the free choice of man.
53. What attribute of God is mentioned in Art. 1 of this second chapter? Why?
From the attribute of God’s justice it follows that there is no salvation possible except in the way of satisfaction, and satisfaction for him that has sinned can be made only by walking obediently in the way of death which is the punishment for sin. We cannot satisfy God’s justice and atone for sin merely by suffering the punishments but only by bringing the sacrifices of that suffering from the motive of the love of God.
54. What follows from the justice of God with respect to the only way in which we can be saved? (Art. 1)
55. Why cannot we ourselves make satisfaction for sin? (Art. 2)
We cannot make satisfaction for sin: (a) because we constantly owe our all to God, and, therefore, would never be able to pay any debt to him; (b) because we are dead in sin and cannot, and will not, and cannot will to love God and bring to Him a sacrifice pleasing to Him. Yet, let us remember such must be the act of satisfaction. It must not merely be the bearing of the punishment, but the active, willing, and loving suffering of that punishment; (c) because we could never bear the infinite wrath of God and live.
56. Who then made satisfaction and how? (Art. 2)
God’s only-begotten Son in the flesh was able to make this satisfaction because: (a) being the Son of God, He could bear the punishment and live; (b) being in the flesh, He could suffer that punishment which He could not suffer in His divine nature: (c) being without sin, He could not suffer in His divine nature; (c) being without sin, He could be perfectly obedient and love God in His suffering; (d) and having been ordained the Head of His people, He could die vicariously in their stead.
57. What does it mean that Christ was made sin for us? What does it not mean? (Art. 2)
The expression that Christ was made sin for us is Biblical, II Cor. 5:21. It may not be understood in an ethical way. Ethically Christ was perfectly righteous and holy, nor was it possible for Him to fall away from His righteousness. He could not will to sin, the reason being that He was the person of the Son of God in the human nature. The expression does mean, however, that He stood judicially at the head of His sinful people. He was Head of the corporation of the elect, and as their Head He was responsible for them. And, secondly, it means that God treated Him as if He were the sinner among sinners by causing Him to bear our punishment.
58. What is said of the death of the Son of God in Art. 3?
Article 3 has three elements. It speaks of the death of the Son of God: (a) as the only and most perfect sacrifice; (b) as being of infinite value; (c) as being sufficient to expiate the sins of the whole world.
59. In what sense can we speak of the death of the Son of God? Did Christ die as to His Divine nature? (Art. 3)
Christ died not according to His divine nature, but according to His human nature. We must remember that Jesus is the eternal person of the Son of God. That, as such, He eternally dwells in the Divine nature; but that the second Person of the Holy Trinity in the fullness of time united Himself with the human nature. The divine nature cannot die because it is eternal life. The human nature was obligated to die if sin had been committed. Nevertheless, when Christ died it was not a human, but a divine person that tasted death in human nature.
60. How must we understand that the death of Christ was sufficient to expiate the sins of the whole world? Did Christ suffer more than was necessary for the salvation of the elect? (Art. 3)
Christ did not suffer more than was necessary for the salvation of the elect, nor does the question as to the extent of the application of Christ’s death have anything to do with the depth and value of Christ’s suffering. Christ died for the elect because He represented them. But, apart from this, it certainly may be said that the value of the death of Christ is infinite, and from that viewpoint, sufficient to expiate the sins of the whole world.
61. Why is the death of Christ of infinite value? (Art. 4)
Article 4 teaches that the death of the Son of God is of infinite value because: (a) it was the person of the Son of God that died in human nature. This is really the sole factor in the answer. The article, however, adds (b) because His death was attended with a sense of the wrath of God. Here we must remember that Christ personally could not be the object of God’s anger. God loved Him even at the cross, both as His Son and as His Servant, but as the Mediator He fully tasted all the suffering and misery of the wrath of God against the sins of His people.
62. Is the promise of the Gospel general or particular? (Art. 5)
The promise of the Gospel, according to Art. 5, is plainly particular, not general in its contents. For it is the promise of eternal life, not to all without distinction, but definitely to them that believe in Christ crucified and since faith is the gift of God to the elect only, it is to these that the promise of the Gospel appears.
63. How did the Christian Reformed Churches in 1924 interpret this promise? (Art. 5)
The Christian Reformed Church refer to this article as proof for the first point which teaches that the Gospel is a general offer of salvation, and that this general offer is grace on the part of God. Accordingly they interpret the promise of the Gospel as applying to all that hear the preachers. They, however, are not in harmony with Art. 5 which speaks of a promise to believers. It is, besides, Arminian, for a general offer must depend on man’s will for its realization.
64. Is the preaching of this promise particular or general? How general and how particular is it? (Art. 5)
The preaching of the promise of the Gospel according to Art. 5 is to all to whom God in His good pleasure sends the Gospel. This is general in a sense, namely, in as far as it does not only reach the elect, but also some of the reprobates. It is, however, particular in as far as God in His good pleasure does not send the gospel to all men. In fact, comparatively few of all men that are and have been, have ever heard the Gospel.
65. Is the command to repent and believe general or particular? (Art. 5)
The command to repent and believe is general. God cannot deny Himself and, therefore, He cannot abandon His demand that man shall love Him. All men must acknowledge God is good. This Word of God, however, is realized in two ways: it is realized in the elect when God gives them the grace of repentance so that they do love Him in the face of Christ Jesus. It is also realized in an antithetical way in the damnation of the reprobate for these shall eternally attribute their sufferings and desolation to the rejection of God the fount of all good. Their remorse is the antithesis of the salvation by grace of the elect. It is the testimony of their own conscience that they should have turned because God is good.
66. In what sense, then, are many called by the Gospel? (Art. 6)
That many, therefore, are called by the Gospel certainly does not mean that God offers them grace which they reject, but it means that as natural men, that is, in sin and darkness, they are brought into contact with the revelation of God in Christ and with the demands that they turn from their wicked way, repent, and acknowledge that God is good. All this, however, is not accompanied by that grace of God whereby the heart makes acceptance of the work of God in the saving sense.
67. To what is their unbelief to be imputed? (Art. 6) Is this all that may be said of this in the light of Scripture?
The unbelief of those that do not accept the Gospel is according to Art. 6 not due to the insufficiency of the sacrifice of Christ, but must be imputed to themselves. We would say this is, of course, truly the guilt of unbelief in man. But it is not the final word in this matter. For the Scriptures teach that in His righteous judgment God hardens whom He wills. Romans 9:18. Because of this hardening judgment of God, the Jews of Jesus’ time could not believe; John 12:39-40. We must remember that also the reprobate come into contact with the living Word of God. And that this living Word is to them a savor of death.
68. To whom must the faith and deliverance of believers be attributed? (Art. 7)
The faith and salvation of believers according to Art. 7 must be attributed not to any merit of their own, but only to the grace of God. In God’s counsel this grace in Christ is given them from eternity, that is, God is eternally gracious to His people with an unchangeable grace. It is according to the eternal grace of God that He bestows this gift of faith on those to whom He is gracious, that is, the elect. And these elect are not distinguished by any merit, virtue, or act of their own. The cause of their distinction is in God’s counsel only. For the same reason nothing on the part of man receives that gift of grace. It precedes every good work. Eph. 1:3, 4; Eph. 2:8-10.
69. What is the chief thought of Article 8?
The chief thought of Art. 8 is that the sovereign counsel of God is the sole and ultimate source of redemption and all the blessings of salvation in Christ and of their being applied and bestowed upon the elect. In accordance with this counsel, Christ redeems; that is, he purchases His people, merits for them all the blessings of salvation, and in accordance with that same counsel He confers these blessings upon them from regeneration and justifying faith even to their final perfection.
70. Whom did God redeem through the blood of the cross (Art. 8). See also Canons II, B, 1, 5-7.
The Arminians argue that God ordained His Son to the death of the cross without a definite purpose or device to save any. As far as God is concerned, all men have been reserved in the state of reconciliation. The grace of reconciliation is also freely offered to all without exception; but whether it shall be appropriated depends on the free will of man in joining itself to that offer of grace. It will be evident that there is no conceivable difference between this view and that of the first point of 1924. Yet, our fathers condemned this view in II, B, 1, 5-7. The Arminians also argue that it would be folly to say that Christ died for those whom God eternally loved. These did not need the death of Christ. All of these errors are reported by the Canons. And Art. 8 maintains that Christ redeemed the elect and them only.
71. What did Christ purchase by His death? (Art. 8.) See also Canons II, B, 2-4.
It stands to reason that the Arminians must needs deny the atoning character of the death of Christ. For, if Christ died for all, either all are saved, or the death of Christ is not saving. They taught, therefore, that Christ merely merited a right for God to open a new deal with man; that the latter might have another chance of life. This new way did not consist of justification by faith through the blood of Christ, but, in this, that God would regard faith in itself as perfect obedience to the law, and that because faith acknowledges the righteousness and justice of God as manifested in the death of Christ. That Christ merited for His people justification and the justifying faith, all the saving gifts of the Holy Spirit, regeneration, sanctification, forgiveness, final perseverance and eternal life, the Arminians deny.
72. What does Article 9 teach?
On the basis of the Arminian view it is of course impossible that there be any certainty with regard to the salvation of the individual nor with respect to the number of them that are saved. Nothing is powerfully accomplished since it ultimately depends on the will of man. There may be times when there is no church in the world and Christianity may finally die out. The Lord, however, teaches: “All that the Father giveth unto me shall come unto me.” (John 6:37) Article 9 maintains that the purpose of God unto the salvation of the elect, as it proceeds from everlasting love, has always been powerfully accomplished in the past, is being accomplished in the present, and shall be accomplished until the whole church for whom Christ died shall have been gathered. And this purpose shall be reached in spite of all the powers of opposition. The gates of hell shall not prevail against the church.