Exposition of the Shorter Catechism, Question 84
Of the demerit of Sin.
Quest. 84. WHat doth every Sin deserve?
A. Every Sin deserveth Gods Wrath and Curse, both in this Life, and that which is to come.
Q. 1. Wherein doth the evil of Sin principal…y consist?
A. It consists principally in the offence it gives, and the wrong it doth to God, Psal. 51.4. Against thee, thee only have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight.
Q. 2. What's the first offence and wrong Sin doth to God?
A. It consists in its enmity to God, Rom. 8.7. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God, &c. Exprest in Scripture by walking contrary to him, Levit. 26.40. —They have also walked contrary to me. Fighting against God, Acts 5.39. Lest haply ye be even found to fight against God. And resisting his Spirit, Acts 7.51. —Ye do alwayes resist the Holy Ghost.
Q. 3. Wherein is its enmity to God …urther discovered in Scripture?
A. It's discovered under the names and notions of hatred of God, Rom. 1.30. Back-biters, haters of God, &c. Rebellion against God, 1 Sam. 15.23. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, &c. And despising the Commandment of God, 2 Sam. 12.9. Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the Lord?
Q. 4. What are the Attributes of God that Sin wrongs?
A. It wrongs all his Attributes, for it slights his Sovereignty, Exod. 5.2. And Pharaoh said, who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice, to let Israel go? Resists his Power, 1 Cor. 10.22. —Are we stranger than be? Despiseth his Goodness, Rom. 2.4. Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness, &c. Taxeth his Iustice, Ezek. 18.25. Yet ye say the way of the Lord is not equal, &c. And clouds his Holiness, Jam. 2.7. Do not they blaspheme that worthy name, by the which ye are called?
Q. 5. What doth Sin deserve in the course of Iustice from God?
A. It deserves all temporal and eternal effects of Gods Wrath, on the Souls and Bodies of Sinners, all which in Scripture go under the name of Death, Rom. 6.23. For the wages of sin is death, &c.
Q. 6. Can these sufferings satisfie God for all this wrong?
A. No, they cannot, and therefore they must, and shall be eternal on the damned, Matth. 5.26. Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing. Mark 9.44. Where their worm dyeth not, and the fire is not quenched.
Q. 7. Shall all Sinners hear the desert of their Sins?
A No, all that are out of Christ shall, but Christ hath freed Believers from it, Iohn 3.18. He that believeth on him is not condemned, &c.
Q. 8. But is it not hard that Sinners should suffer eternally for the sins of a few years?
A. No, it is not; for the evil of Sin is not to be measured by the time in which, but by the object against which it is committed, Psal. 51.4, 5. —Against thee, thee only have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight, &c.
Q. 9. What learn we from hence?
A. Hence in the first place we learn the impossibility of satisfying Gods Justice for the least Sin that ever we committed, Iob 7.20. I have sinned, what shall I do unto thee, &c. Psal. 130.3. If thou Lord shouldst mark iniquity, O Lord, who shall stand?
Q. 10. What's the second Instruction hence?
A. Hence we see the necessity of a Mediatour betwixt God and us, Psal. 40.6, 7. Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire, &c. —Then said I, lo, I come in the volume of the book it is written of me.
Q. 11. What's the third Instruction hence?
A. That the greatest suffering is rather to be chosen than the least sin, Heb. 11.25. Chusing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season.
Q. 12. What's the fourth Instruction hence:
A. It teacheth us what an invaluable Mercy the full, free and fi…al remission of Sin is, Psal. 32.1, 2. Blessed is he whose wickedness is forgiven, and whose sin is covered, &c.
Q. 13. What's the fifth Instruction hence?
A. It vindicates God in his severest strokes on Sinners, Hos. 6.5. Therefore have I hewed them by the prophets: I have slain them by the words of my mouth, and thy judgments are as the light that goeth forth.
Q. 14. What's the last Instruction?
A. Hence we learn the infinite nature of Christs sufferings, Rom. 8.32. He that spared not his own son, but delivered him up for us all: how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?