20 September 2015 A.D. Rev. Van Horn on WSC Q. 38
20 September
2015 A.D. Rev. Van Horn on WSC Q. 38
Van Horn, Leonard. “September 20:
Van Horn on WSC Q.38.” This Day in
Presbyterian History. 20 Sept 2015. http://www.thisday.pcahistory.org/2015/09/september-20-van-horn-on-wsc-q-38/.
20 Sept 2015.
September 20: Van Horn on WSC Q. 38
STUDIES IN THE WESTMINSTER SHORTER
CATECHISM
by Rev. Leonard T. Van Horn
by Rev. Leonard T. Van Horn
A.
— At the resurrection, believers, being raised up in glory, shall
be openly acknowledged, and acquitted in the day of judgment,
and made perfectly blessed in the full enjoying of God to all eternity.
Scripture References:
I Cor. 15:43
, 44
; Matt.
25:33
, 34
; Matt.
10:32
; Psa. 15:1
; I Thess. 4:14
; I Cor. 2:9
.
Questions:
1.
What are the three benefits of the believers as contained in
this question?
(1)
The believers shall be raised up in glory.
(2) The believers shall be acknowledged and acquitted at the day of judgment.
(3) The believers shall be made perfectly blessed in the full enjoyment of God to all eternity.
(2) The believers shall be acknowledged and acquitted at the day of judgment.
(3) The believers shall be made perfectly blessed in the full enjoyment of God to all eternity.
2.
What is the glory referred to in this question and what will be the result
of it?
The
glory referred to in this question is the glory of the resurrection, when
the body will be restored and no longer subject to death and dissolution
and “be fashioned like unto Christ’s glorious body.” (Phil. 3 :21
).
3.
What is the meaning of the believers being acknowledged and acquitted?
The
believers will hear the Savior’s “Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit
the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” (Matt. 25:34
). Their faith shall be vindicated; they
shall be publicly acknowledged as the redeemed children of God, (I Cor. 4:5
), and the declaration will be made that all their
sins are pardoned.
4.
What is the third blessing that will come to the believers?
The
third is the greatest blessing of all, the full enjoyment of God. The
believers will ever be with the Lord and will receive the
inheritance prepared for them. There the believers will behold
their Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ, and will finally be able to trace
the ways in which the Lord has led and saved them. (I Pet. 1:6
).
5.
What will be the lot of the unbelievers at the resurrection?
Their
bodies shall be released from the grave and they shall see Christ as their
final judge. They shall stand before His judgment Throne and shall have
their sins read out of the books and will be eternally cast into hell. (II Thess. 1:7-8
; Rev.
20:11
,12
).
GOOD STEWARDS OF THE GRACE OF GOD
“As
every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to
another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” (I Pet. 4: 10
). Blessing after blessing has been mentioned in the
past few questions; but with blessings come responsibilities. It is a good
thing to be reminded of the benefits that come to the believer both in
this life and at death and at the resurrection. But it is an important
thing that the believer recognize that with these benefits there is a call
from the Lord to be good stewards of his grace.
Archbishop
Leighton said, “Thinkest thou that thy wealth, or power, or wit, is thine,
to do with as thou wilt, to engross to thyself either to retain as useless
or to use, to hoard and wrap up, or to lavish out; according as thy humour
leads thee? No! All is given as to a steward, wisely and faithfully to lay
up and layout, not only the outward estate and common gifts of mind, but
even saving grace, which seems most appropriated for thy private good, yet
is not wholly for that. Even thy graces are for the good of thy brethren.”
If
believers are to live to the glory of God, (going back to the
first question), then they must be good stewards of the grace of God. The benefits
given now and those to be given to the believers at the
resurrection should be daily motivators toward wanting to thank and
praise God for them in the way He desires praise—living to his glory. It
should be noted by the believer that benefits are given for the purpose of
being exercised; that the design of these exercises is not only for the
advantage of the believer but is also for that of the body of Christ at
large. In addition, when a believer is exercising a gift, a benefit,
he ought to consider himself as a steward who must be faithful, being
a good manager of the manifold grace of God.
In
I Tim. 6:17-18
we have the same teaching: “Charge them
that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in
uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all
things to enjoy; That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready
to distribute, willing to communicate.”
To
be a good steward of the manifold grace of God is indeed a way to “redeem
the time” in these evil days. May God help us to do so, all to His glory.
Published
by: THE SHIELD and SWORD, INC.
Vol. 3 No. 33 (February, 1964)
Rev. Leonard T. Van Horn, Editor
Vol. 3 No. 33 (February, 1964)
Rev. Leonard T. Van Horn, Editor
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