THE BELGIC CONFESSION OF FAITH
– A Commentary – By Dr. Chuck Baynard
The Belgic Confession of Faith,
Article XXXVII
The Last Judgment
Finally, we believe, according to the Word of God, when the time
appointed by the Lord (which is unknown to all creatures) is come and the number
of the elect complete, that our Lord Jesus Christ will come from heaven,
corporally and visibly, as He ascended, with great glory and majesty to declare
Himself Judge of the living and the dead, burning this old world with fire and
flame to cleanse it.
To cleanse it is an appropriate end to this coming “New Earth” which
is more properly read as a renewal of the earth and theologically can be seen as
the lifting of the curse through the purification of fire.
Then all men will personally appear before this great Judge, both men and
women and children that have been from the beginning of the world to the end
thereof, being summoned by the voice of the archangel, and by the sound of the
trump of God. For all the dead shall be raised out of the earth, and their souls
joined and united with their proper bodies in which they formerly lived. As for
those who shall then be living, they shall not die as the others, but be changed
in the twinkling of an eye, and from corruptible become incorruptible. Then the
books [(that is to say, the
consciences)] shall be opened, and the dead judged according to what they shall
have done in this world, whether it be good or evil. Nay, all men shall give
account of every idle word they have spoken, which the world only counts
amusement and jest; and then the secrets and hypocrisy of men shall be disclosed
and laid open before all.
The choice of conscience for books here is a good one. Every person with
total clarity will see everything they have done which condemns them before a
holy God. However I do not agree this applies to the saints who are standing as
over comers of the world and the flesh in faith. The conscience of the evil will
condemn them so completely not one will utter a word of defense in the
condemnation to hell forever. The believer however is here for reward alone. The
sins have been washed in the blood of Christ, they have been covered and nothing
other than God could uncover them and god will not. The bible says the sins have
been removed as far as the east is from the west and that where there is no
imputation of sin, there is no sin. Love covers a multitude of sins would be of
no value were in that final day all was to be uncovered.
And therefore the consideration of this judgment is justly terrible and
dreadful to the wicked and ungodly, but most desirable and comfortable to the
righteous and elect; because then their full deliverance shall be perfected, and
there they shall receive the fruits of their labor and trouble, which they have
borne. Their innocence shall be known to all, and they shall see the terrible
vengeance which God shall execute on the wicked, who most cruelly persecuted,
oppressed, and tormented them in this world, and who shall be convicted by the
testimony of their own consciences, and shall become immortal, but only to be
tormented in the eternal fire which is prepared for the devil and his angels.
Here we see part of what I said in the last paragraph. That is, who among
us is going to be comfortable knowing that our every idle word is to be laid
bare before a holy God in public or private?
The righteousness of Christ is imputed and our own sins are not imputed.
That ends that debate!
But on the contrary, the faithful and elect shall be crowned with glory
and honor; and the Son of God will confess their names before God His Father and
His elect angels; all tears shall be wiped from their eyes; and their cause
which is now condemned by many judges and magistrates as heretical and impious
will then be known to be the cause of the Son of God. And for a gracious reward,
the Lord will cause them to possess such a glory as never entered into the heart
of man to conceive.
Amen! Many of these things are
happening even as this is being committed to this paper. That is Christ has
already prayed for us (John 17) and is sitting at the right hand of the father
as our Mediator even Now. The Holy Spirit has brought the shadow of this future
joy and even now is praying those prayers we don’t know we need or how to
pray. All will be made perfect or complete in that day and we shall rein with
Christ forever.
Therefore we expect that great day with a most ardent desire, to the end
that we may fully enjoy the promises of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. AMEN.
Amen, come, Lord Jesus. Rev.
22:20.
If the error of the conscience of the believer bearing the full guilt of
every idle word were in sight here who among men would so eagerly await this
great day? God is gracious and our sins have been washed away completely in the
acceptance by god of the completed work of Jesus Christ. In Christ we are holy
and righteous and may joyfully pray this prayer of triumph in all times and
circumstances.
Of not note here but interesting nonetheless is that none of the
so-called “Millennium” positions can lay its foundation to this statement.
The reformed forefathers were for the most part silent here, and while they
affirmed the last day and judgment of the world, did not add to it all the
baggage the church since that day have.
