Westminster Larger Catechism # 28
Commentary by Dr. Chuck Baynard
Q28. What are the punishments of sin in this world?
Answer: The punishments of sin in this world are either
inward, as blindness of mind, a reprobate sense, strong
delusions, hardness of heart, horror of conscience, and vile
affections, or outward, as the curse of God upon the creatures
for our sakes, and all other evils that befall us in our bodies,
names, estates, relations, and employments; together with death
itself.
References: Eph. 4:18; Rom. 1:28; 2 Thess. 2:11; Rom. 2:5;
Isa. 33:14; Gen. 4:13; Mt. 27:4; Rom. 1:26; Gen. 3:17; Deut.
28:15-18; Rom. 6:21,23.
The answer to this question, and the realization that there is
a current price as well as an eternal price for sin would perhaps
end much of the debate with our Arminian brothers, and turn the
elect toward God in a complete revulsion to the sin that seems to
so easily beset even the elect. The Divines along with Scripture
rightly point to the ultimate price (death) of sin. Yet the
Reformed quickly grab hold of the fifth petal and wrongly assume
that they have now made it into heaven and they are free to do
what they will in this life. While they are correct that being of
the covenant of God’s grace, as His chosen, nothing can
separate them from God, they miss the truth of obedience to God.
Perhaps no where else is this so evident than in the family. I
am often asked what price must I pay then for this divorce now,
when pointing out to troubled spouses that the Bible all but
eliminates divorce from our vocabulary. Man dares to determine if
he can pay the price required by a holy God for sin. Truly we see
the truth of the Divines choice of "inward blindness of
mind" being one of the first symptoms of sin. It is a
progressive march to destruction that the path of sin leads to.
Surely none could be saved apart from the intervening atonement
of our Lord. As we consider the awesome price of sin in this life
and that to come, perhaps, we can begin to understand the weight
of that sin that caused even our Lord to cry out in anguish,
"My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?" It was not
even His sin, yet Christ knew this spiritual blindness, this
inability to know the truth of God for that moment on the cross.
Then the reprobate sense, whereby man doesn’t have the
ability to know the right from wrong imparted in the garden,
whereby with God’s word written into his heart, man knew he
had sinned before he was confronted by God, and sought to cover
himself before God. Once entered into, sin rapidly progresses to
this point of no natural sense of sin remaining within the
creature. From this lack flows the delusions spoken of by the
Divines, which we see manifested in rationalization of their
actions among men, whereby each does what is right in his own
eyes. Blind eyes they be, but a darkened heart and soul have no
light to shed that the creature may see the depths to which he
has fallen. The hardening of the heart that follows the absence
of God’s love, rapidly brings about the horror of
conscience, whereby man perceives all others as himself, and
ready to pounce upon him from every dark corner. Living in this
dark condition for any period of time brings about the complete
absence of any light and the heart of the creature is turned to
its own vile affections, no longer even seeking the covering of a
fig leaf, and the unnatural use of the being’s God given
sexuality reigns supreme. O’ that the church would awaken
and see this truth today. She who has the light of the Savior
should never countenance any such behavior from the children God
has entrusted to her care. Yet sadly the church wears a human
face, and the flesh with its sinful nature enters the sanctuary
with the saints, and as they seek teachers to tickle their ears,
the truth of God’s word is diminished in their hearts, as
they deceive themselves with God’s love being present in
perfection, without the consideration that none of God’s
perfections can exist alone, and where we find God’s perfect
love, we find His perfect judgment and wrath. For this reason it
is written in the Holy Writ, judgment begins at the house of the
Lord.
How Satan continues to deceive as he tells man that it is his
life and his to live as he sees fit. No one else has any right to
bring correction to his ways, for God has created us free agents,
with a will of our own to exercise, and their sin affects no
other than themselves. Yet from the first sin we see flow the
perfection of God’s love in that all of creation is affected
by the curse upon the first Adam, that in the misery and toil
that now exist, he might be turned to his Creator. So should the
turmoil of life today turn all of mankind toward God, the only
hope in a dark and hurting world. Yet even among the elect, we
see the mind still darkened by this nature of sin, and the very
elect unable to place themselves completely in the hand of their
Creator. We watch as those of the family debate what God has
said, and seek ways to lessen the impact of sin in the world. God
has spoken, the price of sin is death.
I think we should also at this point consider the dual nature
of the price of sin, in that there is a price to pay now and
another eternally. Of the eternal price I will say little, for
God has not chosen to give us that knowledge in Scripture.
However from both Scripture and experience we know that the true
cost of sin in this life is human misery, both for the sinner and
those whom they touch in their lives, and often much farther
afield. It is true for the elect that Christ paid the price in
the atonement, however the consequences of the action must still
be faced. For example, a convicted murderer may be pardoned
moments before he pays with his life. Yet, the consequence of his
actions on others will remain for generations to come. The hurt
and turmoil within his own soul will last a lifetime here, and
still have an eternal consequence. I would that we could all see
sin for the beast it is, that we could smell and taste the death
within which it abides.
Christ having paid the price for the sins of man, these sins
are not laid to his charge anymore. As far as the East is from
the West they are removed from man. God no longer sees the sinful
nature of man, but the righteousness of His Son. I believe it is
error to see all standing before the Judgment seat of the Lamb
with a book opened and by date and deed the sins of the past
repeated to a sorrowful saint standing in that glorious Presence.
Rather I believe we will be told of the "crowns" we
have earned, and herein is the heavenly reward for our obedience
of God in this life. Sin can remove from that heavenly treasure
just as obedience adds to the account there. I do not know what
the significance of these crowns of reward are in the new earth,
but they are much to be desired. Scripture mentions five that are
given by name for the righteous actions of God’s people.
They are individual awards, and another cannot add anything to
your heavenly account. As with all things the price for sin is
more immediately paid on earth in human misery. This misery we
see from one side of the globe to another as man’s
inhumanity to man rules supreme in this world. The beast within
the heart is far more fearsome and horrible than any image
brought forth from the imagination of Dante in his attempts to
paint the pictures of that dark domain. From the sin of man flows
misery in this life, and for the non-elect, that being eternal.
I wish place no particular petal in sight within this
question. Though we once more see the necessity of the second,
and because of the darkened nature of sin the necessity of the
fourth. That being true, as always the others will flow naturally
from this stem in Scripture. But, I would rather to have even the
elect, take the time and see the devious nature of their own
heart, and how easily we fall again and again into the same pits
from hell. I would that the darkness that lies so near even the
elect would do what man and his efforts to portray hell cannot
do, turn us evermore steadily toward God and obedience to His
perfect word of righteousness. This can happen only with the
elect, for by the power of the Holy Spirit alone can the scales
of darkness be opened for us to see God. Here by Scripture and
experience we will see that petal three is a truth, and that
truly "Total Depravity" is a reality. May we constantly
remember then this inner darkness in the flesh, as we set forth
God’s light and dare judge others in this life, for their
sin.
What price sin, you ask? Death, and that most horrible! While
an understanding of this progressive nature of sin, and thereby
why no sin can be tolerated among us, and none may be in the
presence of a holy God is needed. I think we need to understand
more fully the price of death now and forever more for the
unrepentant.
Dr Chuck Baynard --- December 1997
