52.—In what way does God save men from their sins by Christ?
ANSWER: He forgives them for Christ’s sake, and by the power of his teaching He turns men away from their sins, and leads them to righteousness
PROOF: “God for Christ’s sake hath for given you” (Eph 4 32) “In whom we have redemption through his blood, exen the forgiveness of sins” (Col 1 14) “Your sins are forgixen you for his name’s sake” (1 John 2 12) ‘God, hax- mg raised up His son Jesus sent him to bless you, in turninq away exeiy one of you from his iniquities” (Acts 3 26)
53.—Why for Christ’s sake, does God forgive?
ANSWER: Because of what had been accomplished in him
PROOF: ‘ Because he hath poured out his soul unto death, and he was num- bered with the ttansgiessots and he bare the sin of many, and made inter- cession for the transqi essors’ (Isa 53 12)
54.—What has been accomplished in Christ?
ANSWER: Sin had been condemned in his death on the cross, and the righteousness of God has been declared and exhibited to all the world in the shed- ding of his blood
PROOF: “In that he died, he died unto sin once” (Rom 6 10) “His own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree” (1 Pet 2 24) “What the Law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God (hath done) sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin condemned sin in the flesh” (Rom 8 3) “Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood, to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God, to declare at this time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifieth of him that beleiveth in Jesus” (Rom 3 25,26)
55.—How could sin be condemned in Christ who was sinless? and how could the righteousness of God be declared in the blood-shedding of a right- eous man?
ANSWER: Because being born of Adam’s condemned race, and partaking of their condemned nature, Christ was made subject, equally with them to the consequences of Adam’s transgression Therefore his public execution was a public exhibition of what was due to a man from God It pleased God to require this before inviting men to reconciliation through the man in whom this vindication should take place
PROOF: “Forasmuch as the children are partaker s of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same, that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the dexil (or sin in the flesh)” (Heb 2 14) “He put away sin by the sacrifice of himself” (Heb 9 26) “He was made of the seed of David according to the flesh” (Rom I 3) “Death hath no more dominion over him, for in that he died, he died unto sin once” (Rom 6 9-10)
56.—Where did Jesus differ in this matter from other men?
ANSWER: Where Jesus in this matter differed from other men was, in the spot- lessness of his personal character, on account of which the Father was well pleased Jesus required no forgiveness It was this that opened the way for his resurrection For had he been d sinner as other men, death must have held the power over him that it had over them But God raised him from the dead after sin had been condemned in his crucifixion, and being raised from the dead, “death hath no more dominion over him ” “He ever liveth to make intercession for us, and is able to save to the uttermost all those who come unto God by him ” In this way he has become the righteousness of God to us
PROOF: “He was holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners” (Heb 7 26) “He was tempted in all points like as we are, yet without sin” (Heb 4 15) “Which of you convinceth me of sin” (John 8 46) “This is My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased” (Matt 3 17) “In him is no sin” (I John 3 5) “It was not possible that he should be holden of it (death) Neither wilt Thou suffer Thine Holy One to see corruption” (Acts 2 24-27)
57.—What are we to understand by the statement of Paul quoted in proof of the answer to Question 55 that Jesus died that through death he might destroy him that hath the power of death, that is, the devil? Who is the devil?
ANSWER: The devil, or Satan, is the Bible name for sin in its various forms among men Christ took away sin by the sacrifice of himself Sin is the death- power There is no such being as the personal immortal devil of popular reli- gious belief The belief in such a being is due to the misunderstanding of cer- tain figures and symbols in the Bible The Bible devil has many shapes, but these have their origin in the insubordination of flesh and blood to divine law He presents himself in our own feelings, and in the persons of those who would draw us into wrong ways In his largest shape, he exists in the present political constitution of things upon the earth
PROOF: Heb 2 14, 9 26, Rom 6 23, Jas 1 14-15, Jas 4 7 Heb 12 4, John 13 27, 6 70 Acts 5 3-9 Eph 2 2 1 Tim 5 14-15 1 20, Matt 16 23 Mark 8 33, Luke 4 8, 1 Thess 2 18, Rev 2 12-13, 1 Pet 5 8, Rev 2 10, Rom 16 20, Rev 12 3,17, 17 9,12, 20 2
