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Assurance of life to believers, but destruction to those who do not obey
The fourth warrant and special motive to believe in Christ is that much assurance of life is given to people who will obey the command to believe, but a fearful certification of destruction is given to people who do not obey: “The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand. 36Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him” (John 3:35–36 ESV).59
These two verses show forth to us these five following Doctrines.
That the Father is well satisfied with the undertakings of the Son, Who became Redeemer and Surety to pay the ransom of believers, and perfect them in holiness and salvation. “The Father loves the Son,” said God. The Son stands Mediator in our name, undertaking to perfect our redemption in all points. The Father “loves the Son,” that is, heartily accepts His offer to do the work, and is well pleased with Him. The soul60 of God the Father delights in Him and rests upon Him, and makes Him, in this His office, the receptacle of love, grace, and good will to be conveyed by Him to believers in Him.
Jesus Christ, in His capacity of Mediator, and as He is God incarnate,61 the Word made flesh, so that He may fulfill the Covenant of Redemption, the Father has given Christ all authority in Heaven and Earth. For the same reason, the Father completely furnished Christ with the riches of grace, Spirit, and life, with all power and ability, that is required due to:
The union of the Divine Nature with the human, or
The fullness of the Godhead dwelling substantially in His human Nature, or
That which is implied by the indivisible all-sufficiency and omnipotency of the inseparable, everywhere present Trinity, or
The work of redemption.62
“The Father,” said Christ, “has given all things into his hand” for accomplishing his work.
Great assurance of life is held forth to all who will heartily receive Christ and the offer of the Covenants of Grace and Reconciliation through Him, “Whoever believes in the Son,” said God, “has eternal life.” It is made secure to him:
In God’s purpose, and irrevocable decree, because the believer is a person elected to life
By the effectual calling of him into life by God, Who, as He is faithful, so will He do it
By promise and everlasting Covenant sworn by God in order to give the believer strong consolation in life and death upon immutable grounds
By a pledge and investment under the great seal of the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper, as often as the believer comes to receive the symbols and pledges of life
In Christ, Who is the source and head of life. He was given a charge as attorney for believers, and in Christ our life is so laid up that it cannot be taken away
By the beginning of possession of spiritual life, regeneration, and a kingdom. This kingdom, consisting in righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit, is built up within the believer as down payment of the full possession of everlasting life.
A fearful certification is given if a person does not receive the teaching concerning righteousness and eternal life to be had by Jesus Christ. “Whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life.”63 He will not so much as understand what the teaching means.
God further certifies, that if someone does not receive the Doctrine of the Son of God, he will be burdened twice with the wrath of God. First, as a born rebel by nature, he will bear the curse of the Law, or the Covenant of Works. Second, he will endure a greater condemnation because light has come into the world and was offered to him, but he rejected it and loves darkness rather than light. This double wrath will be fastened and fixed immovably upon him so long as he remains in the condition of unbelief. “The wrath of God remains on him,” said God.
Hence may the weak believer strengthen his faith by reasoning from this foundation after this manner. Whoever believes the doctrine delivered by the Son of God, and finds himself partly drawn powerfully to believe in Him by the sight of life in Him, and partly driven by fear of God’s wrath, and clings to Christ, may be sure of the right to, and investment in eternal life through Him. “But, sinful and unworthy I,” may the weak believer say, “do believe the doctrine delivered by the Son of God, and do feel myself drawn powerfully to believe in Him by the sight of life in Him, and also I am driven by the fear of God’s wrath to cling to Christ. Therefore I may be sure of my right to, and investment in eternal life through Christ.”
Navigation, Practical Use:
Past: Logical reasoning from Scripture designed to strengthen new and old believers in their faith and walk with God
Present: Logical reasoning from Scripture by which a believer can examine himself and validate the existence of true saving faith in him, or the contrary
Future: Appendix 1: Getting Started in the Christian Life and the Holy Bible
59 Some Bible versions render “whoever does not obey the Son” as “whoever does not believe the Son.” There is no significant textual variant or question as to the meaning of the Greek. It appears that some translators, because disobedience is set in opposition to belief, translate as disbelieve or similar, rather than simply following the text. But it is perfectly logical that disobedience may be set in opposition to belief because true faith generates good works. Using disobedience instead of unbelief as the standard of measure makes self-deceit more difficult and also more obvious to others.
60 God is a transcendent Spirit Whose being and essence is unknowable by humans. As such, He does not possess anything like a human or created soul. Scripture does occasionally refer to God’s soul; this is anthropomorphic language that refers to God’s deepest and most intimate inner being (a description that is itself essentially anthropomorphic). An example is “Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations” (Isaiah 42:1 ESV).
61 When Mary conceived the Lord Jesus, the eternal Son of God attached to Himself a full and complete human nature of body and soul. Both His divine and human natures are full and complete in one Person, but without mixture between the two. This event is frequently termed the incarnation of Christ.
62 This point (2.) is a bit complex, but it all boils down to the fact God the Father has given the God-man, Jesus Christ, as the God-man, everything He needed in order to do the work of saving sinners and ruling as Mediatorial King. As God, the Lord Jesus is eternally self-sufficient. But as man, the Last Adam, the Lord Jesus needed the resources of the Holy Spirit without measure.
63 Some versions render “whoever does not obey” as “whoever does not believe.” There is no significant textual variant or question as to the meaning of the Greek. It appears that some translators, because disobedience is set in opposition to belief, translate as disbelieve or similar, rather than simply following the text. It is perfectly logical that disobedience may be set in opposition to belief because true faith generates good works.
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