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The command of God
The third warrant and special motive to believe in Christ, is the strict and awful command of God that charges all hearers of the Gospel to go to Christ in the way that God commanded and to believe in Him: “And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us” (1 John 3:23 ESV). In this, the Apostle gives us to understand these five Doctrines:
If anyone does not accept the sweet invitation of God, nor the humble and loving request God made to him to be reconciled, he shall find he has to do with the sovereign authority of the highest Majesty: “This is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ,” says He.
If anybody looks upon this command as he has previously looked on the neglected commandments of the Law, he must consider that this is a command of the Gospel, given later than the Law, and given for making use of the remedy for all sins. If it is disobeyed, there is no other command to follow but this: “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels’” (Matthew 25:41 ESV). Obedience of this commandment to believe is most pleasant in God’s sight when “… we keep his commandments and do what pleases him” (1 John 3:22 ESV). “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him” (Hebrews 11:6 ESV).
Everyone who hears the Gospel must make conscience of the duty of lively faith in Christ.57 The weak believer must not think it presumption to do what is commanded. The person inclined to desperation must pick himself up and think carefully about obedience to this sweet and saving command. The strong believer must dip yet more into the sense of his need of Jesus Christ, and more and more grow in the obedience of this command. Yes, even the most unrepentant, profane, and wicked person must not thrust himself out or be thrust out by others from careful aiming at this duty, no matter how desperate his condition seems to be. For He Who commands everyone to believe in Christ also implicitly commands everyone to believe that they are damned and lost without Christ. Thus, God commands all people to acknowledge their sins and their need of Christ. In effect, God commands everyone to repent, that they may believe in Him. And whoever refuses to repent of his past sins is guilty of disobedience to this command given to all hearers, but especially to those who are within the visible Church, for “this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ,” says He.
The one who obeys this commandment has built his salvation on a solid ground. For:
He has found the promised Messiah Who is completely furnished with all perfections for the perfect execution of the offices of Prophet, Priest, and King. This is that Christ in whom the person believes.
He has embraced a Savior who is able to save to the uttermost and who effectually saves every one who comes to God through Him, for He is Jesus the true Savior of his people from their sins.
He who obeys this command has built his salvation on the Rock, that is, on the Son of God, Who has absolutely perfect right to be considered equal to the Father, and who is worthy to be the object of saving faith and of spiritual worship. For “this is his commandment,” says He, “that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ.”
He who has believed on Jesus Christ, although he is freed from the curse of the Law, he is not freed from the command and obedience of the Law, but tied to it by a new obligation and a new command from Christ. This new command from Christ draws down help to obey the command. To this command from Christ, the Father adds his authority and command also. “And this is his commandment,” says John, “that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us” (1 John 3:23 ESV). The first part of this command enjoins belief in Him, which necessarily implies love to God, and thus obedience to the first Table,58 for believing in God and loving God are inseparable. And the second part of the command enjoins love to our neighbor (especially to the household of faith) and thus obedience to the second Table of the Law.
Hence a weak believer may strengthen himself by reasoning from this foundation after this manner: Whoever in the sense of his own sinfulness and fear of God’s wrath, at the command of God flees to Jesus Christ, the only remedy of sin and misery, and has engaged his heart to the obedience of the Law of love, his faith is not presumptuous or dead, but true and saving faith. “But I,” may the weak believer say, “in the sense of my own sinfulness and fear of God’s wrath, am fled to Jesus Christ the only remedy of sin and misery, and have engaged my heart to the obedience of the Law of love. Therefore my faith is not a presumptuous and dead faith, but true and saving faith.”
57 Faith and obedience cannot be separated; one who believes God will believe that His commands are perfect and the absolute best thing to do is obey Him fully.
58 It is traditional in Christian writings to divide the Ten Commandments into two “tables,” the first of which is the first four Commandments, those that pertain to our duty to God. The second table then refers to the six other Commandments, those that pertain to our duty to mankind. The division is hardly exact because, for example, the fourth Commandment forbids making one’s servant work on the Sabbath, and coveting is a matter of the heart and primarily an offense against God.
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