Quote of President Martin Van Burn (were it only so in our time - JLO)

 

 Article XV

 

This is a simply-stated and straightforward Article with overwhelming biblical evidence to support its claims just like all the other of the Articles.

 

Let us examine the Article as found in the formularies of the Church:

 

Article XV

 

Of Christ alone without Sin. 

Christ in the truth of our nature was made like unto us in all things, sin only except, from which he was clearly void, both in his flesh, and in his spirit. He came to be the Lamb without spot, who, by sacrifice of himself once made, should take away the sins of the world; and sin (as Saint John saith) was not in him. But all we the rest, although baptized and horn again in Christ, yet offend in many things; and if we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

 

            Our Lord Jesus Christ, being borne in the flesh, experienced all the temptations of life, as well as all of its deprivations and sufferings; yet, He was peculiarly different, in one fundamental respect, from all others of the human race – He was without the spot or blemish of sin. He alone, among the multitudes of mankind, was without the slightest suggestion of sin. This one quality of the soul of Christ is clearly proved throughout the biblical record more prominently than all else. His sinless nature is the one great quality that makes him worthy to be our Savior and Redeemer for no other could qualify as sinless – including his blessed mother, Mary, who, contrary to the suggestions of the council of Trent (and later declared openly in 1854) was not without sin – nor was she ever-virgin following the birth of her beloved son, Jesus. Regardless of Mary’s virtue, without the 

salvation of her son, she would remain a lost soul. She seemed unaware of the promises of resurrection that her Lord espoused before His passion and death. He was the only human ever to live without sin.

            Jesus is the only Begotten Son of God (monogenes – Greek) of the same substance and issue of the  Father (John 3:16) He is not the one and only Son of God since we are also the sons and daughters of God, and even Adam was a son of God (see Luke 3:38)

 

            WE have the testimony of Christ concerning His sinlessness. Here is simply a sampling:

In John 8:46, Jesus says,

^“Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me?^” 

And, in John 10:30 ““I and my Father are one.” Certainly, God the Father is sinless.

We have the testimony of the Apostles:

 

Hebrews 4: ¹⁵ For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.^”

1 Peter 2:22 - Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:

2 Corinthians 5:21 - For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

The Incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ came through miraculous promise of God the Father. He was conceived by a virgin through the miraculous intercedence of the Holy Ghost – fully man, and fully God, but born with-out the sinful blood of Adam as the only Begotten Son of God – as it is written:

“¹⁴ Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son,

And shall call his name Immanuel,” Isaiah 7:14 and in Matthew

 

What other Word has been made flesh and dwelt among us? Only our Lord Jesus Christ.

¹⁴ And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” John 1:14^.”1:14

To the unbeliever, this will be a mystery, but not to those who have been saved by the grace in Christ.

The Purpose and Uses of the Law.

"Thy Word have I hid in mine heart that I might not sin against Thee." Psalms 119:11

Not only unbelievers cannot fulfil the Ten Commandments, but not even Christians can fully keep them. Why, then, do we preach the Law? “Wherefore, then, serveth the Law?” What purpose does it serve? In the first place, it, in a measure, checks the coarse outbursts of sin and thereby helps to maintain outward discipline and decency in the world. True, it is not in the power of the Law to make men Christians, but it awes and bridles the sinner by its threats and curses and punishments, so that the pent passions of the heart may not have unbridled course. Is not this our common experience? How often are even we Christians, who delight in the Law of God after the inward man, kept from sinning grossly, to which our sinful flesh would seduce us, because the Word of the Lord made a deep impression on our minds and we feared the terrible torments of hell.

It is God’s will that we do the works commanded in the Ten Commandments. As the psalmist says: “ Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.” This is another purpose of the Ten Commandments: God wants them to be a rule for us in every walk of human life and endeavor. The Spirit, who kindles faith in the heart, also works the new life of love to God and prompts man to voluntary obedience to His will. The divine Law is the perfect rule of right living, which of all men the Christian seeks to follow more and more.

But the chief purpose of every commandment is to be for us a mirror which is to show us, in strong contrast to divine perfection,our own unrighteousness. Men have by nature a certain knowledge of their sin, but they can come to a true and full knowledge of the deep dye of their sin only when they look into the mirror of the perfect Law of God. The purpose of the Law is to disclose to you the misery and wretchedness of your sinful condition and the fact that on account of it you have merited eternal damnation. And thus the Law serves to prepare you for the reception of the Gospel.

Prayer.

Lord God, heavenly Father, we pray Thee so to enlighten our hearts that in the mirror of Thy Law we may duly perceive our many and great sins. But grant also that we may ever in true ’ faith lay hold of the all-sufficient merit and obedience of Thy dear Son, trust in Thy grace, and obtain that peace which the world cannot give. Amen.

 

 THE FAMILY ALTAR-

The risen Savior shows His hands and His side to His fearing

disciples in order to convince them that it is really He and not

a ghost. But His wounded hands and side at the same time bear

eloquent testimony of His undying love for them. They speak

to them of His great sacrifice on the cross, whereby He atoned

for their sins, secured their pardon with God, and freed them

from all guilt and punishment. Because they read this message

of pardoning love in His wounded hands and side, the disciples

were glad when they saw their Lord. He could have come to

them in righteous anger and wrath and rebuked and condemned

them for their faithlessness to Him; but His blessed wounds

attest and confirm His word of peace and pardon which He spoke

to them. No human tongue will ever be able to describe the

rapturous joy that filled the hearts of the first disciples when they

saw their Savior returning to them alive from the grave and when

they heard His sweet greeting : "Peace be unto you !" Pious hearts

who live in daily loving communion with their Savior have a little

foretaste of this joy. It is sweeter to them than honey or the

honeycomb. And it fills their hearts with rapture to know that

they will also see their Lord and Savior face to face, when He

comes to take them into His mansions of everlasting light and

glory. And this joy and hope is no delusion; it is founded on

the unshakable promise of God in His holy Word; for John

writes expressly (1 John 3, 2) : "We shall see Him" — Jesus —

"as He is." Oh, that will be glory indeed!

What shall we be, when the freed soul can rise

With unrestrained and bold aspiring flight

To Him who by His wondrous sacrifice

Hath opened heaven and scatter'd sin's dark night;

When from the eye of faith the thin veil drops,

Like wreaths of mist before the morning's rays,

And we behold — the end of all our hopes —

The Son of God in full refulgent blaze?

What shall we be, when we shall hear Him say:

"Come, 0 ye blessed"; when we see Him stand

Robed in the light of everlasting day,

Before the throne of God, at His right hand;

When we behold the eyes from which once flowed

Tears o'er the sin and misery of man;

And the deep wounds from which the precious blood

That made atonement for the world once ran?