There is nothing in salvation brought about by man, not conviction, not faith, not the purchase of the sinner, not conversion, not assurance. I rejoice with Jonah, who said, “I will sacrifice to You with a voice of thanksgiving. That which I have vowed I will pay. Salvation is from the Lord.” (Jonah 2:9)
The catechism questions before us touch on the work that God, the Holy Spirit, does to bring about the “regeneration and renewing” of the sinner. He opens a person’s heart to respond (Acts 16:14) and be born of the Spirit (John 3:5) by washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit (Titus 3:5-6), so that salvation is by grace through faith and not of works (Ephesians 2:8-9).
As Horatius Bonar well put it,
“Not what these hands have done
can save this guilty soul;
not what this toiling flesh has borne
can make my spirit whole.
Not what I feel or do
can give me peace with God;
not all my prayers and sighs and tears
can bear my awful load.” (1)
He goes on to praise the Christ for the singular excellence and efficacy of His saving work on our behalf. It is wonderful. From that work the Spirit applies the grace to the sinner.
Isaac Watts voices this collaborative work by saying,
”’Tis through the purchase of His death
Who hung upon the tree,
The Spirit is sent down to breathe
On such dry bones as we.” (2)
All glory goes to God for saving the unworthy sinner.
Question 33: How are we made partakers of the redemption purchased by Christ?
Answer: We are made partakers of the redemption purchased by Christ, by the effective application of it to us, by his Holy Spirit. John 3:5-6; Titus 3:5-6
Question 34: How does the Spirit apply to us the redemption purchased by Christ?
Answer: The Spirit applies to us the redemption purchased by Christ, by working faith in us, and thereby uniting us to Christ in our effectual calling. 1 John 5:1; Philippians 1:29; Ephesians 2:8; Acts 16:14; 18:27
- “Not What These Hands Have Done” by Horatius Bonar, 1864
- “’Tis Not by Works of Righteousness” by Isaac Watts,
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