Question 37

Questions 37 and 38 occupy the department of theology which is designated Eschatology, or the doctrine of the Last Things. The benefits that the effectually called partake of in this life having been set forth in Questions 32–36, the Catechism now passes on to deal with the benefits believers receive at death.

The souls of believers are at their death made perfect in holiness—While teaching the doctrine of the word of God on the matter in hand, this Answer is so drawn as to deny the Romish doctrine of a purgatorial state between death and resurrection. The Under world of the Fathers and the Purgatory of the Papists are both opposed by the teaching of the Catechism. Were we only to employ natural reason in dealing with such a mysterious matter, we might well be staggered at the assertion that what has taken so long time to make so little progress, should be in a moment made perfect; that our growth in holiness, which has been so slow and fitful, should all at once leap into immediate and everlasting perfection. But in this whole region of things, we must go by the word of God alone, and its teaching all points to the doctrine of the Reformed Churches, that “the souls of believers are at their death made perfect in holiness, and do immediately pass into glory.” Nor are we without actual examples in Scripture of great and sudden changes wrought in the spiritual state of men by the power and grace of God analogous, at least, to what is here promised to believers at their death. The immense and immediate transformation that the disciples underwent on the day of Pentecost, was, if not equal, at least analogous and initial to that consummating change they underwent at the hour of death. Paul also underwent a more radical change at the gate of Damascus than even that which he passed through at his abundant entrance into glory, “when, like a northern midnight, the rose of evening became suddenly and silently the rose of dawn.” At the same time there is room both in Scripture and Protestant doctrine for the observation of Calvin: “Although those who have been freed from the mortal body do no longer contend with the lusts of the flesh, and are, as the expression is, beyond the reach of a single dart, yet there will be no absurdity in speaking of them as in the way of advancement, inasmuch as they have not yet reached the point at which they aspire,—they do not enjoy the felicity and glory which they have hoped for, and, in fine, the day has not yet shone which is to discover the treasures which lie hid in hope. And in truth, when hope is spoken of, our eyes must always be directed forward to a blessed resurrection as the great object in view.”

and do immediately pass into glory—“Their souls immediately return to God who gave them. . . . Besides the highest heavens and hell, besides these two places for souls separated from their bodies, the Scripture acknowledgeth none” (Confession, chap. xxxii.).

and their bodies being still united to Christ—The apostle, arguing against sensuality in his First Epistle to the Corinthians, says: “Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ?” and it is his doctrine in all his epistles that Christ has redeemed our whole man, and that we are His, body, soul, and spirit. The believer is united in regeneration to Christ, soul and body, and soul and body are both henceforth in Christ’s keeping; and He will present both without spot or blemish at the great day. It is not the soul, but the body, that “sleeps in Jesus.” Their very dust to Him is dear.

“‘The Fathers are in dust, yet live to God,’
So says the Truth; as if the motionless clay
Still held the seeds of life beneath the sod,
Smouldering and struggling till the judgment-day.
Sophist may urge his cunning test, and deem
That they are earth; but they are heavenly shrines.”—Newman.

“God, my Redeemer lives,
And often from the skies
Looks down and watches all my dust,
Till He shall bid it rise.”—Watts.

do rest in their graves till the resurrection. Rest is one of the sweetest words in the language of men, and the rest that remaineth for the weary body is only a rest as in sleep before the glorious awakening. “This body shall not be buried, but sown,” sown as seed to spring up to eternal life.

“Death, thou wast once an uncouth, hideous thing:
But since our Saviour’s death
Has put some blood into thy face,
Thou hast grown sure a thing to be desired
And full of grace.”—George Herbert.

Uses

1. If all this is so, then death, as Herbert says, is a thing to be desired, as it would be did our faith and hope aright realize it. A gracious soul should live in a constant and hopeful outlook for the approach of such an awful yet glorious change.
2. When death comes, and it may come any moment, all our gracious opportunities will be for ever past. And the thought of this ought to make death to the youngest ever imminent, just as Scripture, because of the transcendent importance of Christ’s coming, always speaks of it as just at hand.
3. What is the fourth inference? Saints should not fear death. What is the last inference? Employ your bodies for good now (Flavel).

Question

Explain what is meant by the following: The intermediate state; Hades; Limbus Patrum; Purgatory; Paradise; and compare with teaching of Catechism