← Back to sermon library

We can turn to chapter 8 in your 
Confession of Faith of Christ the Mediator. Cam has dealt with 
the first section dealing with the person of Christ. We'll deal 
with the latter half with reference to the work of Christ. But I 
do want to read the entire chapter beginning in paragraph 1. It 
pleased God in His eternal purpose to choose and ordain the Lord 
Jesus, His only begotten Son, according to the covenant made 
between them both, to be the mediator between God and man, 
the prophet, priest, and king, head and savior of His church, 
the heir of all things, and judge of the world, unto whom He did 
from all eternity give a people to be His seed, and to be by 
Him in time, redeemed, called, justified, sanctified, and glorified. The Son of God, the second person 
in the Holy Trinity, being very and eternal God, the brightness 
of the Father's glory, of one substance and equal with Him, 
who made the world, who upholdeth and governeth all things He hath 
made, did, when the fullness of time was come, take upon Him 
man's nature, with all the essential properties and common infirmities 
thereof, yet without sin. being conceived by the Holy Spirit 
in the womb of the Virgin Mary, the Holy Spirit coming down upon 
her, and the power of the Most High overshadowing her. And so 
was made of a woman of the tribe of Judah, of the seed of Abraham 
and David, according to the Scriptures. so that two whole, perfect and 
distinct natures were inseparably joined together in one person, 
without conversion, composition or confusion, which person is 
very God and very man, yet one Christ, the only mediator between 
God and man. The Lord Jesus in his human nature, 
thus united to the divine in the person of the Son, was sanctified 
and anointed with the Holy Spirit above measure, having in him 
all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, in whom it pleased 
the Father that all fullness should dwell. To the end, that 
being holy, harmless, undefiled, and full of grace and truth, 
he might be thoroughly furnished to execute the office of a mediator 
in surety, which office he took not upon himself, but was there 
unto called by his father, who also put all power and judgment 
in his hand, and gave him commandment to execute the same. "'This office 
the Lord Jesus did most willingly undertake, "'which that he might 
discharge he was made under the law, "'and did perfectly fulfill 
it, "'and underwent the punishment due to us, "'which we should 
have borne and suffered. "'Being made sin and a curse 
for us, "'enduring most grievous sorrows in his soul, "'and most 
painful sufferings in his body, "'was crucified and died, "'and 
remained in the state of the dead, "'yet saw no corruption. 
On the third day, he arose from the dead with the same body in 
which he suffered, with which he also ascended into heaven. 
And there sitteth at the right hand of his father, making intercession, 
and shall return to judge men and angels at the end of the 
world. The Lord Jesus, by his perfect obedience and sacrifice 
of himself, which he through the eternal spirit once offered 
up unto God, hath fully satisfied the justice of God, procured 
reconciliation, and purchased an everlasting inheritance in 
the kingdom of heaven for all those whom the father hath given 
unto him. Although the price of redemption was not actually 
paid by Christ till after his incarnation, yet the virtue, 
efficacy, and benefit thereof were communicated to the elect 
in all ages successively from the beginning of the world, in 
and by those promises, types, and sacrifices, wherein he was 
revealed and signified to be the seed of the woman, which 
should bruise the serpent's head, and the lamb slain from the foundation 
of the world, being the same yesterday and today and forever. Christ in the work of mediation 
acteth according to both natures, by each nature doing that which 
is proper to itself. Yet by reason of the unity of 
the person, that which is proper to one nature is sometimes in 
Scripture attributed to the person denominated by the other nature. 
To all those for whom Christ hath obtained eternal redemption, 
He doth certainly and effectually apply and communicate the same, 
making intercession for them, uniting them to Himself by His 
Spirit, revealing unto them in and by the Word the mystery of 
salvation, persuading them to believe and obey, governing their 
hearts by His Word and Spirit, and overcoming all their enemies 
by His almighty power and wisdom. in such manner and ways as are 
most consonant to his wonderful and unsearchable dispensation, 
and all of free and absolute grace, without any condition 
foreseen in them to procure it. This office of mediator between 
God and man is proper only to Christ, who is the prophet, priest, 
and king of the church of God, and may not be either in whole 
or in any part thereof transferred from him to any other. This number 
and order of offices is necessary, for in respect of our ignorance 
we stand in need of His prophetical office, and in respect of our 
alienation from God and imperfection of the best of our services, 
we need His priestly office to reconcile us and present us acceptable 
unto God. and in respect of our adverseness 
and utter inability to return to God and for our rescue and 
security from our spiritual adversaries. We need his kingly office to 
convince, subdue, draw, uphold, deliver, and preserve us to his 
heavenly kingdom. Amen. Well, remember in chapter 
7, it deals with God's covenant. Here in chapter 8, we have the 
mediator of the covenant. And as I said, the first part 
deals with the person of the mediator, and the latter part 
deals with the specific work of the mediator. And it's important 
for us to remember that what we see in paragraphs 1 and 2 
is the self-same Christ of paragraphs 3 to 10. In other words, the 
Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, the only begotten 
Son of God, the Word, assumed our humanity without ever giving 
up His divinity, without confusing the divinity, without a composite 
to make some third thing, but rather what we have is the divine 
Word who assumed our humanity and dwelt among us, as John says 
in John 1, 14. He is that Lamb of God who takes 
away the sin of the world. So paragraph 1, just by way of 
reminder, deals with the pre-temporal appointment of the mediator, 
or what we call in theology the covenant of redemption, that 
eternal transaction between the parties of the Trinity to save 
His people from their sins. And then in paragraphs 2 to 8, 
we have the historical revelation of the mediator. Paragraph 9 
deals with the exclusivity of Christ as the mediator. And then 
paragraph 10, rather, deals with the threefold office of the mediator. So, in terms of the historical 
revelation of the Mediator, paragraph 2 specifically speaks concerning 
the incarnation of the Word. And it's a wonderful paragraph, 
a paragraph that I commend to you. It does summarize what the 
Bible teaches concerning the incarnation of our blessed Savior. I think the last statement there 
summarizes it well. so that two whole, perfect, and 
distinct natures were inseparably joined together in one person 
without conversion, composition, or confusion, which person is 
very God and very man, yet one Christ, the only mediator between 
God and man." And then we see in paragraph three the anointing 
of the mediator for his work of mediation. Specifically, in 
paragraph 3, note in the first section, the Lord Jesus, in His 
human nature, thus united to the Divine in the person of the 
Son, was sanctified and anointed with the Holy Spirit above measure, 
having in Him all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, in whom 
it pleased the Father that all fullness should dwell. "'to the 
end that being wholly harmless, undefiled, "'and full of grace 
and truth, "'he might be thoroughly furnished "'to execute the office 
of a mediator in surety, "'which office he took not upon himself, 
"'but was thereunto called by his Father, "'who also put all 
power and judgment in his hand, "'and gave him commandment to 
execute the same.'" So a good general overarching description 
of the suitability of our Lord Jesus Christ for that work of 
salvation. Remember that when we deal with 
sin, when we deal with rebellion against God, only God Himself 
could save us from that sin. And that's the beauty of chapter 
8, that's the beauty of John 1, 1 and verse 14, and then John 
1, 29. Only God Himself can save sinful 
humanity. And for the work of redemption, 
it must be one that's a suitable redeemer. For the work of redemption, 
it must be one who is fit for that particular task. And we 
see here in paragraph three, again, an overarching statement 
concerning that particular fitness. Now, when we go to the work of 
the mediator, specifically in paragraphs 4 to 8, we have the 
historical description, paragraph 4, the specific operation in 
paragraph 5, the retrospective application in paragraph 6, I'll 
explain that when we get there, the communication of idioms in 
paragraph 7, and then the effectual application of that work in paragraph 
8. So let's look first at the historical 
description in paragraph 4. Notice this office the Lord Jesus 
did most willingly undertake. He didn't come against His will. 
He didn't come with some sort of confused mind about it. We 
read specifically in John's Gospel, I always do that which is pleasing 
to my Father. My meat is to do the will of 
Him who sent me. In John 18 in Gethsemane when 
he cautions Peter, tells Peter to put away the sword, he says, 
I must drink the cup that my father has given me. So there 
was never a mixed message between the father and the son, but we 
see specifically here that this office the Lord Jesus did most 
willingly undertake. And then we see reference to 
what we call in theology the state of humiliation. When you 
talk about Christ, you've got the preexistent state, you've 
got the state of humiliation, and then the state of exaltation. 
And when we think of humiliation, we think of being outside naked 
and being humiliated. Well, that's not specifically 
what we mean. It means the assumption of our 
humanity entering into this world, living as a man among men and 
being a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. So the state of humiliation 
describes that earthly ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ. It's 
summarized here in paragraph four when it says, which that 
he might discharge, he was made under the law. And if you look 
specifically at Galatians 4 and verse 4, you see that emphasis 
by the apostle. You see it elsewhere to be sure, 
but Galatians chapter 4 is the language that the confession 
is referencing here when it speaks concerning that being made under 
the law. Again, it was requisite that 
the Savior be made under the law. It was requisite that He 
does fulfill all righteousness. It was requisite that He victoriously 
triumphs so that the righteousness of Christ can be imputed to us 
and received by faith alone. Notice in 4.4, But when the fullness 
of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, 
born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, 
that we might receive the adoption as sons. And because you are 
sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, 
crying out, Abba, Father. Therefore you are no longer a 
slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. So this state of humiliation 
with reference to the Incarnation, we see that He was made under 
the law, and we see that it was perfect fulfillment. If you look 
at chapter 19 in your Confession of Faith, specifically at paragraph 
1, hopefully a concept that you have heard several times whenever 
we have sought to preach the requirements of the law, In paragraph 
1 it says, God gave to Adam a law of universal obedience written 
in his heart, and a particular precept of not eating the fruit 
of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, by which He bound him 
in all his posterity, note, to personal, entire, exact, and 
perpetual obedience, promised life upon the fulfilling, and 
threatened death upon the breach of it, and endued him with power 
and ability to keep it. So the idea that Christ fulfills 
the law perfectly, as we see here in Confession chapter 8, 
paragraph 4, is most blessed and most wonderful, because we 
are obliged, if we are to seek acceptance with God through the 
law, then we're obliged to fulfill the law the way the Confession 
stipulates there. God in this New Covenant era 
has not relaxed his standards. He's not saying, well, just give 
it your best shot, show up at church a couple of times a month, 
and give occasionally, and just do the best you can. That's not 
what we find in the New Covenant. It's not that the law of God 
has been relaxed. It's not that the law of God 
has been done away with. It's that it's been fulfilled 
such that God can be both just and the justifier of the one 
who has faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. So the perfect fulfillment 
of it is absolutely necessary for the later teaching on the 
imputation of Christ's righteousness. We need His active obedience 
to the law because we have actively disobeyed that law. We have transgressed. We have lacked conformity. We 
have not engaged in exact or entire or perpetual obedience 
to that law, and as a result we are justly liable to God's 
curse, God's wrath, both in this life and that which is to come. 
So it was requisite that the mediator be man, and that as 
man he perfectly fulfill that law of God. But then notice it 
goes on to underscore what we'll see later identified as passive 
obedience, and underwent the punishment due to us, which we 
should have borne and suffered. So you see how the confession 
builds upon itself, so that when we get to chapter 11 of justification, 
and it speaks concerning active and passive obedience, It's not 
a brand new concept. The groundwork is laid here. 
Christ perfectly fulfilled the law in active obedience, and 
Christ underwent the punishment due to us, which we should have 
borne and suffered. So it's laying the groundwork 
for passive obedience and penal substitutionary curse bearing. 
That is a document, or doctrine rather, that has been recently 
questioned on Twitter. I'm not sure why. It's weird. 
You spend any time on theology Twitter or Christian Twitter, 
you see recycled over and over again debates that were long 
ago settled and long ago dealt with and long ago enshrouded 
in good creeds and confessions for the church to confess with 
the saints of old. So this idea of penal substitutionary 
atonement is here. and underwent the punishment 
due to us which we should have borne and suffered." Again, the 
whole idea behind the doctrine of justification by faith alone. 
He obeys the law perfectly and fulfills it perfectly as the 
reason for or the rationale as to how we can receive that imputed 
righteousness. It's received by faith alone. 
and that Christ stood in our place. And again, penal substitutionary 
atonement, John 1, 29, behold the Lamb of God who takes away 
the sin of the world. How does He do that? Well, He 
does it by receiving in His own person the punishment that was 
due for us. That wrath, that curse that you 
and I deserve, he took, he spent it, he exhausted that wrath and 
fury on the cross. It was that which caused him 
to cry out in the garden, if it's possible, let this cup pass 
from me. It's the cup of God's wrath, 
it's fury, it's curse, it's punishment for sin and sinners. And so he 
underwent the punishment due to us, which we should have borne 
and suffered. Notice being made sin and a curse 
for us. If you've still got Galatians 
4 open, look back at Galatians 3. Cam just preached on this 
last Sunday night. But notice in Galatians 3, 13. Christ has redeemed us from the 
curse of the law, having become a curse for us. For it is written, 
cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree. If that's not substitutionary 
curse bearing, I don't know what is. Some of these challenges 
offered up to settled Christian doctrine are so foolish and futile 
when you have specific texts of scripture that you just have 
to read to see the emphasis. that the blessing of Abraham 
might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus that we might 
receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. So the confession 
goes through these things to underscore what he does for us 
men and for our salvation. And now it elucidates or draws 
out or amplifies how this all took shape in the life of the 
Savior in his earthly ministry. Notice, enduring most grievous 
sorrows in his soul. Again, I mentioned Gethsemane 
in Matthew chapter 26. My soul is exceedingly sorrowful 
even unto death. So it was soulish sorrow. He 
had a true, reasonable, rational soul. That is indicative of his 
true humanity. So enduring most grievous sorrows 
in his soul and most painful sufferings in his body. We're 
going to see this described in Psalm 31 this morning in morning 
worship. I wanted to finish the sayings 
of the Savior on the cross. We're going to take a look at 
Luke 23, 46, Father into your hands I commit my spirit, and 
then look in detail at Psalm 31 from whence that particular 
verse comes. And the psalmist there, David, 
is describing Messiah. He is describing Jesus. As I've 
said many times in our studies in the Passion, specifically 
at the cross and the crucifixion, the psalmists give us more detail 
in terms of the physical suffering and torment of the Lord Jesus 
Christ. But the psalmist speaks there 
concerning the sufferings of both soul and body, and that 
is precisely what is in view here, enduring most grievous 
sorrows in his soul and most painful sufferings in his body. 
So while the gospel writers don't engage in some sort of, you know, 
Roman Catholic stations of the cross, celebrating each act of 
physical torment upon the body of Jesus, the psalmists do describe 
it in detail, And it's something we ought to pay attention to. 
True humanity suffers under thorns in their heads. True humanity 
suffers under the slaps of wicked men. True humanity suffers when 
it's pierced with nails. True humanity suffered on the 
cross in the person of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the confession 
doesn't shy back from telling us that. It goes on to say, was 
crucified and died and remained in the state of the dead, yet 
saw no corruption. So again, things that are true 
of true humanity. He died. He was buried. He went 
into the grave. That tomb occupied by the person 
of our Lord Jesus Christ, according to his humanity, is a further 
evidence of true humanity. It's a further declaration that 
the incarnation wasn't just an appearance of God becoming man, 
but rather it was real, it was actual, it was legitimate. So 
it then moves from the state of humiliation to the state of 
exaltation. Notice, after yet saw no corruption, 
it says, on the third day, he arose from the dead with the 
same body in which he suffered, with which he also ascended into 
heaven, and there sitteth at the right hand of his father, 
making intercession, and shall return to judge men and angels 
at the end of the world. When we talk about the state 
of exaltation, we see resurrection, We see as well exaltation, or 
rather ascension to the right hand of the Father, and then 
we see what we call the current session. So what's Christ doing 
right now? He's at the right hand of the 
Father, where he has all authority in heaven and on earth. He is 
the messianic king, and he will come again in glory to judge 
the living and the dead. And that's what the Confession 
moves to now. So we've got that state of humiliation. 
We could say the state of pre-incarnate glory is chapters 1 and then 
into chapter 2. And here we have the state of 
humiliation and the state of exaltation. So all of that encompasses 
the work of the Savior. And again, it's important for 
us to remember it's the work of the Savior described at the 
end of paragraph 2. so that two whole perfect and 
distinct natures were inseparably joined together in one person 
without conversion, composition, or confusion, which person is 
very God and very man, yet one Christ, the only mediator between 
God and man." There was no change to his divine nature, there was 
no confusion of that divine nature, there was no sort of mingling 
of that divine nature with the human nature to make a third 
thing. No, he never ceased being what he was when he assumed our 
humanity and did everything that paragraph 4 tells us in terms 
of soul sorrow, in terms of body sorrow, in terms of crucifixion, 
and in terms of then resurrection, ascension, and the exaltation 
of the right hand of God the Father. And then the focus in 
paragraph 5, again, laying groundwork for later on. So chapter 7 is 
the covenant. Chapter 8 is the covenant mediator. And then chapters 9 and following 
up to around chapter 18 is the application of those redemptive 
benefits to the elect. You even see that nod in paragraph 
8, to all those for whom Christ hath obtained eternal redemption. Not for the reprobate, not for 
the godless, not for the non-elect, but what the covenant mediator 
does here, he does for those whom the Father had given him. 
All those whom the Father has given me will come to me, and 
the one who comes to me I will certainly not cast out. Of course 
it's particular redemption. Of course it's limited atonement. 
Because if Christ died for the sins of every single human being, 
then every single human being would be saved. Christ died specifically 
for the elect, those whom the Father had given Him, the church 
made up in all times of every tribe, tongue, people, and nation. 
So, note the focus of the specific operation in paragraph 5. The 
Lord Jesus, by His perfect obedience and sacrifice of Himself, which 
He, through the eternal Spirit, once offered up unto God, hath 
fully satisfied the justice of God, procured reconciliation, 
and purchased an everlasting inheritance in the Kingdom of 
Heaven for all those whom the Father hath given unto Him. Imagine 
a so-called salvation that a sinner could lose. Imagine a so-called 
salvation that a sinner on one day possesses and then forfeits 
by his own whatever. That does complete disservice 
to what we see here in paragraph 5 and to the scriptures that 
the paragraph is basically channeling. Notice, by his perfect obedience 
and sacrifice of himself, it wasn't imperfect, it wasn't partial, 
it wasn't simply an additional help to those who are gonna make 
their own good decisions and then live consistently with that. 
But note, which he threw the eternal spirit once offered up 
unto God, hath fully satisfied the justice of God. Imagine being 
a true believer on Monday and having lost it on Friday. That 
has to mean that Christ didn't fully satisfy the justice of 
God, because the justice of God has to be fully satisfied in 
that one who had it, but then lost it. Procured reconciliation. He didn't just make the procurement 
of it possible, but he actually procured it. He purchased an 
everlasting inheritance in the kingdom of heaven for all those 
whom the Father hath given unto Him. You can turn to Hebrews 
chapter nine. Hebrews chapter nine. Again, 
the backdrop to what we find here in Confession chapter eight, 
paragraph five. Notice in chapter nine, the contrast 
is obvious. It's between old and new covenant. 
And just, you know, spoiler alert, the new covenant is better. The 
New Covenant is better. There are those who want to flatten 
the betterness of New Covenant to smuggle in Old Covenant categories 
into the New Covenant. But the argument in the book 
of Hebrews is the superiority of Christ. He's superior over 
the angels. He's superior over Moses. He's 
superior over Joshua. He's superior over Aaron. He 
is superior, His covenant is superior over the Old Covenant. 
In fact, in chapters eight, nine and, I'm sorry, seven and eight, 
Very clearly, he's the surety of a better covenant. It's a 
better covenant founded on better promises that affords a better 
hope. He's not saying the Old Covenant 
was bad. He's not taking shots at the 
Old Covenant. The problem wasn't the Old Covenant. 
The problem was with the Israelites and their failure to keep the 
Old Covenant. The problem isn't God's dealings, it's man's sin. The old covenant was always designed 
to be temporary. There was a built-in obsolescence. 
There was a built-in announcement of a better and new covenant. 
Jeremiah 31, 31 to 34. The prophet Ezekiel, chapters 
36 and 37. There was always this picture 
of a better covenant that was in the future, in the horizon. 
Way back on the plains of Moab, in Deuteronomy chapter 30, you 
see new covenant theology Later, I think, picked up by the prophet 
Jeremiah in chapter 31, 31 to 34. If we really want to be Jeremiah-ic 
when it comes to our understanding of the New Covenant from an Old 
Covenant perspective, let's go to the plains of Moab and stand 
with Moses in Deuteronomy chapter 30. It's a beautiful statement. 
But note here, again, the contrast. What the old covenant does, what 
the new covenant does. Verse 11, but Christ came as 
high priest of the good things to come with the greater and 
more perfect tabernacle not made with hands. That is not of this 
creation, not with the blood of goats and calves, but with 
his own blood, he entered the most holy place. Note the emphasis 
here. Once for all, you see that over 
and over again in the book of Hebrews, once for all, That picks 
up, or rather that's sort of expressed in this idea of procured 
reconciliation. It was a once-for-all sacrifice. 
We don't need to replicate it. We don't need to duplicate it. 
We don't need to engage in a non-bloody form of it called the Mass or 
the Eucharist in Roman Catholic theology. No, it's once-for-all. No, having obtained eternal redemption. So again, the concept that somebody 
could be saved on a Monday genuinely and lose it by a Friday ultimately 
speaks concerning the futility of the Savior. Either he obtained 
it, obtained an eternal redemption or he didn't. For if the blood 
of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling the unclean 
sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall 
the blood of Christ, who through the eternal spirit offered himself 
without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works 
to serve the living God? We'll look at verse 15 in just 
a moment, but look, the confession isn't making things up. It's 
not spitballing here. Turn to John chapter 6. John 
chapter 6. Again, the definiteness, the 
satisfaction, the fulfillment, all the obligations placed upon 
the Word who became flesh are executed and carried out by Him. 
Notice in John 6 at verse 35, I am the bread of life. He who 
comes to me shall never hunger, and he who believes in me shall 
never thirst. But I said to you that you have seen me and yet 
do not believe. All that the Father gives me 
will come to me, and the one who comes to me I will by no 
means cast out. For I have come down from heaven, 
not to do my own will, but the will of Him who sent me. This 
is the will of the Father who sent me, that of all He has given 
me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last 
day. And this is the will of Him who sent me, that everyone 
who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life, 
and I will raise Him up at the last day. Again, if somebody's 
saved really on a Monday and loses it by Friday, what do we 
do with verse 39? This is the will of the Father 
who sent me, that of all he has given me, I should lose nothing, 
but should raise it up the last day. So what we find here in 
this treatment of the covenant mediator is the solid ground 
and foundation for the application of the covenant mediator's benefits 
to the elect as described in chapters 10 to 18. If we don't 
have chapter 2 of God and the Holy Trinity, if we don't have 
chapter 8 of Christ the Mediator, there ain't no chapters 10 to 
18. If we don't have the God that 
is portrayed to us in chapters 2 and 8, we don't have the salvation 
from that God that is described to us in chapters 10 to 18. So 
Christ didn't just kind of fulfill, He didn't just partially fulfill, 
He didn't just get the ball rolling, but rather He fulfilled, He procured 
redemption, He procured reconciliation, and He purchased an everlasting 
inheritance in the Kingdom of Heaven for all those whom the 
Father hath given unto Him. Now, paragraph 6, we'll pick 
up Hebrews 9, 15 in just a moment, but notice in paragraph 6, I 
call this the retrospective application with reference to His redemptive 
benefit. Although the price of redemption 
was not actually paid by Christ till after His incarnation, yet, 
The virtue, efficacy, and benefit thereof were communicated to 
the elect in all ages successively from the beginning of the world, 
in and by those promises, types, and sacrifices wherein he was 
revealed, and signified to be the seed of the woman which should 
bruise the serpent's head, and the lamb slain from the foundation 
of the world being the same yesterday, and today, and forever. So what 
is it saying? It's saying the only way of salvation, 
the only way of redemption, the only way of acceptance with God 
is through the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ. Whether 
you're Abel or you're the Apostle Paul, whether you're Isaac or 
whether you're the Apostle Peter, whether you're Moses or you're 
the Apostle John, there's one way of salvation. All of the 
benefits procured by our Lord Jesus Christ in space and time 
are applied to the elect in that Old Covenant economy by virtue 
of what Christ would accomplish on their behalf. So, Old Covenant 
saints were looking forward to the Messiah. They were fed by 
these, as the Confession says, the promises, types, and sacrifices 
wherein He was revealed. So, the Genesis 3.15, the Genesis 
22, the Deuteronomy 18, the prophet Isaiah and his servant-sons of 
Yahweh. the promise of the New Covenant 
in Jeremiah and Ezekiel, the promise of the Messiah in Isaiah 
9, the promise of the Messiah in Micah 5. All those things 
fed the faith of the elect. Abraham believed God and it was 
accounted unto him for righteousness. What does Jesus say in John 8? 
Abraham rejoiced to see what? Some vague concept of a potential 
Messiah? No, he rejoiced to see my day. 
He saw it and he was glad. David and Abraham are Paul's 
proof texts for the doctrine of justification by faith alone 
in Romans chapter 4. How could he do that unless they 
were justified by faith alone in that Christ who would come 
to save His people from their sins? So notice in Hebrews 9 
at verse 15, and for this reason, he is the mediator of the new 
covenant by means of death for the redemption of the transgressions 
under the first covenant that those who are called may receive 
the promise of the eternal inheritance. That's as clear as clear can 
be. There's one way of salvation. 
It's not multifaceted. It's not dispensational. The 
various dispensations, the age of innocence, the age of law, 
and its implication that there's different ways of one gaining 
acceptance with God, that's not taught in scripture. There's 
one seed of Abraham. There's one promised Messiah. 
There is one mediator of God's elect announced in Genesis, furthered 
along by those farther steps of the historical covenants, 
until the realization, the final discovery comes in that new covenant. But every old covenant saint 
was saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. 
Jephthah and Samson and Ruth and Rahab, they were washed in 
the precious blood of the Lamb. That's the emphasis. For this 
reason, he is the mediator of the new covenant by means of 
death for the redemption of the transgressions under the first 
covenant. If you're following the logic 
in Hebrews 9 and 10, you might be inclined to say, well, how 
did those old covenant saints make it? If old covenant sacrifices 
only cleansed the flesh, if they were only good until the time 
of Reformation, how did those old covenant saints find acceptance 
with God? Through the new covenant champion 
of the saints. It's by means of His blood and 
the application of His benefit to Abel, to Isaac, to Abraham, 
to Samson. Those men, those women entered 
in to God's favor by grace alone, through faith alone in Christ 
alone. It's not two ways of salvation, it's not three ways of salvation, 
it's not a multitude of ways or seven dispensations, but it's 
rather grace alone, through faith alone in Christ alone. That is 
our hope, that is our confidence, that is our boast, as Paul says 
in Philippians chapter three. And then the communication of 
idioms, Cam explained that, I think, the last time we were in the 
Confessions study, paragraph 7, Christ and the work of mediation, 
acts according to both natures, by each nature doing that which 
is proper to itself. Yet by reason of the unity of 
the person, that which is proper to one nature is sometimes in 
scripture attributed to the person denominated by the other nature. So basically you can say anything 
true of a nature, say it of the person. In other words, the blood 
of God. They crucified the Lord of glory. The Son of Man is in heaven. 
Whatever is true of a nature, you can predicate of the person, 
but you can't go from nature to nature. You can't divinize 
the humanity, and you can't humanize the divinity. But whatever is 
true of humanity, you can predicate of the person of Christ. Whatever 
is true of divinity, you can predicate of the person of Christ. That's what the communication 
of idioms is. I think Cam mentioned Theotokos, 
God-bearer or mother of God. That's not a Mary Olitrus statement. The shining light isn't upon 
Mary when we refer to Mary as the mother of God. It is a statement 
concerning Jesus. The word became flesh and dwelt 
among us. Protestants have, or at least 
some, have a problem with confessing that Mary is the mother of God. 
Well, it's by virtue of the communication of idioms that we can appropriate 
that language and we can rejoice in it. She is the mother of God, 
God the Son, who for us men and for our salvation came down from 
heaven, assumed our humanity, lived for us, died for us, and 
rose again for us. So don't shrink back from saying 
that. Again, it's not a confession 
concerning the dignity of Mary. It is a confession concerning 
the dignity of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now that brings us then 
to the application in paragraph 8. Again, to all those for whom 
Christ hath obtained eternal redemption, those alone. This 
isn't a statement concerning the reprobate. This isn't a statement 
concerning, well, it's out there if anybody wants to activate 
it by his or her own free will. It's going to deal with free 
will in paragraph 9, or chapter 9. And free will is legitimate. Calvinist balk at that, or an 
Arminian will come and say, you don't believe in free will, do 
you? Yeah, we do. But you've got to locate free 
will with reference to where man is. Man in a state of innocence, 
man at the time of the fall, man in a state of grace, and 
man in glory. We have to make that distinction, 
because will, I don't want to say different, but is different 
in each of those states. In the state of innocence, man 
willed always to do what was pleasing to God. In the state 
of sin, man does always what is displeasing to God. In the 
state of grace, we have the ability to will the good, in a state 
of glory will only have the ability to will the good. So free will 
is a reality. We just need to define it. We 
need to distinguish it. We need a new onset. Free will 
in a state of sin does not mean that the sinner has an untouched 
part in him by which he can choose for Jesus or raise his hand and 
respond to an altar call. No, man is dead in his trespasses 
and sins. Unless he's effectually called 
by God out of darkness into marvelous light, he'll never respond to 
an altar call. He'll never raise his hand when 
every eye is closed and every head is bowed. It's just not 
going to happen. So chapter 9 sets the stage then 
for the application of redemptive benefit in chapters 10 to 18. 
But with reference to the application, notice, to all those for whom 
Christ hath obtained eternal redemption, he doth certainly 
and defectually apply and communicate the same, making intercession 
for that. Again, it's not haphazard, it's not accidental, it's not 
hopeful. Yeah, I hope, son, that you can apply everything that 
you've accomplished on the cross and in your life to that group 
of people. I'm pulling for you, son. That's 
not the language of the confession, and that's not the language of 
the Bible, the announcement of the birth of the Savior in Matthew 
121. What does it say? He shall kind 
of maybe help His people save themselves from their sins? No, 
He will save His people from their sins. Look at Hebrews 2, 
if you're still in Hebrews, Hebrews chapter 2 in terms of the definiteness 
and certainty of the application of redemptive benefit. Hebrews 
2.17, therefore in all things he had to be made like his brethren, 
that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things 
pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. It's 
not just sin in general, it's not just sin out there, but it's 
the sins of the people. What people? The elect, the ones 
whom the Father had given Him. For in that He Himself has suffered, 
being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted. Or 
if you like, Hebrews 7. Hebrews 7, verse 23, also there 
were many priests because they were prevented by death from 
continuing. But he, because he continues forever, has an unchangeable 
priesthood. Therefore he is also able to 
save to the uttermost those who come to God through him, since 
he always lives to make intercession for them. So when the confession 
here is presenting the work of Christ, you see the backdrop 
of the book of Hebrews, at least large portions of it, because 
the book of Hebrews deals with the work of Christ. He is our 
great high priest. He is the surety of a better 
covenant. He is that one that was prophesied 
concerning in Psalm 110, a priest of the order of Melchizedek. 
He's appointed by oath. He is surety. He is representative. He is high priest. He does effectively 
save his people from their sins. So there's no sort of potential 
salvation presented in the Confession, just like there's no potential 
salvation presented in the Bible. When we preach the gospel to 
sinners and we say, come to Jesus in faith and you will be saved, 
that's not a lie. That's not a falsehood. We're 
not presenting a potentiality. We're not saying, you might gain 
some favor with God, you will be saved. It's a blessed reality. All that the Father gives me 
will come to me, and the one who comes to me I will by no 
means cast out. And then he says specifically 
that his mission, his will, is to save them from their sins. So the essence of His work is 
seen there, making intercession for them, uniting them to Himself 
by His Spirit, revealing unto them in and by the Word the mystery 
of salvation, persuading them to believe and obey, governing 
their hearts by His Word and Spirit, and overcoming all their 
enemies by His almighty power and wisdom. In such manner and 
ways as are most consonant to his wonderful and unsearchable 
dispensation, and all of free and absolute grace without any 
condition foreseen in them to procure it. Again, the confession 
is laying foundation here, consistent with what has come previously, 
what is going to follow here, without any condition foreseen 
in them to procure it. That's a nod back to chapter 
three with reference to God's decree. It's a nod forward to 
the section on free will and the application of redemptive 
benefit to those whom the Father had given to the Son. The confession 
reads as a whole, it reads together, it's a blessed unity, and we 
need to treat it in that manner. And then the confessional emphasis 
on the exclusivity of Christ in paragraph nine. Notice, this 
office of mediator between God and man is proper only to Christ, 
who is the prophet, priest, and king of the church of God, and 
may not be either in whole or any part thereof transferred 
from him to any other. That deals with any sort of ecclesiastical 
ideal or idea that we are involved ecclesiastically in the salvation 
of sinners. No, Christ is exclusively prophet, 
priest, and king. That's not to say ecclesiology 
and churches are unimportant. I'd argue that the church is 
central in God's redemptive plan. But in terms of prophet, priest, 
and king, that's exclusive to Jesus. That's not shared with 
a pope, whether he be Roman Catholic or Protestant. It's not shared 
with any agency of men. Christ does fulfill those offices. And in terms of the threefold 
offices of Christ, the Confession is going to, it states here in 
paragraph 9 and then explains the utility in paragraph 10. 
We need to see that this isn't an imposition on Scripture. It's 
not that the Westminster divines or the Reformed Baptists or others 
came along in the history of the Church and said, boy, it'd 
be a nice structure to say that Jesus is a prophet, priest, and 
king. That'd be a nice way to sort of tool our theology and 
structure our preaching and all of that. Well, if you look back 
to Deuteronomy 18, there's a promise of a prophet. A promise of a 
prophet. Not only a promise of a prophet 
in terms of a terminus, but a promise of a succession of prophets until 
that terminus. In Deuteronomy chapter 18 verse 
15, the Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me 
from your midst, from your brethren. Him you shall hear according 
to all you desired of the Lord your God in Horeb in the day 
of the assembly. There's two passages in the New 
Testament that show us fulfillment in Jesus. The most obvious is 
Acts 3 verse 22. A bit more obscure, but just 
as obvious, if you're listening, is in Matthew 17. At the Mount of Transfiguration, 
when we see the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Father 
says, this is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased, and 
then he says what? Hear Him. It's the exact language 
in Deuteronomy 18, 15. Him you shall hear. It's no accident that Moses and 
Elijah appear on that mount and they are superseded, not by means 
of their language or teaching or doctrines were bad, but by 
the prophet Christ. In terms of priests, you can 
turn to Psalm 110. Psalm 110 gives us the priest 
who's a king, but we'll just look at priest in Psalm 110, 
specifically at verse four. The Lord has sworn and will not 
relent. You are a priest forever, according 
to the order of Melchizedek. So you see, the prophet would 
be a priest and he'd also be a king. We see conquest in verses 
five to seven. We see conquest in Isaiah nine, 
six and seven. We see kingly predicates made 
of him throughout the Psalter, throughout the prophets. But 
in Matthew, we see this threefold office of Jesus as well, from 
the mouth of the Savior himself. in Matthew chapter 12, specifically 
at verse 6. Yet I say to you that in this 
place there is one greater than the temple. He's been talking 
about priests, he's talking about temple, and he says there's one 
greater. He's talking about himself. He 
is the greater priest. Notice in chapter 12, verse 41. The men of Nineveh will rise 
up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because 
they repented at the preaching of Jonah. And indeed, a greater 
than Jonah is here, a greater prophet. And then notice in verse 
42, the queen of the south will rise up in the judgment with 
this generation and condemn it. For she came from the ends of 
the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and indeed, a greater 
than Solomon is here. He's prophet, priest, and king. 
Look at Revelation chapter one. Revelation chapter 1. It's a 
great messianic psalm behind the scenes, but in verse 5, notice, 
Revelation chapter 1, verse 5, you can compare this someday 
to Psalm 89, but notice in Revelation 1, 5, and from Jesus Christ, 
the faithful witness. Isn't that the task of a prophet? 
The firstborn from the dead focuses on the priestly sacrifice and 
the ruler over the kings of the earth, to him who loved us and 
washed us from our sins in his own blood, and has made us kings 
and priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion 
forever and ever. Amen. So this idea of prophet, 
priest, and king is not imposed upon the scripture, but rather 
it is seen obviously in the scripture. And then it explains the utility 
of his offices as prophet, priest, and king in paragraph 10. Notice, 
this number and order of offices is necessary, for in respect 
of our ignorance, we stand in need of his prophetical office. 
We need a word from God. We need a word that is divine. 
We are not smart. We are ignorant. We are dumb. We need help. And Christ functions 
as a prophet. And in respect of our alienation 
from God and imperfection of the best of our services, we 
need his priestly office to reconcile us and present us acceptable 
unto God. We need to hear from Him and 
we need His death. We need His life. We need His 
resurrection. We need all of that redemptive 
benefit secured for us by Him in His earthly ministry. And 
then notice, and in respect of our averseness and utter inability 
to return to God and for our rescue and security from our 
spiritual adversaries, We need His kingly office to convince, 
subdue, draw, uphold, deliver, and preserve us to His heavenly 
kingdom. So He is a prophet, priest, and 
king, and that speaks specifically to our need for a prophet, priest, 
and king. This number and order of offices 
is necessary. It's not arbitrary. It's not 
just a happy accident. It didn't just sort of fall out 
that way, but it was ordained by God to be thus. Israel was 
taught in the Old Testament how important the prophetic ministry 
was, Deuteronomy 18. Israel was taught how important 
the priestly ministry was, Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers, and into 
Deuteronomy. And of course, Israel was taught 
the necessity of a good and godly king, Deuteronomy chapter 21, 
and then the failures of the monarchy with reference to the 
two... to the north and southern kingdoms 
in Old Covenant Israel. So these were people that were 
in tune with an expectation concerning a prophet, priest, and king. 
So when Jesus in Matthew 12 says, a greater than the temple is 
here, a greater prophet than Jonah is here, a greater king 
than Solomon is here, We need to listen and we need to understand 
that He is all that was promised in the Old Testament prefigured 
in types and shadows and in events and places and persons and things. All of that comes to fruition 
such that Paul can say all of the promises of God are yea and 
amen in Him. So the confession is an accurate 
summary statement of what the Bible teaches concerning Christ 
the Mediator, both in His person and in His work. This is not 
an imposition from the later Church upon the Scriptures, but 
it is rather the exegetical mining of the truth of Scripture, codifying 
it into a summary form, articulating it with very good clarity and 
detail, and presenting it to the Church for our confession 
of the Christian faith. Well, let us pray. And if there's 
any questions or comments, we can deal with those. Father in 
heaven, thank You for Your Word, and thank You for the blessed 
Savior of sinners, and that person and work of our Lord Jesus Christ, 
who lived, died, and rose again for us. And we pray that wherever 
this gospel is preached today, Your Spirit would attend, Your 
Spirit would open hearts of sinners and cause them to to come to 
the Savior, believing on Him. We pray that specifically for 
our own meeting. We know that there are those 
who do not confess saving faith. We pray that today would be the 
day of salvation, be they young or old, and not just here, but 
throughout this nation and to the uttermost parts of the earth. 
May you send forth your word, conquering and to conquer, and 
may you edify and strengthen and sanctify the saints of Christ, 
and may we see Him as altogether lovely and chief among 10,000. 
And we pray this in Jesus' name. Amen. Any questions or comments 
on any of that material? Good.