#766 1689 Confession Christ the Mediator Part 5

8:9 This office of mediator between God and humanity is appropriate for Christ alone, who is the prophet, priest and king of the church of God. This office may not be transferred from Him to anyone else, either in whole or in part. 

…4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave Himself as a ransom for all—the testimony that was given at just the right time.… 1 Timothy 2: 4-6

8:10 The number and character of these offices is essential. Because we are ignorant, we need His prophetic office. Because we are alienated from God and imperfect in the best of our service, we need His priestly office to reconcile us and present us to God as acceptable. Because we are hostile and utterly unable to return to God, and so that we can be rescued and made secure from our spiritual enemies, we need His kingly office to convince, subdue, draw, sustain, deliver and preserve us for His heavenly kingdom. 

…17For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is Himself God and is at the Father’s side, has made Him known. 19And this was John’s testimony when the Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him, “Who are you?”… John 1: 17-19

…20 and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through the blood of His cross. 21 Once you were alienated from God and were hostile in your minds because of your evil deeds. 22 But now He has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy, unblemished, and blameless in His presence—… Colossians 1: 20-22

 

16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the flesh craves what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are opposed to one another, so that you do not do what you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.… Galatians 5: 16-18

…7 But I tell you the truth, it is for your benefit that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. 8 And when He comes, He will convict the world in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 in regard to sin, because they do not believe in Me;… John 16: 7-9

2 The LORD will extend Your mighty scepter from Zion: “Rule in the midst of your enemies.” 3 Your people shall be willing on Your day of battle. Arrayed in holy splendor, from the womb of the dawn, to You belongs the dew of Your youth. 4 The LORD has sworn and will not change His mind: “You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.”… Psalm 110: 2-4

i. “On that day of His power, His people would offer themselves willingly, an army, like the dew born in the morning out of the womb of the night.” (Morgan)

…74 deliverance from hostile hands, that we may serve Him without fear, 75in holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our lives. 76 And you, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare His ways,… Luke 1: 74-76

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#765 1689 Confession Christ the Mediator Part 4

8:8 To all those for whom Christ has obtained eternal redemption, He certainly and effectually applies and imparts it. He intercedes for them, unites them to Himself by His Spirit, and reveals to them in and by His Word the mystery of salvation. He persuades them to believe and obey and governs their hearts by His Word and Spirit. He overcomes all their enemies by His almighty power and wisdom, using methods and ways that are perfectly consistent with His wonderful and unsearchable governance. All these things are by free and absolute grace, apart from any condition for obtaining it that is foreseen in them. 

But as I told you, you have seen Me and still you do not believe. 37 Everyone the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will never drive away. 38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but to do the will of Him who sent Me.… John 6: 36-38

…15 just as the Father knows Me and I know the Father. And I lay down My life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them in as well, and they will listen to My voice. Then there will be one flock and one shepherd. 17 The reason the Father loves Me is that I lay down My life in order to take it up again.… John 10: 15-17

For I have given them the words You gave Me, and they have received them. They knew with certainty that I came from You, and they believed that You sent Me. 9 I ask on their behalf. I do not ask on behalf of the world, but on behalf of those You have given Me; for they are Yours. 10 All I have is Yours, and all You have is Mine; and in them I have been glorified.… John 17: 8-10

…9 Therefore, since we have now been justified by His blood, how much more shall we be saved from wrath through Him! 10 For if,when we were enemies of God, we were reconciled to Him through the death of His Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through His life! 11 Not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.… Romans 5: 9-11

And now, Father, glorify Me in Your presence with the glory I had with You before the world existed. 6 I have revealed Your name to those You have given Me out of the world. They were Yours; You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word. 7 Now they know that everything You have given Me comes from You.… John 17: 5-7

that He lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. 9 And He has made known to us the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure, which He purposed in Christ 10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to bring all things in heaven and on earth together in Christ.… Ephesians 1: 8-10

We know that we are of God, and that the whole world is under the power of the evil one. 20 And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true— in His Son Jesus Christ. He is the TRUE God and eternal life. 21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols.… 1 John 5: 19-21

You, however, are controlled not by the flesh, but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. 10 But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet the Spirit gives you life because of righteousness. 11 And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit, who lives in you.… 

Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation, but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. 13 For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.… Romans 8: 9-14

1 A Psalm of David. The LORD said to my Lord: “Sit at My right hand until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.” 2 The LORD will extend Your mighty scepter from Zion: “Rule in the midst of your enemies.”… Psalm 110: 1-2

For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death. 27 For “God has put everything under His feet.” Now when it says that everything has been put under Him, this clearly does not include the One who put everything under Him.… 1 Corinthians 15: 25-27

Do not be amazed that I said, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes. You hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” 9“How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.… John 3: 7-9

In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace 8 that He lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. 9 And He has made known to us the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure, which He purposed in Christ… Ephesians 1: 7-9

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#764 1689 Confession Christ the Mediator Part 3

8:5 The Lord Jesus has fully satisfied the justice of God, obtained reconciliation, and purchased an everlasting inheritance in the kingdom of heaven for all those given to Him by the Father. He has accomplished these things by His perfect obedience and sacrifice of Himself, which He once for all offered up to God through the eternal Spirit.

When Jesus had spoken these things, He lifted up His eyes to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son may glorify You. 2 For You granted Him authority over all humanity, so that He may give eternal life to all those You have given Him. 3 Now this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent.… John 17: 1-3

For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that their bodies are clean, 14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself unblemished to God, purify our consciences from works of death,so that we may serve the living God! 15 Therefore Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, now that He has died to redeem them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.… Hebrews 9: 13-15

Since that time, He waits for His enemies to be made a footstool for His feet, 14 because by a single offering He has made perfect for all time those who are sanctified. 15 The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First He says:… Hebrews 10: 13-15

…24 and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. 25 God presented Him as an atoning sacrifice through faith in His blood, in order to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance He had passed over the sins committed beforehand. 26 He did this to demonstrate His righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and to justify the one who has faith in Jesus.… Romans 3: 24-26

8:6 The price of redemption was not actually paid by Christ till after His incarnation. Yet the virtue, efficacy and benefit of it was imparted to the elect in every age since the beginning of the world, in and by those promises, types, and sacrifices that revealed Him and pointed to Him as the seed that would bruise the serpent's head and the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. He is the same yesterday and today and forever. 

For it seems to me that God has displayed us apostles at the end of the procession, like prisoners appointed for death. We have become a spectacle to the whole world, to angels as well as to men. 10 We are fools for Christ, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are honored, but we are dishonored. 11 To this very hour we are hungry and thirsty, we are poorly clothed, we are brutally treated, we are homeless.… 1 Corinthians 4: 9-11

1 Therefore, while the promise of entering His rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be deemed to have fallen short of it. 2 For we also received the good news, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, since they did not share the faith of those who comprehended it. 3 Now we who have believed enter that rest. As for the others, it is just as God has said: “So I swore on oath in My anger, ‘They shall never enter My rest.’” And yet His works have been finished since the foundation of the world.… Hebrews 4: 1-3

Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who foretold the grace to come to you, searched and investigated carefully, 11 trying to determine the time and setting to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow. 12 It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they foretold the things now announced by those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things.… 1 Peter 1: 10-12

Then the beast was permitted to wage war against the saints and to conquer them, and it was given authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation. 8 And all who dwell on the earth will worship the beast— all whose names have not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain. 9 He who has an ear, let him hear:… Revelation 13: 7-9

Remember your leaders who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. 9 Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace and not by foods of no value to those devoted to them.… Hebrews 13: 7-9

8:7 In His work of mediation, Christ acts according to both natures, by each nature doing what is appropriate to itself. Even so, because of the unity of the person, that which is appropriate to one nature is sometimes in Scripture attributed to the person under the designation of the other nature. 

…12 If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? 13 No one has ascended into heaven except the One who descended from heaven— the Son of Man. 14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up,… John 3: 12-14

For I did not shrink back from declaring to you the whole will of God. 28 Keep watch over yourselves and the entire flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which He purchased with His own blood. 29 I know that after my departure, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock.… Acts 20: 27-29

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#762 1689 Confession Christ The Mediator Part 1

God was pleased, in His eternal purpose, to choose and ordain the Lord Jesus, His only begotten Son, according to the covenant made between them, to be the mediator between God and humanity. God chose Him to be prophet, priest and king, and to be the head and savior of the church, the heir of all things, and judge of the world. From all eternity, God gave to the Son a people to be His offspring. In time these people would be redeemed, called, justified, sanctified and glorified by Him. 

1 Here is My Servant, whom I uphold, My Chosen One, in whom My soul delights. I will put My Spirit on Him, and He will bring justice to the nations. 2 He will not cry out or raise His voice, nor make His voice heard in the streets.… Isaiah 42: 1-2

…18 For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life you inherited from your forefathers, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or spot. 20 He was known before the foundation of the world, but was revealed in the last times for your sake.… 1 Peter 1: 18-20

1 Heaven must take Him in until the time comes for the restoration of all things, which God announced long ago through His holy prophets. 22 For Moses said, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers. You must listen to Him in everything He tells you. 23 Everyone who does not listen to Him will be completely cut off from among his people.’… Acts 3: 21-23

…5 So also Christ did not take upon Himself the glory of becoming a high priest, but He was called by the One who said to Him: “You are My Son; today I have become Your Father.” 6 And in another passage God says: “You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.” 7 During the days of Jesus’ earthly life, He offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the One who could save Him from death, and He was heard because of His reverence.… Hebrews 5: 5-7

5 Then He rebukes them in His anger, and terrifies them in His fury: 6“I have installed My King on Zion, upon My holy hill.” 7 I will proclaim the decree spoken to Me by the LORD: “You are My Son; today I have become Your Father.… Psalm 2: 5-7

…32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David, 33 and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever. His kingdom will never end!” 34“How can this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”… Luke 1: 32-34

1 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in the one to come. 22 And God put everything under His feet and made Him head over everything for the church, 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.… Ephesians 1: 21-23

1 On many past occasions and in many different ways, God spoke to our fathers through the prophets. 2 But in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, and through whom He made the universe. 3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His nature, upholding all things by His powerful word. After He had provided purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.… Hebrews 1: 1-3

…30 Although God overlooked the ignorance of earlier times, He now commands all men everywhere to repent. 31 For He has set a day when He will judge the world with justice by the Man He has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising Him from the dead.” 32 When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some began to mock him, but others said, “We want to hear you again on this topic.”… Acts 17: 30 - 32

9 He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with a rich man in His death, although He had done no violence, nor was any deceit in His mouth. 10 Yet it was the LORD’s will to crush Him and cause Him to suffer. And when His soul is made a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, and the good pleasure of the LORD will prosper in His hand. 11 After the anguish of His soul, He will see the light of life and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant will justify many, and He will bear their iniquities.… Isaiah 53: 9-11

5 And now, Father, glorify Me in Your presence with the glory I had with You before the world existed. 6 I have revealed Your name to those You have given Me out of the world. They were Yours; You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word. 7 Now they know that everything You have given Me comes from You.… John 17: 5-7

…29 For those God foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those He predestined He also called; those He called He also justified; those He justified He also glorified. 31 What then shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?… Romans 8: 29-31

8:2 The Son of God, the second person of the Holy Trinity, is truly and eternally God. He is the brightness of the Father's glory, the same in substance and equal with Him. He made the world and sustains and governs everything He has made. When the fullness of time came, He took upon Himself human nature, with all the essential properties and common weaknesses of it but without sin. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mary. The Holy Spirit came down upon her, and the power of the Most High overshadowed her. Thus, He was born of a woman from the tribe of Judah, a descendant of Abraham and David in fulfillment of the Scriptures. Two whole, perfect, and distinct natures were inseparably joined together in one person, without converting one into the other or mixing them together to produce a different or blended nature. This person is truly God and truly man, yet one Christ, the only mediator between God and humanity. 

children born not of blood, nor of the desire or will of man, but born of God. 14 The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 John testified concerning Him. He cried out, saying, “This is He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because He was before me.’”… John 1: 13-15

…3 So also, when we were children, we were enslaved under the basic principles of the world. 4 But when the time had fully come,God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, 5 to redeem those under the law, that we might receive our adoption as sons.… Galatians 4: 3-5

For in Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life has set you free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the Law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful man, as an offering for sin. He thus condemned sin in the flesh, 4 so that the righteous standard of the law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.… Romans 8: 2-4

He says: “I will proclaim Your name to My brothers; I will sing Your praises in the assembly.” 13 And again: “I will put My trust in Him.” And once again: “Here am I, and the children God has given Me.” 14 Now since the children have flesh and blood, He too shared in their humanity, so that by His death He might destroy him who holds the power of death, that is, the devil,… 

and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. 16 For surely it is not the angels He helps, but the descendants of Abraham. 17 For this reason He had to be made like His brothers in every way, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, in order to make atonement for the sins of the people.… Hebrews 2: 12-17

14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we profess. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who was tempted in every way that we are, yet was without sin. 16 Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.… Hebrews 4: 14-16

All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23“Behold, the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call Him Immanuel” (which means, “God with us”). 24 When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him, and embraced Mary as his wife.… Matthew 1: 22-24

to a virgin pledged in marriage to a man named Joseph, who was of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” 29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.…

So the angel told her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 Behold, you will conceive and give birth to a son, and you shall give Him the name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David

and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever. His kingdom will never end!” 34“How can this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” 35 The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the Holy One to be born will be called the Son of God.… Luke 1: 27-35

…4 the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption as sons; theirs the divine glory and the covenants; theirs the giving of the law, the temple worship, and the promises. 5 Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them proceeds the human descent of Christ, who is God over all, forever worthy of praise! Amen. 6 It is not as though God’s word has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel.… Romans 9: 4-6

…4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave Himself as a ransom for all—the testimony that was given at just the right time.… 1 Timothy 2: 4-6

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