For the last several months, we have been considering different aspects of the Gospel Jesus Christ. First, we considered the Incarnation of the Son of God, then his perfect life (Active and Passive Obedience), and last month we looked at the Atonement. Naturally, the next aspect of the Gospel that we are focusing on is the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

Hopefully, we already understand that the Resurrection is a vital aspect of the Gospel, as the Apostle Paul wrote, “If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain.” In other words, without the Resurrection of Jesus, the Christian faith is basically pointless. So, we’d all agree that the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is important, but how exactly does the Resurrection save us? In other words, what makes the Resurrection good news? Let’s find out!

Resurrection and Our Salvation
The Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is a supernatural historical event that is well attested in the Biblical data. Thus, it is not something that is mentioned in passing as a minor detail, but the Resurrection is central to the Biblical story of God redeeming his people. However, the Resurrection is more than just an important historical event, it actually does something for us!

In his Resurrection from the dead, the Lord Jesus accomplished our redemption, and that redemption is applied to us by the Holy Spirit, the same Spirit who raised him from the dead (Rom. 1:4). When we talk about our redemption is accomplished, what we are talking about is redemptive history. When we talk about our redemption applied, we are talking about our salvation. Redemption accomplished and redemption applied both have an order to them.
 
For example, the Gospel, or redemption accomplished, is chronological according to the work of Christ: Incarnation Perfect Life Atoning Death Resurrection Ascension Enthronement Return.
Likewise, our salvation, or redemption applied, has a logical order to it, according to how the Spirit applies salvation to us: Effectual Calling (Union) Regeneration Conversion (Faith & Repentance) Justification Adoption Sanctification Perseverance Glorification.

So, when it comes to redemption accomplished by Christ, the question that we should ask with each aspect of the Gospel is, “how does this particular work of Christ, save us? How is it connected to redemption applied?” That is what we will do this month with the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. This is important because it helps us to take the work of Christ and see how it actually saves us from our sin and gives us eternal life!

Therefore, “how does the Resurrection of Jesus Christ save us?” Let’s find out by looking at Scripture and the theology that flows from it!

Resurrection and Union with Christ
All of the benefits that we receive from Christ come from our union with Christ. Union with Christ is that spiritual, mystical, life-giving, unbreakable union that the elect have with Christ, wherein we receive the work of Christ for our salvation. As John Murray wrote,

“Union with Christ is…the central truth of the whole doctrine of salvation…It is not simply a phase of the application of redemption; it underlies every aspect of it.”

Union with Christ is how the work of Christ on our behalf becomes our salvation. We are united to Christ in our Effectual Calling. Our Larger Catechism puts it this way,

The union which the elect have with Christ is the work of God’s grace, whereby they are spiritually and mystically, yet really and inseparably, joined to Christ as their head and husband; which is done in their effectual calling. (WLC 66)
 
Thus, when we are united to Christ, we are united to the whole Christ. As our confession puts it,

“All saints that are united to Jesus Christ their head, by his Spirit and by faith, have fellowship with him in his graces, sufferings, death, resurrection, and glory…” (WCF 26.1)

In other words, we are united to the incarnate, perfectly obedient, crucified, risen, ascended, and enthroned Christ. As Paul says,

“Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.” (Rom. 6:3–5)

This is how we are able to receive the benefits of not only his resurrection but all aspects of the gospel, which is why Paul can say,

“And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked…But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ – by grace you have been saved – and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus…” (Eph. 2:1, 4–5)

And also,

“If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.” (Col. 3:1)

Having established our Union with the Risen Christ as the fount for receiving the benefits of Christ’s work, we now consider the benefits of the Resurrection of Christ that we receive through our Union with him.

Resurrection and Regeneration
Often, when evangelical Christians talk about their status in Christ, they say that they are “born-again Christians.” This is true, but also redundant. It is true because it is biblical, and it is redundant because all Christians are “born-again Christians.” Consider the words of our Lord Jesus in John 3:3,

“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

And the Apostle Peter in 1 Peter 1:23, 25,

“You have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God…and this word is the good news that was preached to you.”

And the first Epistle of John 5:1,

“Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God…”

Thus, anyone who is a Christian is a Christian only because they have been born again, born from above, or born of God. This is a spiritual rebirth, also known in theology as “Regeneration.” Regeneration is when the Spirit of God gives us new life in Christ. This happens in our Union with Christ as we are given a new heart and are born anew. This is when the Christian life begins, which is why it is called “Regeneration,” which means “new birth.”

Regeneration is not arbitrary, as if the Spirit floats around and arbitrarily makes random people regenerate. The elect of God, who are chosen in Christ from before the foundation of the world, are made new when the Holy Spirit applies the work of Christ to us through the preaching of the Gospel. Regeneration is intimately connected to the work of Christ, particularly his Resurrection.

How is it connected to the Resurrection of Jesus Christ? Peter tells us –

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” (1 Peter 1:3–5)

We are born again through the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. That is good news indeed!

Resurrection and Conversion
Conversion is a work of the Spirit wherein he gives us faith and enables us to repent (turn from our sin and turn to God for our salvation). On the Day of Pentecost, when Peter preached the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead from Psalm 16, we hear of many souls being converted. We pick up in Acts 2:37,

“Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, ‘Brothers, what shall we do?’ And Peter said to them, ‘Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

Having heard the good news of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, the Jews who put Jesus on the cross, believed (faith) and turned from their sin and turned to God (repentance). In other words, through the preaching of the Resurrection, they were converted. This makes sense since the Apostle Paul tells us this,

“If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9)

And the Apostle Peter,

“[Christ] was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you, who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.”  

Therefore, our faith is inextricably linked to the Resurrection of Jesus, and our faith is tied to our conversion. Without believing in the Resurrection of Jesus from the dead, we are not converted, and thus, we are not saved.  

Resurrection and Justification
Continuing on in the logical order of our salvation, we come to the doctrine of Justification, which our catechism defines thus,
 
“Justification is an act of God’s free grace wherein he pardons all our sins, and accepts us as righteous in his sight, only for the righteousness of Christ imputed to us, and received by faith alone.” (WSC 33)

Justification answers the question, “How can we be righteous before God?” The answer: God gives us the righteousness of Christ.

It is clear in Scripture that this happens through the incarnation, perfect life, and atoning death of Jesus, but is our justification also connected to the Resurrection of Jesus? Indeed, it is. As Paul writes,

“[Righteousness] will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.” (Romans 4:24–25)

And as he argues the importance of the Resurrection, he says this,

“If the dead are not raised, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.”

Thus, the Resurrection of Jesus Christ has the power to justify sinners before God. How does this work? Charles Hodge explained,

“His resurrection was necessary, first, as proof that his death had been accepted as expiation for our sins. Had he not risen, it would have been evident that he was not what he claimed to be. We would be yet dead in our sins, and therefore still under condemnation. Our ransom, in that case, instead of being publicly accepted, had been rejected.”

And in a similar vein, William Hendriksen,

“He was raised in order to assure us that in the sight of God we are indeed without sin…all those who acknowledge Jesus as their Lord and Savior have entered into a state of righteousness in the eyes of God. The Father, by raising Jesus from the dead, assures us that the atoning sacrifice has been accepted; hence, our sins are forgiven.”

Because the death of Christ and his Resurrection are connected, without the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, we would still be dead in our sins. But as it is, Christ lives, and thus, his death is effectual. Thus, we can rightly say with the Apostle Paul, that Jesus was raised for our justification. Praise God for this.

Resurrection and Sanctification 
All those who are Justified, will also be Sanctified. What is Sanctification?

“Sanctification is the work of God’s free grace, whereby we are renewed in the whole man after the image of God, and are enabled more and more to die to sin, and live unto righteousness.” (WSC 35)

Sanctification takes place through the Christian life as the Spirit of God makes us holy as he enables us to die to our sin and live unto righteousness. But what does this have to do with the Resurrection of Jesus? Paul tells us,

“Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.” (Romans 6:1–5)

If what was said earlier regarding being united to the whole Christ – and it is – that means we are united to the incarnate, perfectly obedient, and crucified Christ; therefore, we are also united to the Risen Christ. Thus, we died with him on the Cross and have been raised with him in his Resurrection. Because we are united to his Resurrection, Paul tells us that the life we now live is one of walking in newness of life, that is we are enabled to die to our sin (Cross) and live unto Christ (Resurrection). As John Murray put it,

“Sanctification, no less than justification, springs from the efficacy of Christ’s death and the virtue of his resurrection.”

And our confession states,

“They who are effectually called and regenerated, having a new heart and a new spirit created in them, are further sanctified, really and personally, through the virtue of Christ’s death and resurrection, by his Word and Spirit dwelling in them; the dominion of the whole body of sin is destroyed, and the several lusts thereof are more and more weakened and mortified, and they more and more quickened and strengthened, in all saving graces, to the practice of true holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.” (WCF 13.1)

Because of the virtue of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, we are sanctified by the power of the Spirit as he enables us to die to sin and live unto righteousness, or as Paul says, “walking in newness of life.”

Resurrection and Glorification

The final aspect of our salvation that is connected to the Resurrection of Christ, is our glorification. Glorification in this sense refers to the receiving of our own glorified bodies at the general resurrection of the dead, when all people, great and small will be brought before the throne of Christ on the Day of Judgment.

Believers, who in their lives were regenerated, converted, justified, and sanctified through the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, will be given glorified resurrection bodies, just like Christ had, and be brought into the Kingdom of God to enjoy eternal life in his presence.

Paul argues that we will have glorified bodies based on the fact that Jesus, when he rose from the dead, had a glorified body. Rather than being in the stages of decay, or simply being a spirit, Jesus showed his disciples that he had a similar body to the one that he had before, only better. Consider this Resurrection appearance,

“As they were talking about these things, Jesus himself stood among them, and said to them, ‘Peace to you!’ But they were startled and frightened and thought they saw a spirit. And he said to them, ‘Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.’ And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. And while they still disbelieved for joy and were marveling, he said to them, ‘Have you anything here to eat?’ They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate before them.” (Luke 24:36–42)

Jesus was not bleeding, he was not rotting, quite the opposite! He still had the marks on his hands and his feet, but he was able to walk, talk, and even eat! From this, Paul teaches that the glorified body of Christ is a first-fruits of our own glorified bodies that we will receive at the resurrection unto eternal life,

“Christ has been raised from the dead, the first-fruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the first-fruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ.” (1 Corinthians 15:20–23)

Since Christ is the first-fruits of the resurrected body that we will receive, the Risen Christ serves as evidence that harvest will be good and our glorified bodies will be like his. Paul continues,

“So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable…I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality.” (1 Corinthians 15:42, 50–53)

Thus, the Resurrection of Christ serves as substantive proof that believers who are united to him will receive similar glorified bodies and enjoy eternal life in his eternal Kingdom.

To summarize, because of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, Christians who are united to Christ have been regenerated, converted, justified, are being sanctified, and will be glorified. It’s safe to say the Resurrection of Jesus Christ is Good News!

Hopefully, this study has proven to be helpful for you as we seek to understand how the Gospel – (redemption accomplished) is connected to our salvation (redemption applied). The Resurrection is an essential aspect of the Gospel, and as such, it is vital for our salvation. Praise God for the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead!

Over the last several months, we have been making our way through the different aspects of the gospel. Thus far, we have considered the Incarnation and the two kinds of Obedience offered by Jesus Christ (Active and Passive) from his birth to the Cross.

The next aspect of the Gospel that we are considering is the Atonement. Having just celebrated Good Friday, what better time than now to consider this important aspect of the Good News of Jesus Christ for our salvation. We will define the Atonement and take a look at the different aspects, or benefits, of the Atonement from the Holy Scriptures, Systematic Theology, and in the Reformed Confessions and Catechisms.

The atoning death of Jesus Christ on the Cross, or simply, “The Atonement,” is the penal substitutionary death of Jesus Christ wherein he pays the price of redemption and purchases his people out of their estate of sin and misery. There are several important aspects and/or benefits for us in the Atonement, let us consider them now.

Atonement
This term originates from a Hebrew term meaning “to cover,” with respect to sins, or “to pacify” with respect to the just wrath of God. Thus, in the Old Testament, atonement means to cover the sins of the people and pacify God’s wrath for sin with the blood of sacrificial animals (Lev. 17:11; Heb. 9:22). Therefore, regarding the death of Christ, “atonement” refers to the sins of his people being covered by his blood and the just wrath of God being pacified or propitiated because of the Cross. Every year, Israel’s sins were atoned for on the Day of Atonement (Lev. 16) but in Jesus’ atoning death on the Cross, there is no longer a need for a yearly atonement. His death was once and for all. Consider these important texts:

Leviticus 16:6, 11, 16 – “Aaron shall offer the bull as a sin offering for himself and shall make atonement for himself and for his house… Aaron shall present the bull as a sin offering for himself, and shall make atonement for himself and for his house… Thus he shall make atonement for the Holy Place, because of the uncleannesses of the people of Israel and because of their transgressions, all their sins.”

Isaiah 53:5 – “He was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.”

Matthew 1:21 – “She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

1 Corinthians 15:3 – “For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures.”

Hebrews 9:11–12 – “When Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come…he entered once and for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption.”

1 Peter 2:24 – “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.”

Penal Substitution
This means that in the death of Jesus Christ on the Cross, he paid the penalty due to us for sin. The sin comes from both original sin – Adam’s breaking of Divine Law (Covenant of Works) in the Garden of Eden – as well as our own actual sins. As Michael Horton writes regarding the penal aspect of substitution, this means that “Jesus Christ’s sacrifice was the payment of a debt to divine justice as a substitute for his people.” (Christian Faith, 999) Jesus dying in our place, as our substitute, is also sometimes called “vicarious,” which means he died “in our place.” Consider:

Isaiah 53:6 – “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned – every one – to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.”

Romans 5:17–18 – “For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ. Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men.

2 Corinthians 5:21 – “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

Colossians 2:13–14 – “And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.”

Belgic Confession – “[Jesus Christ] presented himself in our name before his Father, to appease his wrath with full satisfaction by offering himself on the tree of the cross and pouring out his precious blood for the cleansing of our sins, as the prophets had predicted. For it is written that ‘the chastisement of our peace’ was placed on the Son of God and that ‘we are healed by his wounds.” (Article 21: The Atonement)

Redemption
Jesus Christ is often called the Redeemer of God’s people. But what does that mean? It means he purchased his people out of their estate of sin and misery that they find themselves in because of Adam’s sin. Concerning redemption, Richard D. Phillips writes, “Redemption is a term borrowed from the marketplace and involves the idea of making a purchase. It presupposes some kind of bondage or captivity…Redemption takes us from slavery to freedom, and from affliction to salvation because a payment has been offered to deliver us from bondage.” (“What is the Atonement?”, 17)

Romans 3:23–24 – “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.”

Ephesians 1:7 – “In [Christ] we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace.”

Colossians 1:13–14 – “He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”

Westminster Shorter Catechism – “God, having out of his mere good pleasure, from all eternity, elected some to everlasting life, did enter into a covenant of grace, to deliver them out of the estate of sin and misery, and to bring them into an estate of salvation by a Redeemer. Who is the Redeemer of God’s elect? The only Redeemer of God’s elect is the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Q. 20, 21)

Ransom
This refers to the price that was paid for the redemption of God’s people. Very specifically, the price is the death of Christ whose blood was poured out in order to satisfy the just wrath of God. The ransom has been paid in full by God the Son, to God the Father, for sinners who are dead in sin and unable to redeem themselves. Consider:

Mark 10:45 – “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

1 Timothy 2:6 – “Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all.”

1 Peter 1:18–19 – “You were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.”

Revelation 5:9 – “You were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.”

Heidelberg Catechism: “Why do you call [Jesus] ‘our Lord’? Because – not with gold or silver, but with his precious blood – he has delivered and purchased us body and soul from sin and from the tyranny of the devil, to be his very own.” (Q. 34)

Mediation/Intercession
Like Moses between God and the sinful people of Israel at Sinai, and like the priests who offered the blood of the sacrificial animals in the Temple; Jesus shows that he is the true and greater Moses and he is the Great High Priest. He is the one who goes between the just wrath of God on behalf of his sinful people, offering his own blood and making intercession for us. Regarding this, Louis Berkoff wrote, “His intercessory work is based on his sacrifice…He presents His sacrifice to God and on the ground of it claims all spiritual blessings for His people.” (“Summary of Christian Doctrine”, 108) For example:

1 Timothy 2:5 – “For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.”

Hebrews 7:25 – “He is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.”

1 John 2:1 – “My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.”

Westminster Larger Catechism – “The only Mediator of the covenant of grace is the Lord Jesus Christ, who, being the eternal Son of God, of one substance and equal with the Father, in the fullness of time became man, and so was and continues to be God and man, in two entire distinct natures, and one person, forever.” (Q. 36)

Propitiation
Related to penal substitution, this is another important aspect of the Atonement. What does it mean? Ligon Duncan writes, “Propitiation means ‘averting the wrath of God by the offering of a gift.’ It refers to the turning away of the wrath of God as the just judgment of our sin by God’s own provision of the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross.” (“Propitiation” from The Gospel Coalition) Here are some examples:

Romans 3:25 – “Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.”

Hebrews 2:17 – “Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.”

1 John 2:2 – “He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.”

1 John 4:10 – “In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”

Heidelberg Catechism – “Christ sustained in body and soul the wrath of God against the sin of the whole human race. This he did in order that, by his suffering as the only atoning sacrifice, he might deliver us, body and soul, from eternal condemnation.” (Q. 37)

Expiation
According to Michael Morales, “Expiation refers to the cleansing of sin and removal of sin’s guilt. In the sacrificial system of Israel, blood was collected from an animal’s severed arteries and then manipulated in a variety of ways. Blood was smeared, sprinkled, tossed, and poured out.” Regarding Jesus, he concludes, While the blood of bulls and goats could never take away sins, the blood of Jesus the God-man, shed on the cross and applied by the Spirit to those who trust in Him, cleanses sinners from their sins. The thorns pressed onto His brow, an image of humanity’s cursed estate, were but a token of His bearing the weight of His people’s guilt on His head, further demonstrating that He endured our fiery judgment to provide us with true expiation.” (“Expiation and Propitiation” from Tabletalk) Consider:

Leviticus 17:11 – “For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it for you on the altar to make atonement for your souls, for it is the blood that makes atonement by the life.”

Psalm 103:12 – “As far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.”

Hebrews 9:22 – “Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.”

Hebrews 10:22 – “Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.”

Reconciliation 
This refers to the new relationship between God and man because of the sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross. Instead of hostility, the substitutionary atoning death of Christ brings peace between God and his people. The apostle Paul even calls his apostolic ministry, “a ministry of reconciliation” (2 Cor. 5:18–21)

Romans 5:10–11 – “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.”

Ephesians 2:13–16 – “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility.”

Colossians 1:20 – “And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him.”

Westminster Larger Catechism – “Christ executeth the office of a priest, in his once offering himself a sacrifice without spot to God, to be a reconciliation for the sins of his people; and in making continual intercession for them.” (Q. 44)

Definite Atonement
Often referred to as “Limited Atonement,” this doctrine gets at the extent of the Atonement, or whom Jesus died on the Cross for – was it for all people or all of his people? David and Jonathan Gibson provide this, “The doctrine of definite atonement states that, in the death of Jesus Christ, the triune God intended to achieve the redemption of every person given to the Son by the Father in eternity past and to apply the accomplishments of his sacrifice to each of them by the Spirit. The death of Christ was intended to win the salvation of God’s people alone.” This doctrine is at the heart of the biblical and Protestant view of the Atonement. For a deeper understanding of Definite Atonement, take a look at these texts:

John 6:37–39 – “All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day.”

John 17:1–9 – ““Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed. I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you. For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours.”

Ephesians 1:3–7 – “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace.”

Canons of Dort – “Before the foundation of the world, by sheer grace, according to the free good pleasure of his will, he chose in Christ to salvation a definite number of particular people out of the entire human race, which had fallen by its own fault from its original innocence into sin and ruin. Those chosen were neither better nor more deserving than the others, but lay with them in the common misery. He did this in Christ, whom he also appointed from eternity to be the mediator, the head of all those chosen, and the foundation of their salvation.” (1st Point, Article 7: “Election”)

Canons of Dort – “For it was the entirely free plan and very gracious will and intention of God the Father that the enlivening and saving effectiveness of his Son’s costly death should work itself out in all his chosen ones, in order that he might grant justifying faith to them only and thereby lead them without fail to salvation. In other words, it was God’s will that Christ through the blood of the cross (by which he confirmed the new covenant) should effectively redeem from every people, tribe, nation, and language all those and only those who were chosen from eternity to salvation and given to him by the Father.” (2nd Point, Article 8: “The Saving Effectiveness of Christ’s Death”)

Westminster Confession of Faith – “As God hath appointed the elect unto glory, so hath he, by the eternal and most free purpose of his will, fore-ordained all the means thereunto. Wherefore they who are elected, being fallen in Adam, are redeemed by Christ, are effectually called unto faith in Christ by his Spirit working in due season; are justified, adopted, sanctified, and kept by his power through faith unto salvation. Neither are any other redeemed by Christ, effectually called, justified, adopted, sanctified, and saved, but the elect only.” (3.8, “Of God’s Eternal Decree”)

It is my prayer that as you consider the Atonement and meditate on these biblical teachings, you will come to a deeper understanding of what God has done for you in the death of Jesus Christ on the Cross. The atoning death of Jesus and all its benefits are crucial for understanding the gospel, and without the gospel of Jesus, we are still dead in our sin. Praise God for the atoning death of his Son, which has purchased us for himself, fully paid for all our sins, and reconciled us to God!

Most Christians have heard of the term, the “Passion” of Christ, but do we know what it means? Let’s find out!

“Passion” comes from the Latin word “passio” meaning, “suffering.” In theology, this term refers to the suffering of Christ, especially with respect to his crucifixion and the events leading up to it. This same Latin term “passio,” also gives us another important theological term used in Reformed theology – “Passive Obedience.”

The Passive Obedience of Christ refers to his suffering according to the will of the Father, not only during Passion Week, but from his conception all the way to the tomb. Sometimes, in Reformed theology, his Passive Obedience is also referred to as his “humiliation.” Whatever we call it, it is an important aspect of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and without the gospel there is no salvation.

Over the last couple of months, we have considered other vital aspects of the gospel – the Incarnation of the Son of God and most recently, his Active Obedience. Thus, we have been moving chronologically through the life of Christ and have touched on different aspects of the gospel.

With Passion Week coming up, what better time to meditate on the Passive Obedience of Christ than the month in which millions of Christians begin to celebrate it? Therefore, let us consider the Passive Obedience of Christ from the Bible and then in historic Reformed theology.

From Scripture

It may be difficult to grasp, but in Scripture, it is clear that not only must the Son of God suffer on behalf of sinners like ourselves, but this suffering is according to the will of the Father. Furthermore, the Son agrees to suffer according to the will of the Father on behalf of sinners. What good news that those who deserve God’s wrath have a mediator willing to suffer on our behalf!

We begin to see this idea of the Son of God suffering according to the will of the Father in the Old Testament. Consider God’s promise of a Suffering Servant who would redeem his people in Isaiah

“Behold, my servant shall act wisely; he shall be high and lifted up, and shall be exalted. As many were astonished at you – his appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance, and his form beyond that of the children of mankind – so shall he sprinkle many nations.” (52:13–14)

The beginning of Isaiah’s prophecy mentions “my servant,” spoken from the perspective of God. Who is this wise and exalted servant? Isaiah tells us that his appearance will be marred and he would be unrecognizable as a man. And in his disfigured condition, he shall “sprinkle many nations.” Who could this be referring to?

This is a reference to Jesus’ being beaten, scourged, and lifted up on the cross from where his blood sprinkles people from all nations, tongues, and tribes. As Raymond C. Ortlund, Jr. writes, “In his passion, Jesus was beaten into a shockingly inhuman mass of wounded flesh…so he will sprinkle many nations to make them clean.” Isaiah continues his prophecy on God’s suffering servant:

“He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief;
and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned – every one – to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” (53:3–6)

As we can see here, Jesus suffering was not for nothing, it was in order to redeem sinners, according to the will of the Father. W.E. Best remarks on this passage:

“The death of Christ was a propitiation for the sins of those the Father gave the Son in the covenant of redemption. Christ’s wounding and suffering were not a possibility but a certainty [for God’s people]. The healing of the elect is also a certainty and not a mere possibility. The Lord Jesus Christ did not die in vain…the Father caused [our] sins to converge on Jesus Christ at Calvary.”

In other words, not only was Christ obedient to the Father’s will, but his passive obedience to the Father had always been part of the plan to redeem God’s elect. Isaiah’s prophecy regarding the Passive Obedience of Christ continues:

“He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth;like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth. By oppression and judgment he was taken away… he was cut off from the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people… They made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth. Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief… yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.” (53:7–10, 12)

In this final portion of the prophecy, we see that all of the suffering the Jesus went through, was indeed according to the will of the Father and for the salvation of sinners. John Gill concludes:

“He was bruised in body, when buffeted and scourged, and nailed to the cross; and was bruised and broken in spirit, when the sins of his people were laid on him, and the wrath of God came upon him for them: the Lord had a hand in his sufferings; he not only permitted them, but they were according to the counsel of his will; they were predetermined by him (Acts 2:23), yea, they were pleasing to him, he took a kind of delight and pleasure in them; not in them simply considered as sufferings, but as they were an accomplishment of his purposes, a fulfilment of his covenant and promises, and of the prophecies in his word; and, particularly, as hereby the salvation of his people was brought about.”

According to Isaiah, Jesus’s Passive Obedience, namely his gruesome suffering, was not merely for shock-value. It was according to the will of the Father concerning which, Jesus was perfectly obedient. This is good news for sinners like ourselves who are redeemed by his suffering!

Having considered the Passive Obedience of Christ in the Old Testament, let us turn our attention to the New, where we see that his Passive Obedience was not only on display during “Passion Week,” but in his incarnation as well:

“Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” (Philippians 2:6–8)

Paul is telling us that Christ was an obedient suffering servant from his incarnation all the way to the cross. Indeed, as Sean McDonough writes:

“Christ, who had all the privileges that were rightly his as king of the universe, gave them up to become an ordinary Jewish baby bound for the cross…While he had every right to stay comfortably where he was, in a position of power, his love drove him to a position of weakness for the sake on sinful mankind…No other form of death, no matter how prolonged or physically agonizing, could match crucifixion as an absolute destruction of a person. It was the ultimate counterpoint to the divine majesty of the preexistent Christ, and thus, was the ultimate expression of Christ’s obedience to the Father.”

Regarding the will of God the Father and Christ’s obedient suffering, consider what our Lord Jesus said on the night he was betrayed as he prayed to his Father in Gethsemane, knowing what would soon take place:

“He knelt down and prayed, saying, ‘Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.’ And there appeared an angel from heaven, strengthening him. And being in agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling to the ground.” (Luke 22:41–44)

Being sent according the will of the Father, Jesus is about to accomplish that which he came to do: redemption by his blood being poured out. Knowing that this “cup” was overwhelming, God the Father sent an angel to strengthen his Son, enabling him to obediently suffer on behalf of sinners. This is the quintessential example of the Passive Obedience of Jesus Christ.

Additionally, one of the most well-known passages in all of Scripture demonstrates the Passive Obedience of Christ, although you may have never noticed it. The Apostle John records the words of Jesus to Nicodemus thus:

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” (John 3:16–17)

Implied in God the Father’s “giving” and “sending” of his Son, are two things: first, the “giving” and “sending” is according to the will of God the Father; and second, that God the Son obediently comes into the world to save sinners through his suffering.

Having considered the Passive Obedience of Christ from Scripture, let us turn our attention to Reformed theology and consider this important aspect of the gospel.

From Reformed Theology

Here are a few examples of the Passive Obedience of Christ from the Reformed Confessions and Catechisms:

The Belgic Confession (1561)
“We confess that God fulfilled the promise which he had made to the early fathers by the mouth of his holy prophets when he sent his only and eternal Son into the world at the time set by him. The Son took the ‘form of a servant’ and was made in the ‘likeness of man,’ truly assuming a real human nature, with all its weaknesses, except for sin...” (Article 18: “The Incarnation”)

“We believe that God – who is perfectly merciful and also very just – sent his Son to assume the nature in which the disobedience had been committed, in order to bear in it the punishment of sin by his most bitter passion and death…” (Article 20: “The Justice and Mercy of God in Christ”)

The Canons of Dort (1618-19)
“For it was the entirely free plan and very gracious will and intention of God the Father that the enlivening and saving effectiveness of his Son’s costly death should work itself out in all his chosen ones, in order that he might grant justifying faith to them only and thereby lead them without fail to salvation. In other words, it was God’s will that Christ through the blood of the cross (by which he confirmed the new covenant) should effectively redeem from every people, tribe, nation, and language all those and only those who were chosen from eternity to salvation and given to him by the Father; that he should grant them faith (which, like the Holy Spirit’s other saving gifts, he acquired for them by his death); that he should cleanse them by his blood from all their sins, both original and actual, whether committed before or after their coming to faith; that he should faithfully preserve them to the very end; and that he should finally present them to himself, a glorious people, without spot or wrinkle.” (Article 8: “The Saving Effectiveness of Christ’s Death”)

The Westminster Confession of Faith (1646)
“This office [of mediator] the Lord Jesus did most willingly undertake, which, that he might discharge, he was made under the law, and did perfectly fulfill it; endured most grievous torments immediately in his soul, and most painful sufferings in his body; was crucified, and died; was buried, and remained under the power of death, yet saw no corruption.

“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 his Father, and purchased not only reconciliation but an everlasting inheritance in the kingdom of heaven, for all those whom the Father hath given unto him.” (Chapter 8.5, “Of Christ the Mediator)

The Westminster Larger Catechism (1646)
“It was requisite that the Mediator should be man, that he might advance our nature, perform obedience to the law, suffer and make intercession for us in our nature, have a fellow-feeling of our infirmities; that we might receive the adoption of sons, and have comfort and access with boldness unto the throne of grace.” (Q. 39)

“The estate of Christ’s humiliation was that low condition, wherein he, for our sakes, emptying himself of his glory, took upon him the form of a servant, in his conception and birth, life, death, and after his death, until his resurrection.” (Q. 46)

“Christ humbled himself in his conception and birth, in that, being from all eternity the Son of God, in the bosom of the Father, he was pleased in the fullness of time to become the son of man, made of a woman of low estate, and to be born of her; with diverse circumstances of more than ordinary abasement.” (Q. 47)

“Christ humbled himself in his life, by subjecting himself to the law, which he perfectly fulfilled; and by conflicting with the indignities of the world, temptations of Satan, and infirmities in his flesh, whether common to the nature of man, or particularly accompanying that his low condition.” (Q. 48)

“Christ humbled himself in his death, in that having been betrayed by Judas, forsaken by his disciples, scorned and rejected by the world, condemned by Pilate, and tormented by his persecutors; having also conflicted with the terrors of death, and the powers of darkness, felt and borne the weight of God’s wrath, he laid down his life an offering for sin, enduring the painful, shameful, and cursed death of the cross.” (Q. 49)

“Christ’s humiliation after his death consisted in his being buried; and continuing in the state of the dead and under the power of death till the third day, which hath been otherwise expressed in these words, He descended into hell.” (Q. 50)

As you can see, the Passive Obedience of Jesus Christ is prominent not only in the Bible, but also in the confessions, and catechisms of the Reformed churches. From all of this, we can conclude, that since the Passive Obedience of Christ for our salvation is prominent in Scripture and in Reformed theology, it is essential to the gospel.

As you meditate on these truths, it is my prayer that it will give you a greater appreciation for what God has done for us in his Son, Jesus Christ. As we have for the last two years, we will be remembering Christ’s Passive Obedience in our Passion Week Devotions and Services from Palm Sunday to Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. We hope to see you there!





 

What is justification?
“Justification is an act of God’s free grace, wherein he pardoneth all our sins, and accepteth us as righteous in his sight, only for the righteousness of Jesus Christ imputed to us, and received by faith alone.” (WSC #33)

A necessary part of justification is when the Christian receives the righteousness of Christ by imputation. For those who believe in Christ for salvation, we are counted as righteous in the sight of God, not because of our own works of obedience, but because of the obedient work of Jesus Christ from his birth to the cross.

This month, I’d like to focus on the obedience of Jesus Christ as an essential aspect of the gospel. Remember, the gospel is not merely a word that we tack onto something in order to make it sound “Christian.” For example, the gospel is not a type of music and it’s not a coalition, nor is it something we do.

The gospel is the good news of the incarnation of the Son of God, his perfect life on our behalf, his death on the cross to make atonement for our sin, his resurrection, his ascension, his enthronement, and his return on the clouds – all of this for our salvation, for the forgiveness of sins and eternal life in the Kingdom of God. The gospel is the work of Christ on our behalf – thus, it is the good news.

Last month, we discussed the incarnation as a vital aspect of the gospel. Often, Christians will then skip ahead to the cross and forget that there was a lot that occurred between the birth of Jesus (the incarnation) and the cross.

This month, I’d like to focus on another essential aspect of the gospel (by the way, all parts of the gospel are essential!), and that is the obedience of Christ. In Reformed theology, the obedience of Christ is traditionally looked at in two ways – his active obedience (his fulfilling of the law on our behalf) and his passive obedience (his suffering on our behalf). We will start with his active obedience in February and move on to his passive obedience in March.

First, let us take a look at the Holy Scriptures and make sure that what we are talking about is biblical.

From Scripture

The first fact that we must grasp is that in the sight of God, we are unrighteous and disobedient; and there is nothing that we can do on our own to remedy this. If we want to stand before God, we desperately need a righteousness that comes from someone else. Why are we unrighteous? Because of the sin of Adam.

In the Garden of Eden, Adam was under a Covenant of Works with God (Genesis 2:17; 3:22) and within this covenant, he represented all of humanity. Adam’s obedience would be our righteousness and his disobedience would be our unrighteousness.

We know what happened, don’t we? Adam disobeyed, and this failure led to sin and death entering all mankind. Consider the words of the Apostle Paul:

“Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man [Adam], and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned [in Adam].” (Romans 5:12)

In addition to the sin of Adam which is imputed to all who are born of ordinary generation (a man and a woman coming together), we also have our own sins that we are guilty of:

“Indeed, there is no one earth who is righteous, no one who does what is right and never sins.” (Ecclesiastes 7:20)

So, because of Adam’s sin in the Garden, wherein he represented us under the Covenant of Works, we are unrighteous; we are sinners. Additionally, because of our own individual disobedience to the law of God, we are unrighteous. Thus, we are guilty of both Adam’s sin (original sin) and our own sins (actual sins).

Therefore, in order to be saved from this sinful, fallen estate, we need someone who represents us covenantally, and who is also not tainted by the sin of Adam. We need another Adam-like figure who will reverse the curse of Adam’s sin and deal with our own sins as well. Could this be why the Son of God came in the flesh? Indeed, as Paul writes:

“When the fulness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who are under the law.” (Galatians 4:4–5a)

According to Paul then, this is why the Son of God came in the flesh – to redeem those who are under the law and the curse that it brings! Unlike any other humans that are born, Jesus was born in an extraordinary way – being conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit in the virgin’s womb. This makes Jesus uniquely qualified to live a perfect life on behalf of those ruined by the sin of Adam. Perhaps that is why the Apostle Paul calls Adam a type of Jesus and why he calls Jesus the Second, or Last Adam:

“Death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the One who was to come.” (Romans 5:14)

“‘The first man Adam became a living being,’ the Last Adam became a life-giving spirit.” (1 Corinthians 15:45)

But in order to be the One whose righteousness would be imputed to those fallen in Adam who repent and believe in him, the Son would not only have to become incarnate, he would also need to remain perfectly obedient to the Law of God all of his life. This is called his “active obedience,” because it takes Jesus’ actively fulfilling the Law, that is, his obedient actions according to the Law of God – the Moral, the Civil, the Ceremonial laws – for him to be the One whose righteous obedience is imputed to those who believe. And that is exactly what he did.

Thinking of his life and ministry, we can embrace many instances of his perfect obedience. For example, we are reminded of what Luke tells us about young Jesus after his parents found him in the temple teaching the teachers of Israel:

“Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. And his mother treasured all these things in her heart.” (Luke 2:51)

Luke’s word choice is meant to remind us of the 5th Commandment – “Honor your mother and your Father,” demonstrating the obedience of Jesus of Nazareth and tying it to his childhood. Luke is telling us that Jesus was always perfectly obedient, from his birth to the cross. We see examples of this obedience of Christ on our behalf all throughout his ministry. For example, the Lord Jesus says this about himself:

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law and the Prophets, I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” (Matthew 5:17)

The Temptation of Jesus in the desert wilderness by the devil (Luke 4:1–13) is another lesson in the active obedience of Christ. In the wilderness, Jesus recapitulates the temptation of the first Adam in the Garden. Here however, Jesus shows that he is the true Adam, the Last Adam who came to crush the serpent’s head through his obedience to the Law. Jesus did all of this, on our behalf, as our sinless covenantal representative:

“One who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.” (Hebrews 4:15)

This sinlessness made Jesus the only person qualified to pay the debt owed to God for sin (Rom. 5:23). He pays the great ransom price for our redemption on the cross – the price was his own life:

“You were ransomed…not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Jesus, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.” (1 Peter 1:18–19)

In his death, our sin was imputed to Jesus, which is why we hear Jesus cry out with a loud voice on the cross:

“‘Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?’ which means, ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’” (Mark 15:34)

Because our sin and the punishment due for our sin, was transferred to Jesus, as Paul teaches us, it was nailed to the cross and canceled:

“Having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.” (Colossians 2:13b–14)

Therefore, the righteousness of Jesus – insofar as we repent and believe – is imputed to us:

“For our sake [God] made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)

“He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness.” (1 Peter 2:24)

Just as our sin is nailed to the cross with Jesus, and we are buried with him in his death, and we now have the righteousness of God. Thus, the obedience of Christ, results in our justification. His righteousness is our righteousness. We see this promised in the Old Testament as well:

“He was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed…And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth.” (Isaiah 53:5, 9)

This is about the perfectly obedient suffering servant who died for the sins of others. And because of his perfect active obedience, God says this to those who trust in Jesus:

“I have blotted out your transgression like a cloud and your sins like mist…for I have redeemed you.” (Isaiah 44:22)

Therefore, we can say with confidence, that the active obedience of Christ is certainly biblical. Without it, we have no imputation of Christ’s righteousness, and without that, we are dead in our sin.

From Reformed Theology

In addition to the imputation of the active obedience of Christ clearly taught in the Holy Scriptures, we also find it taught all throughout Reformed theology. Here are some examples from the Reformed Confessions and Catechisms:

The Belgic Confession (1561)
“We believe that for us to acquire the true knowledge of this great mystery [of justification by faith], the Holy Spirit kindles in our hearts a true faith that embraces Jesus Christ, with all his merits, and makes him its own, and no longer looks for anything apart from him…Jesus Christ is our righteousness, crediting to us all his merits and all the holy works he has done for us and in our place.” (Article 22, “The Righteousness of Faith”)

“Recognizing ourselves as we are; not claiming a thing for ourselves or our merits, and leaning and resting only on the obedience of Christ crucified, which is ours when we believe in him. That is enough to cover all our sins.” (Article 23, “The Justification of Sinners”)

The Heidelberg Catechism (1563)
“I believe that God, because of Christ’s satisfaction, will no longer remember any of my sins or my sinful nature which I need to struggle against all my life. Rather, by his grace God grants me the righteousness of Christ that I may never come into judgment.” (Q. 56)

“Without any merit of my own, out of sheer grace, God grants and credits to me the perfect satisfaction, righteousness, and holiness of Christ, as if I had never sinned nor been a sinner, and as if I have had been as perfectly obedient as Christ was obedient for me – if only I accept this gift with a believing heart.” (Q. 60)

“Only Christ’s satisfaction, righteousness, and holiness are my righteousness before God, and I can receive this righteousness and make it mine no other way than by faith alone.” (Q. 61)

The Westminster Confession of Faith (1646)
“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 his Father, and purchased not only reconciliation, but an everlasting inheritance in the kingdom of heaven, for all those whom the Father hath given unto him.” (Chapter 8.5, “Of Christ the Mediator)

“Those whom God effectually calleth he also freely justified…by imputing the obedience and satisfaction of Christ unto them, they receiving and resting on him and his righteousness by faith; which faith they have not of themselves, it is the gift of God.” (Chapter 11.1, “Of Justification”)

The Westminster Larger Catechism (1646)
“Justification is an act of God’s free grace unto sinners, in which he pardoneth all their sins, accepteth and accounteth their persons righteous in his sight; not for any thing wrought in them, or done by them, but only for the perfect obedience and full satisfaction of Christ, by God imputed to them, and received by faith alone.” (Q. 70)

“Although Christ, by his obedience and death, did make a proper, real and full satisfaction to God’s justice in the behalf of them that are justified…imputing his righteousness to them, and requiring nothing of them for their justification.” (Q. 71)

“Justifying faith is a saving grace, wrought in the heart of a sinner, by the Spirit and Word of God, whereby he, being convinced of his sin and misery, and of the disability in himself and all other creatures to recover him out of his lost condition, not only assenteth to the truth of the promise of the gospel, but receiveth and resteth upon Christ and his righteousness therein held forth, for pardon of sin, and for the accepting and accounting of his person righteous in the sight of God for salvation.” (Q. 72)

“Faith justifies a sinner in the sight of God, not because of those other graces which do always accompany it, or of good works that are the fruits of it, nor as if the grace of faith, or any act thereof, were imputed to him for his justification; but only as it is an instrument by which he receiveth and applieth Christ and his righteousness.” (Q. 73)

As you can see, the perfect active obedience of Jesus Christ is prominent in the creeds, confessions, and catechisms of the Christian church. Without the obedience of Christ, there is no imputation of Christ’s righteousness for our salvation. As J. Gresham Machen said in his final correspondence before his death, “So thankful for the active obedience of Christ…No hope without it.”

As Protestants, we stand on the doctrines that come from the Protestant Reformation of the 16th and 17th centuries. There was no more important doctrine
for the Reformed than Scripture Alone (in Latin, sola scriptura).

Not only was it important 500 years ago, but it is just as important today, after all,
we have the same God, the same Bible, and we believe in the same doctrines
that pour forth out of the Holy Scriptures. Thus, our topic of the month is the
doctrine of Scripture Alone.

So, what does this doctrine mean? It means that Scripture alone is inspired, true,
clear, necessary, and sufficient for all things in faith, life, salvation, worship, and
church government.
Is this doctrine Biblical? We believe that it is clearly taught in the Bible, thus, we
now consider some examples from both the Old and New Testaments of the
doctrine of Scripture Alone.

From Scripture

The Inspiration of Scripture – The Bible itself testifies to the inspiration of
Scripture, meaning it is inspired by God himself:

2 Tim. 3:16–17 –
“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for
teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that
the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”

2 Pet. 1:21 –
“For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but
men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”
2 Sam. 23:2 – “The Spirit of the LORD speaks by me; his word is on my
tongue.”

The Truthfulness of Scripture – Because it is inspired by God, it is therefore true:

Ps. 119:160 –
“The sum of your word is truth, and every one of your righteous
rules endures forever.”

Isa. 40:8 (1 Pet. 1:24–25) –
“The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of
our God will stand forever.”

John 17:17 –
“Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.”

The Clarity of Scripture – Since Scripture is inspired by God and it is true, it is
also clear enough for us to understand everything we need to understand for
faith, life, salvation, worship, and church government:

Deut. 6:6–7 –
“And these words that I command you today shall be on your
heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them
when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie
down, and when you rise.”

Ps. 19:7 –
“The Law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of
the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.”

Ps. 119:130 –
“The unfolding of your words gives light; it imparts understanding
to the simple.”

The Necessity of Scripture – Since it is the Scriptures wherein the Gospel is revealed to
sinners the Scriptures are necessary for salvation:

Matt. 4:4 –
“[Jesus] answered, ‘It is written, “Man shall not live by bread alone,
but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.”

1 Timothy 4:13, 15 –
“Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of
Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching…Persist in this, for by so doing you will
save both yourself and your hearers.”

2 Tim. 3:15 –
“From childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred
writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Jesus
Christ.”

Sufficiency of Scripture – Scripture is inspired by God; thus, it is true, clear, and
necessary for salvation. It is also sufficient for all things:

Deut. 29:29 –
“The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things that
are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the
words of this law.”

John 20:30–31 –
“Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the
disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may
believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may
have life in his name.”

Rev. 22:19 –
“If anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy,
God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are
described in this book.”

From Reformed Theology

In addition to Scripture Alone being clearly taught in the Holy Scriptures, our
Reformed confessions and catechisms also teach this important doctrine.
Here are some examples from the Westminster Standards, which are our
theological documents that we subscribe to as Presbyterians:

Westminster Confession of Faith (1647)
“The whole counsel of God concerning all things necessary for his own glory, man’s
salvation, faith and life, is either expressly set down in Scripture, or by good and
necessary consequence may be deduced from Scripture: unto which nothing at any
time is to be added, whether by new revelations of the Spirit, or traditions of men.”
(1.6 – Of the Holy Scripture)

“God alone is Lord of the conscience, and hath left it free from the doctrines and
commandments of men, which are, in anything, contrary to his Word; or beside it, if
matters of faith, or worship. So that, to believe such doctrines, or to obey such
commands, out of conscience, is to betray true liberty of conscience…”
(20.2 – Of Christian Liberty and Liberty of Conscience)

“The acceptable way of worshiping the true God is instituted by himself, and so limited
by his own revealed will, that he may not be worshiped according the imaginations and
devices of men, or the suggestions of Satan, under any visible representation, or any
other way not prescribed in the Holy Scripture.”
(21.1 – Of Religious Worship and the Sabbath Day)

Westminster Larger Catechism
Q. 2. How doth it appear that there is a God?
A. The very light of nature in man, and the works of God, declare plainly that there is a
God; but his word and Spirit only do sufficiently and effectually reveal him unto men for
their salvation.

Q. 3. What is the Word of God?
A. The Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament are the Word of God, the only
rule of faith and obedience.

Q. 4. How doth it appear that the Scriptures are the Word of God?
A. The Scriptures manifest themselves to be the Word of God, by their majesty and
purity; by the consent of all the parts, and the scope of the whole, which is to give all
glory to God; by their light and power to convince and convert sinners, to comfort and
build up believers unto salvation: but the Spirit of God bearing witness by and with the
Scriptures in the heart of man, is alone able fully to persuade it that they are the very
Word of God.

Q. 5. What do the Scriptures principally teach?
A. The Scriptures principally teach what man is to believe concerning God, and what
duty God requires of man.

Q. 6. What do the Scriptures make known of God?
A. The Scriptures make known what God is, the persons in the Godhead, his decrees,
and the execution of his decrees.
In addition to our own standards, the “Three Forms of Unity” which contain the
confession, catechism, and canons of the United Reformed Churches in North
America, teach in a similar manner concerning Scripture Alone:

Belgic Confession (1561)
“We believe that the Holy Scriptures fully contain the will of God, and that whatsoever
man ought to believe unto salvation is sufficiently taught therein…Neither may we
consider any writings of men, however holy these men may have been, of equal value
with those divine Scriptures...”
(Article 7 – “The Sufficiency of the Holy Scriptures to Be the Only Rule of Faith”)

Heidelberg Catechism (1563) 
“What does God require in his second commandment?
That we may in no way make any image of God, nor worship him in any other way than
He has commanded in His Word…for we must not be wiser than God, who will not have His people taught by lifeless images, but by living preaching of His Word.” (Questions
96, 98)

Canons of Dordt (1618–19)  
“The Synod urges all fellow ministers in the gospel of Christ to deal with this teaching in a godly and reverent manner…with a view to the glory of God’s name, holiness of life, and the comfort of anxious souls; to think and also speak with Scripture according to the analogy of faith; and finally, to refrain from all those ways of speaking which go beyond the bounds set for us by the genuine sense of the Holy Scriptures.” (Conclusion: Rejection of Errors)

Thus, it is clear that Reformed theology teaches the crucial doctrine of Scripture
Alone.

Explore Historical Figures

This month, we focus on several of the Reformers who clearly taught the doctrine of
Scripture Alone:

John Wycliffe (d. 1384) 
The English reformer before the Reformation actually began.
Wycliffe is remembered for translating the first copy of the Bible into the language of the
people. He fought against the Roman Church in England and their non-biblical
innovations in worship, theology, and the papacy. Was persecuted by the Roman
Church and was condemned as a heretic after his death for translating the Bible into
English.

Jan Huss (d. 1415)
The Bohemian reformer before the Reformation. Hus was heavily
influenced by Wycliffe’s ideas and of course, the Bible. He wrote a treatise against the
unbiblical ecclesiological doctrine of the papacy and was persecuted for it. He was
eventually condemned as a heretic and was martyred by being burned at the stake for
his biblical beliefs by the Roman Church.

Martin Luther (d. 1546) 
The German monk-turned-reformer who started the
Reformation after nailing the 95 Theses to the door of the Church at Wittenberg in 1517.
Luther was excommunicated and persecuted for his teachings against the papacy and
for teaching the supremacy of the Word of God in salvation. He translated the Bible into
German as well as many psalms which he set to music and we have preserved for us in
our Trinity Hymnal. Unlike Hus, he was not martyred, as he spent the rest of his life
protected from Rome by German princes.
“While I slept, or drank Wittenberg beer…the Word so greatly weakened the Papacy
that never a Prince or Emperor inflicted such damage upon it. I did nothing. The Word
did it all.” (Luther)

John Calvin (d. 1564)  
The French reformer who opposed the Roman Church’s view of
salvation, predestination, worship, and the papacy. After fleeing persecution by Rome,
he lived his entire life as a refugee in Basil, Germany and then Geneva, Switzerland. To
this day, he is remembered as the most influential reformer besides Martin Luther.
“I approve only of those human institutions [in worship] which are founded on the
authority of God and derived from Scripture.” (Calvin)

John Knox (d. 1572)
The leader of the first Scottish Reformation, Knox was heavily
influenced by John Calvin during his time as a religious refugee in Geneva, Switzerland.
Knox was a powerful preacher and he taught against the Roman view of salvation,
worship, and ecclesiology because it was not biblical.
“We believe and confess the Scriptures of God sufficient…so do we affirm and avow
the authority of the same to be of God and neither to depend on men nor angels. We
affirm therefore, that such as allege the Scriptures to have no authority but that which it
receives from the kirk, to be blasphemous against God and injurious to the true kirk.” (Knox)

To summarize, everything we do and teach in the church concerning faith, life,
salvation, worship, and church government ought to be according to Scripture Alone.
This is the Reformed doctrine of Scripture. Why were these men persecuted,
imprisoned, martyred, refugeed, and hated by the Roman Church? Because they stood
on the doctrine of Scripture Alone. May God grant us the strength to do the same!