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God, The Son, and Our Redemption

SUMMARY: The name “Jesus Christ” means that the Son of God is my only Savior and that God gave him to me to be my Prophet, Priest, and King.

Today, by the grace of God, my Savior wills to communicate to me the gifts that He received from his Father, so that I receive everything I need, and I become with Him, a prophet, a priest, and a king. I am a “prophet” because I have been instructed by Him, and so I confess his Name. I am a “priest” because I have been saved by his sacrifice and his interceding prayer. I can thus offer myself to God as a living sacrifice of thanksgiving and prayer for my brothers. I am a “king” because He has freed me from the power of Satan. I can thus get the victory over sin with a clear conscience, to reign eternally with Christ.

Bible Readings: Monday, Question 43: 1, 2; Tuesday, Question 44: 1, 2, and 3; Wednesday, Question 44: 4, 5; Thursday, Question 44: (6), (7), 8, 9, and 10; Friday, Question 47 and 48: 1 and 2; Saturday, Question 48: 3, 4.

41. Summarize what this second part of the Apostles’ Creed contains.

It teaches that the Son of God is our only Savior and shows the means by which He redeemed us from death and purchased eternal life for us.

42. Why is the Son of God called “Jesus,” which means “Savior”?

Because He saves us from our sins. We ought neither to seek and surely will never find salvation in any other.

. . . and you shall call his name Jesus, for it is He who will save his people from their sins. Matthew 1:21

. . . but He, on the other hand, holds his priesthood permanently. Hence, also, He is able to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. Hebrews 7:24–25

And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other Name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved. Acts 4:12

43. Do those who seek their salvation from saints, from themselves, or from elsewhere, believe in Jesus as the only Savior?

No, because even if they claim or pretend to belong to Him, in reality they deny that Jesus Christ is the only and the perfect Savior. Only one of these alternatives is true: either Jesus is not a complete, adequate Savior, or those who lay hold on Him by a true faith must find in Him everything necessary for their salvation.

. . . and in Him you have been made complete, and he is the Head over all authority and rule. Colossians 2:10

For of his fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace. John 1:16

Bible Readings:

1. The folly of the gospel: 1 Corinthians 1:17–21.

2. All fullness in Christ: Colossians 1:19–23.

44. Why is Jesus called “Christ”, which means “Anointed One”?

Because He was ordained by God the Father, and anointed (supplied or endued) with all the gifts of the Holy Spirit, so that He could be a holy Prophet, Priest, and King.

Bible Reading:

1. The Christ: John 10:22–30.

First, Jesus Christ is Our Sovereign Prophet and Teacher.

On earth, he was the Messenger and the sovereign Ambassador of God his Father. He completely revealed the will of God for our redemption, and put an end to all prophecies and to all revelations by this completed revelation.

No man has seen God at any time. The only begotten God (or Son), who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him. John 1:18

God . . . in these last days has spoken to us in his Son . . . Hebrews 1:2.

Jesus said to them, “My teaching is not mine, but his who sent Me. If any man wills to do his will, he will know of the teaching, whether it is of God, or whether I speak from Myself . . . The One who sent Me is true; and the things which I heard from Him, these I speak to the world . . . I do nothing of my own initiative, but I speak these things as the Father taught Me . . . I speak the things which I have seen with My Father . . . Me, a man who has told you the truth, which I heard from God . . . The words I say to you I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does his works . . . the word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father’s who sent Me. John 7:16–17; 8:26b, 28b, 38a, 40b; 14:10, 24

Bible Readings:

2. The only Gospel: Galatians 1:6–9.

3. I have revealed your Name to men: John 17.

Second, Jesus Christ is Our Only High-Priest.

The Old Testament Priest was charged to present himself before God in order to intercede for God’s favor on the people. He was the means of obtaining the grace of God and appeasing his anger by offering a sacrifice agreeable to Him.

Jesus Christ, by the one sacrifice of his body and blood, has purchased us. By his continual intercession, he pleads for us before the Father: He is thus from now on the unique and only true High Priest.

But God demonstrates his own love toward us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by his blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. Romans 5:8–10

Bible Readings:

4. Jesus our High Priest: Luke 22:31–34; Hebrews 4:14–5:10.

5. Jesus our High Priest: Hebrews 7:17; 9:11–14, 22–28; 10:10–18.

Third, Jesus Christ is Our Eternal King.

He exercises a spiritual rule. By his divine Word and Holy Spirit, He brings righteousness and life. Jesus is our King, because He governs us by his Word and Spirit and He keeps and upholds the redemption which He has acquired for us.

He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of his father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever; and his kingdom will have no end. Luke 1:32–33

Jesus said, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth . . . I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:18, 20

Bible Readings:

6. Jesus Christ is the Master of the natural world: Mark 4:35–41.

7. He is the Master of life and death, of health and sickness: Mark 5:21–43.

8. He gives new sight: John 9.

9. He is the Lord of demons: Luke 4:31–37, 40–44.

10. He is the One who rules over all the power of the enemy: Luke 10:17–20.

45. What benefits do we gain from all these gifts?

We receive immeasurable blessings, because Jesus Christ has received the Holy Spirit, with all his gifts in order to make us partakers of them and to distribute them to each one of us, according to the measure that God thinks best. God has done this so we might receive of all his fullness. Moreover, we draw on our Lord Jesus Christ as the only source of spiritual life. Every spiritual blessing we possess comes immediately from Him.

But by his doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption. 1 Corinthians 1:30.

46. What does his prophetic work provide to you today?

Jesus Christ is a Prophet for his own people.2 Thus my savior has received this responsibility: He bestows upon me, myself, today, the light of the true knowledge of the heavenly Father. He instructs me today in the truth so as to make me today a faithful servant of God, who confesses his faith in his savior and Master. By this work I become his companion in his Prophetic work. 3

No man has seen God at any time; the only begotten God, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has made Him known. John 1:18.

. . . no one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him. Luke 10:22.

47. What use to you today is the sacrifice of Jesus?

The sacrifice of Jesus profits me in two ways: first, in as much as He is my Mediator, Christ reconciles me today with God his Father, who becomes my Father. Second, by means of Him I have access to the heavenly Father to present myself today before Him and to offer myself with all that I have, as a sacrifice of thanks. I am also able to intercede before God for my fellow creatures. By this work, I become a companion of the Lord Jesus in his Priesthood (see Question 276).4

For Christ did not enter a holy place made with hands, a mere copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us. Hebrews 9:24.

By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all . . . for by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified. Hebrews 10:10, 14.

I urge you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. Romans 12:1.

Bible Reading:

The Son of Man is able to forgive sins: Luke 5:17–26.

48. Finally, what does his Kingship give to you today?

It liberates my conscience from the lordship of all but God in Christ alone. All authority belongs to my King. I must therefore follow Him with absolute fidelity and render loyalty to no one else no matter how close to me or great in the world’s eyes.

Likewise I must submit myself to all those authorities that my King has established over me whether in family, state, or church. My great and victorious King communicates to me all his spiritual riches, so that I may live henceforth in holiness.

By Jesus’ kingly rule, I receive the power to vanquish Satan, sin, the flesh and the world, which are the unrelenting enemies of my soul. Moreover, it assures me that I will reign with Christ in eternity over all created things. In all this I become a companion of his Kingdom and partake of it with Him.

. . . Fight the good fight keeping faith and a good conscience. . . 1 Timothy 1:18.

It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery . . . for you are called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. Galatians 5:1, 13.

Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. James 4:7.

For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world­—our faith. 1 John 5:4.

Bible Readings:

1. Jesus delivers me from the power of Satan: Luke 11:17–22.

2. The liberated Christian is guided by the Holy Spirit: Romans 8:1–17.

3. The fruits of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit: Galatians 5:13–26.

4. The purity of the children of God: 1 John 3:1–10.

The name of Christ includes three offices, which God has given to his Son for the purpose of communicating today to us the fruit, and power of those offices. This is his fullness, of which we receive grace upon grace.

By this continual giving of his gifts and graces, Christ makes us beneficiaries of all that He has (see Question 134).

49. Why do you call yourself by the good name “Christian”?

I bear the good name “Christian” because of all these things. I am a Christian because I am a member of Christ and I participate therefore in all his gifts.

1. I am a Christian in order to confess his name. In this, I am a prophet.

2. I am a Christian in order to offer myself to my God and my Savior, as a living sacrifice of thanks, and in order to pray for my brothers. In this, I am a priest.

3. I am a Christian in order to fight in this life against sin and Satan, with a good conscience. I am a Christian in order to reign at last to all eternity with Christ over all created things. In this, I am a king.

As for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you . . . 1 John 2:27.

It is a trustworthy statement: for if we died with Him, we shall also live with Him; if we endure, we shall also reign with Him; if we deny Him, He also will deny us . . . 2 Timothy 2:11–12.

2. The chapter entitled The Preaching of the Word of God, Source of Christian Faith, Questions 121–142 will specify some aspects of this question.

3. Here reread the Scriptures from question 45. The chapter on Confessing the Faith, questions 161 and following, will make clear the importance of confessing the faith.

4. This work of Christ will be studied in detail in a long section in the second part of the Apostles’ Creed.