Survey of the Westminster Confession of Faith (Chapter 8)

Survey of the Westminster Confession of Faith

Chapter 8

Of Christ the Mediator

(Part  2)

III. The Lord Jesus, in His human nature thus united to the divine, was sanctified, and anointed with the Holy Spirit, above measure, having in Him all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge; in whom it pleased the Father that all fullness should dwell; to the end that, being holy, harmless, undefiled, and full of grace and truth, He might be thoroughly furnished to execute the office of a Mediator and Surety. Which office He took not unto Himself, but was thereunto called by His Father, who put all power and judgment into His hand, and gave Him commandment to execute the same.

This paragraph declares the perfection and purity of the Mediator. Jesus Christ was set apart for the ministry of the atonement, specially equipped by the Holy Spirit and was endued with all the wisdom and knowledge of God. Being thus perfect in every way, according to both natures, the Mediator was “thoroughly furnished” to perform His task of redemption. The Divines mean that Jesus Christ was fully and perfectly prepared to do what He was sent to do; and being fully and perfectly prepared, what He accomplished bears those same marks. The atonement of the Mediator is full, perfect and in every way sufficient.

IV. This office the Lord Jesus did most willingly undertake; which that He might discharge, He was made under the law, and did perfectly fulfil 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. On the third day He arose from the dead, with the same body in which He suffered, with which also he ascended into heaven, and there sits at the right hand of His Father, making intercession, and shall return, to judge men and angels, at the end of the world.

The fourth paragraph gives some details about what the mediatorial work of Christ involved. This section concentrates on the climax of the Mediator’s earthly ministry when it outlines for us the experience of Jesus Christ. He was “made under the law, and did perfectly fulfill it…” The Incarnation placed the Savior under the jurisdiction of God’s law and it was this same law that He kept perfectly on our behalf. Keeping in mind the focus of this chapter, such statements help us remember that the work of Christ was the work of our Mediator who was representing us in all that He did.

As truly man, the Mediator endured “grievous torments immediately in His soul” and “painful sufferings in His body.” At the end of His earthly journey, the Mediator suffered in a extreme fashion when He was crucified, died and was buried. The suffering, death and burial of Christ can only be explained by the doctrine of His mediatorial office. The suffering, death and burial of Jesus Christ were directly related to His representation of us. As the God-Man, He underwent these experiences for our benefit and as our Substitute.

Following His suffering, death and burial, of course, the Mediator was raised from the dead and thus His triumph on our behalf was demonstrated. Upon His resurrection, the Mediator ascended into heaven where He continues His ministry for our good.

V. The Lord Jesus, by His perfect obedience, and sacrifice of Himself, which He through the eternal Spirit, once offered up unto God, has fully satisfied the justice of His Father; and purchased, not only reconciliation, but an everlasting inheritance in the kingdom of heaven, for those whom the Father has given unto Him.

This paragraph gets to the heart of Christ’s ministry, which was His substitutionary obedience and death. The Confession specifies that Christ’s obedience was “perfect” and that His sacrifice of Himself was intended to satisfy the “justice of His Father.” These two statements would appear to be at odds with one another were it not for the fact that Jesus Christ was making an atonement on behalf of others. Otherwise, it would make little sense to say that He obeyed perfectly, yet still died to satisfy the Father’s justice, as though His perfect obedience was insufficient. Of course, the paragraph goes to explain that the perfect obedience and sacrifice of Christ were substitutionary in nature; that is, the atonement was vicarious (a vicarious atonement is an atonement made by one for another).

The result of Christ’s perfect obedience and sacrifice of Himself is represented as two-fold: reconciliation and an everlasting inheritance. Christ’s work of atonement re-established a favorable relationship between the Creator and His creatures and secured for those restored creatures an eternal citizenship in the kingdom of heaven. Notice that the last phrase reinforces the idea of a particular atonement, which we mentioned earlier. Christ’s obedience and Christ’s sacrifice of Himself resulted in reconciliation between God and “those whom the Father has given unto [Christ]” and Christ’s obedience and sacrifice of Himself resulted in an everlasting inheritance for “those whom the Father has given unto [Christ].” The atonement is represented as particular in nature, particular in extent and, of course, particular in application.

(To be continued)