An Introduction to Redemption Accomplished and Applied

I felt it might be beneficial to introduce the next chapter by way of an overview of the subject. I do this because I want to make clear that the accomplishment of redemption, which was described in Chapter 8, Of Christ the Mediator, has yet to be an applied redemption in our current progress through the 1689 Confession. 

Redemption first Accomplished and then Applied

It is, in fact, this next chapter (Chapter 10, Of Effectual Calling) that the discussion of the application of redemption begins.  The Scriptures show us that the redemption accomplished in Christ is applied to the elect by the Holy Spirit.  Redemption is accomplished, and then redemption applied; these are distinct while obviously related to each other.  When we speak of the actual application of the accomplish redemption, we also see that there is an order to the application.  The next chapter and the several after that deal with the ordered application of redemption. 

I hope my introduction will help us as we head into a heavily wooded forest, and because of the thickness of foliage, we might find that we can’t see the forest for the trees.  If we can keep in mind where we are in the order of salvation, as we navigate through the details, it will help us to keep our perspective as we navigate the next several chapters of the 1689 Confession.    

Baptist Catechism: A Handy Map 

The Baptist Catechism (available in the above tab) is in a way a summary of the 1689 Confession, and as such, it parallels much of the 1689 Confession (see the Baptist Catechism and 1689 Parallel tab above).  Keeping with the navigation illustration, the Baptist Catechism provides helpful way-points between the major elements in the order of salvation.  I will make use of this tool to help us navigate through the order of salvation in the 1689 Confession. 

Christ having accomplished redemption, as covered in chapter 8, Of Christ the Mediator, we may be asking how we obtain this redemption.  This is what the Baptist Catechism asks in question 32, “How are we made partakers of the redemption purchased by Christ?” The answer provided is: “We are made partakers of the redemption purchased by Christ, by the effectual application of it to us by his Holy Spirit.”[1]  From here, the Baptist Catechism becomes more and more specific about the Spirit’s application of redemption to His people.

As the catechism continues it describes just exactly how the Spirit does this work.  It states in question 33, “How does the Spirit apply to us the redemption purchased by Christ?”  The answer is: “The Spirit applieth to us the redemption purchased by Christ, by working faith in us, and thereby uniting us to Christ in our effectual calling.”[2]

Introduction to Effectual Calling

So we see then that the Spirit works faith in us, and the Spirit unites us to Christ ‘in’ or ‘by’ effectual calling.  If the Spirit does this by effectual calling, then we certainly want to know just exactly what effectual calling is and what it does.  The Baptist Catechism question 34 asks simply: “What is effectual calling?”  The answer is:  “Effectual calling is the work of God’s Spirit, whereby convincing us of our sin and misery, enlightening our minds in the knowledge of Christ, and renewing our wills, he doth persuade and enable us to embrace Jesus Christ, freely offered to us in the gospel.”[3]

• Effectual calling is the work of God’s Spirit, whereby
• convincing us of our sin and misery,
• enlightening our minds in the knowledge of Christ, and
• renewing our wills,
• he doth persuade and enable us to embrace Jesus Christ,
• freely offered to us in the gospel.”[4]

There is a lot contained in this catechism answer.  I do not want to give a detailed commentary on each of these phrases here because much of it will be covered in the next posts as we actually go through the effectual calling sections of chapter 10.

Effectual: this means ‘effective’.  What is effective?  The call to believe in the gospel is made effective by the work of the Holy Spirit, and the work He does in a heart.

Calling: to be summoned.    

A summons can be ignored (with consequences), but an effectual summons or call will not be ignored.  In effectual calling, the elect always respond in the affirmative to the gospel call.  We will address why the grace of effectual calling is irresistible, but based on chapter nine, Of Free-Will (which we have already covered), we may already have part of that answer (hint: a new nature desires spiritual good).

Effectual calling is the first in a series of acts in the order of salvation (ordo salutis in Latin), also known as the application of redemption. 

• “When we think of the application of redemption we must not think of it as one simple and indivisible act.  It comprises a series of acts and processes.  To mention some, we have calling, regeneration, justification, adoption, sanctification, and glorification.  These are all distinct, and not one of these can be defined in terms of the other.  Each has its own distinct meaning, function, and purpose in the action and grace of God.”[5]  John Murray

Predestination

And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. Romans 8:30 (ESV)

We see in this verse that predestination actually precedes calling.  If you are predestined you will be called in God’s time, and if you are called, you will be justified.  There is a direct link and causality; if you are 1) predestined you will be 2) called, and if you are called you will be 3) justified, and if you are justified, you will be 4) glorified. 

In Roman’s 8:30, we see an order and effectiveness. God’s decrees are the first cause of everything that happens (chapter 3), and so those who are called are called because of God’s decree in election.  We know the call is always effective based on Romans 8:30 as it states that those who are called “he also justified,” leaving no room for the possibility that they may be called and not justified, or that those who are justified will not be glorified.  What God decrees, God brings to fruition.

• “…God’s purpose is always prior to every phase of the application of redemption.”[6] John Murray

We see God’s decree is according to His eternal purpose; God’s decree is prior to any actions taken to accomplish or apply salvation.  Once redemption was accomplished in the work of Christ, effectual calling is the next step and first action taken in the actual application of salvation to the individual elect person.

Eternal Election is not Eternal Justification

Sometimes people fail to distinguish between election in eternity past and justification in time and space.  The failure to make that distinction can lead to an unbiblical view called eternal justification.  Eternal justification takes the erroneous view that since God’s decree of election will not fail (with is true), then an elect person is also justified in eternity past since being elected infallibly leads to justification.  But this is a failure to see that God elects in eternity past, but the execution of that decree is not carried out until it is God’s time.  While decrees are made in eternity past (outside of time), God’s decrees are executed within time; God’s decrees are executed in creation and providence; both of these are located within time and space. 

Eternal justification leads to several problems:

1. It removes the need of faith to be exercised by the elect. Eternal justification neglects the biblical teaching of justification by faith alone, and replaces justification by “faith alone” with justification by “election alone.”
2. It removes the need of repentance since according to eternal justification you were justified from imputed sin and actual sin even before you were born.  The implication is that one need not repent and believe to be saved, but merely acknowledge and grow into the knowledge of what was already done for you.
3. It severely distorts the gospel, and therefore is a fatal error that cannot be tolerated.

This particular error helps us to see exactly why it is important to see the difference between redemption predestined, redemption accomplished and redemption applied.

Who Effectually Calls Us?

The author of predestination (election) is also the author of the call. Which member of the Godhead is the author of predestination?  It is God the Father.  The Father is the “predestinator” and the “caller.”

•  “We fail to discern other emphases of the Scripture and we do dishonor to the Father when we think of him simply as planning salvation and redemption.  The Father is not removed from the effectuation of that which he designed in his eternal counsel and accomplished in the death of his Son; he comes into the most intimate relation to his people in the application of redemption by being the specific and particular actor in the inception of such application.”[7]  John Murray
• God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. 1 Cor. 1:9 (ESV)
• See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him.  1 John 3:1 (ESV)
•  ”It is very likely that the word “called” [ from 1 John 3:1] means more than merely “named” and refers to the effectual action of God the Father whereby we are “called” to be sons of God.  It is God the Father specifically and by way of eminence who calls effectually by his grace.”[8]  John Murray

Calling is a Summons

I want to clarify a bit more about the nature of ‘calling’.  To be called is more than just to have your name called out in a crowd.  It is a call that is more analogous to a personal summons to appear in court. 

• “We often fail to grasp the rich meaning of biblical terms because in common usage the words have suffered a great deal of attrition.  This is true in respect of the word “call.”  If we are to understand the strength of this word, as used in this connection, we must use the word “summons.”  The action by which God makes his people the partakers of redemption is that of summons.  And since it is God’s summons it is efficacious summons.”[9]John Murray

As we have previously pointed out, effectual calling is the first step in the application of redemption, but the caller (the Father) cannot answer the call, the called one must answer the call.  We have already studied our inability to answer God’s call because of our utter spiritual deadness which causes us to be unable to do spiritual good.  Since we cannot cooperate with God in responding to the summons, how do we answer the summons?

• “The fact is that there is a complete incongruity between the glory and virtue to which sinners are called, on the one hand, and the moral and spiritual condition of the called on the other.  How is this incongruity to be resolved and the impossibility overcome?  It is the glory of the gospel of God’s grace that provides for this incongruity.”[10]

Regeneration, General Call and Effectual Call

This is where we come to the topic of regeneration.  Regeneration is included in Chapter 10, Of Effectual Calling.  Regeneration, though related to effectual calling, is distinct from it. 

When anyone hears the gospel call (elect and non-elect) they are being called (commanded) to repent and believe the gospel.  This is often referred as a general call, and both are equally responsible to answer the call, though unable (due to not fault of God’s).  While this general call is both to the elect and non-elect, yet for the elect it is effectual, and for the non-elect it is ineffectual. 

But what makes the call effective?  The primary difference between the general call and the effectual call is that for the non-elect the call does not accompany the work of the Spirit, but for the elect the call does accompany the Spirit’s work.  When the Father effectually calls, He sends His Spirit to work in that elect person. This work is called regeneration.  The gospel is the ‘call’ and regeneration causes it to be ‘effectual.’ 

It should be pointed out that the elect are totally passive in regeneration.  In repentance and faith the elect are not passive and become active participators by the exercising of faith which leads to justification, adoption, and so forth.  But just speaking of effectual calling and regeneration the elect are passive. 

In this diagram, we can see in a visual way how effectual calling and regeneration  lead to the exercise of repentance and faith.In the Baptist Catechism, and in chapter ten of the 1689 Confession, effectual call and regeneration are not given distinct titles, but there is a distinction; regeneration is present in the description though not named.  Though they are under one heading in chapter ten of effectual calling, yet in chapter 13, section 1 we see them listed distinctly: “They who are united to Christ, effectually called, and regenerated.”

Here is what William Shedd said about this in relation to the Westminster Shorter Catechism from which the Baptist Catechism adopted much of its wording.[11]

• “In Westminster Shorter Catechism Q.30–31 the application of redemption is attributed to a particular work of God denominated effectual calling: “The Spirit applies to us the redemption purchased by Christ, by working faith in us, and thereby uniting us to Christ in our effectual calling.” This effectual calling is defined to be “the work of God’s Spirit, whereby convincing us of our sin and misery, enlightening our minds in the knowledge of Christ, and renewing [Westminster Larger Catechism 67 adds: powerfully determining’] our wills, he does persuade and enable us to embrace Jesus Christ freely offered to us in the gospel.” According to this definition the effectual call produces (a) conviction of conscience, (b) illumination of the understanding, (c) renovation of the will, and (d) faith in Christ’s atonement. Everything in redemption runs back, ultimately, to God: “His divine power has given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness” (2 Pet. 1:3).
• But such effects in the soul as conviction, illumination, renovation, and faith imply a great change within it. These are fruits and evidences of that spiritual transformation which in Scripture is denominated “new birth,” “new creation,” “resurrection from the dead,” “death to sin and life to righteousness,” “passage from darkness to light.” Consequently, effectual calling includes and implies regeneration. Hence it is said in Westminster Confession 13.1 that “they who are effectually called and regenerated, having a new heart and a new spirit created in them, are farther sanctified.” In Westminster Confession 10.2 effectual calling is made to include regeneration, because man is said to be “altogether passive, until he is enabled to answer the call.”[12]

The Call is through the Gospel

What is absolutely essential to realize is that the call, whether general or effectual is the proclamation of the gospel.  As chapter 20, Of the Gospel, and of the Extent of the Grace Thereof, section two points out, only the gospel is the effective message for calling a sinner, not creation, providence, or the light of nature. 

• 1689 Chapter 20:2. This promise of Christ, and salvation by him, is revealed only by the Word of God; neither do the works of creation or providence, with the light of nature, make discovery of Christ, or of grace by him, so much as in a general or obscure way; much less that men destitute of the revelation of Him by the promise or gospel, should be enabled thereby to attain saving faith or repentance. 

This is not the view of many Evangelicals today.  But only if the statement in 12:2 of the Confession is true should we be sending out missionaries to preach the gospel, because otherwise, if these other areas of general revelation are sufficient to bring a sinner to salvation, it is probably the worst thing that we could do to send out fallible missionaries who are more likely to cloud an already adequate revelation of creation.  Why bother? If the heavens declare the gospel, what does a mere mortal have to add?  Any other view, besides the one articulated in the confession, completely undermines the motivation and the need for missionary work, or for that matter, any form of evangelism! 

This essential element (that only the gospel is the power of God for salvation) is the very reason that the charge against Calvinists that they do not believe in evangelism is completely false.  If anyone believes in evangelism, it is the Calvinists since he believes that God will only use the gospel to effectively call someone (i.e. irresistible grace) and no other means.  Logically speaking, it is the non-Calvinists who have reason to not preach the gospel, because after all creation, providence, or the light of nature are the best evangelists.

Our Journey Begins

So having introduced the topic and some related matters, the next post will return to the commentary of the 1689 Confession, Chapter 10, Of Effectual Calling.  I hope this section will serve to help see how effectual calling relates to regeneration and with the whole order of salvation. I hope this will help show where we are headed as we navigate our way through some amazing thick and rich biblical doctrine.

This might be a good time for a recap since what has come before has established an essential foundation for the remaining chapters of the confession.

Chapter 1: Of the Holy Scriptures: Here we learned the nature of God’s revelation, it’s authority and the need of it. The Scriptures reveal what we are to believe concerning God and what duty God requires of man.

Chapter 2 Of God and of the Holy Trinity: Here we learned what God is like, of His compassion, justice, His unity, and Triune nature.

Chapter 3: Of God’s Decrees: Here we learned that God has determined in eternity past, everything that comes to pass. “The decrees of God are His eternal purpose, according to the counsel of His own will, whereby for His own glory, He has foreordained whatsoever comes to pass.” We see in Chapter three of God’s decrees, that He is the first cause of all things, and that He chose an elect people whom He predestined to salvation.

Chapter 4: Of Creation: Creation is of course a vital part of the execution of His decrees, because without creation there would be no place to execute His decrees. Further, we see that what God made was good and holy including the state of innocence of man.

Chapter 5 Of Divine Providence: We saw how God uses providence to execute His decrees. God decides what He is going to do, and uses His works of Creation and His providence to carry out His predetermined plan. Providence is God’s PROVIDEnce for the carrying out of His decrees, and providence is God’s person involvement in creation without a hint of Deism present.

Chapter 6 Of the Fall of Man, of Sin, and of the Punishment thereof: Here we were taught that there was a fall and we saw how serious the fall was. We learned it was and is so serious that it has left all of mankind uninterested, unwilling, and unable to do any spiritual good.

Chapter 7 Of God’s Covenant: Here we learned of the Covenant of Grace which is extended to God’s elect in promising to give eternal life unto all those that are ordained eternal life. The Covenant of Grace is really the gospel found in the Old Testament and the New Testament.

Chapter 8 Of Christ the Mediator: Here we learned of Christ’s nature, person, his office of Mediator, Redeemer, Prophet, Priest, and King. We learned of His atonement for sin, and his satisfaction of divine justice on behalf of His elect.

Chapter 9 Of Free Will: We learned of the nature of man’s free will. We learned that before the fall the will was free to obey God’s laws, but that after the fall the will was a slave to sin and mankind’s will accordingly follows suit choosing only sin being incapable of any spiritual good towards his salvation or any means thereof. Man will follow the desires of his nature, whether a fallen nature or a regenerated nature.

So if we have understood all of this wonderful doctrine to this point, we now understand the full weight of mankind’s plight (a sinful and miserable state). We learn of man’s state of utter depravity and inability, and we are forced to ask as the disciples did, “Who then can be saved?” (Matt. 19:23-25).

But then we see hope since Christ came to be a Mediator between God and man by taking on the office of a Prophet in revealing God’s way to salvation; we see His office as a Priest in offering Himself as a sacrifice to satisfy divine justice and to reconcile us to God; lastly, we see in His office as King that He conquers us, subdues us to Himself, and conquers His enemies and ours. But this hope leads to another question; having accomplished redemption for his people, how is it applied to us? How do we get it?

The next several chapters of the 1689 Confession will address this very topic, starting with chapter 10, Of Effectual Calling.

The 1689 Second London Baptist Confession states in Chapter 9: Of Free-will, Section 5 of 5, the following:

5. This will of man is made perfectly and immutably free to good alone in the state of glory only. ( Ephesians 4:13 )

This state of glory is the day the converted soul longs for.  We long for the day when our righteous souls will no longer have to endure and struggle against the corruption around us and in us.

 Our current state reminds me of Lot:

•  ”and if he rescued righteous Lot, greatly distressed by the sensual conduct of the wicked  (for as that righteous man lived among them day after day, he was tormenting his righteous soul over their lawless deeds that he saw and heard); then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials,” 2 Peter 2:7-9 (ESV)

This passage in 2 Peter further reminds us that in this life, God will deliver us in the trials of corruption around us, but it also reminds us of an ultimate deliverance, a great exodus, where we will be forever delivered from the spiritual Egypt and the army of sin and corruption will forever be drowned in the sea of God’s judgment and destruction.

 But, “until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” (Eph. 4:13 ESV), we wait patiently for that Great Day.

The 1689 Confession states: perfect

In glory, we will be perfectly free to good alone.

I find it quite insightful that the confession does not simply state that in glory we will perfectly and immutably never sin. Although that is the ultimate outcome, the reason for this is because our will is made perfect. But by making our will perfect; we become freer; we become perfectly free.  Heaven will not be a place of coercion; it will be a place of perfect freedom. Heaven is the ultimate land of the free.  Presently, the remaining corruption does not leave us perfectly free to do spiritually good. 

The 1689 states: immutably

 In glory, we will be immutably free to good alone.

It is not only that the will is made perfect, but it is made perfect and will never be changed from being perfect.  As a youth, I had this strange idea.  What if once we all get to heaven someone sins again and starts the whole process over again?  I know it is silly, but here in the confession we assured (biblically supported of course) that in heaven our free-will is not going to change.   So perfect means perfect and unchanged means it will always be perfect.

Since our will is made perfect and unchangeable that we may freely do good in glory, does that not imply that our wills were not perfectly able to do good prior to the state of glory?  Yes it does.  This goes back to our previous section three: he freeth him from his natural bondage under sin, and by his grace alone enables him freely to will and to do that which is spiritually good

So the freeing of our natural bondage under sin that God brought about by conversion is made perfect or complete in glory.  Our enablement to freely will and to do spiritually good is made complete or is perfected in glory.  That which God began, he completes in us in glory.

R.C. Sproul states:

• “In heaven, when we are in glory, we are free only to obey.  That is what we call royal freedom, the most wonderful freedom, where our choices will only be good.  We will have no inclination whatsoever to do anything wicked or evil.  The humanistic view, that true freedom means that we have an equal ability to go to the left or the right, to do what is sinful or what is righteous, is a myth.  It is not only unbiblical, but irrational.  We must rid our minds of that notion and realize that at the heart of this matter is original sin.  Prior to our conversion, we are enslaved to wicked impulses.  But when the Spirit sets us free from bondage to sin, then we are truly free.”[1]

In this entire chapter nine, we have covered:

1. A definition of free-will 
2. The state of free-will before the fall
3. The state of free-will after the fall
4. The state of free-will after regeneration
5. The state of free-will in glorification  

With this biblical foundation of free will, we are now ready to move forward to the study of the order of salvation.  This is the study of the way and the order in which God applies salvation to his elect.  It is essential that we understand our complete inability for any spiritual good, and our total and permanent disability spiritually before we move forward into the next several chapters of the 1689 Confession. Hopefully that has been well established in our heart and mind.

 This concludes this brief commentary on Chapter 9, Of Free Will, section 5 of 5, from the 1689 Confession of Faith.

The 1689 Second London Baptist Confession states in Chapter 9: Of Free-will, Section 4 of 5, the following:

4. When God converts a sinner, and translates him into the state of grace, he freeth him from his natural bondage under sin, and by his grace alone enables him freely to will and to do that which is spiritually good; yet so as that by reason of his remaining corruptions[1], he doth not perfectly, nor only will, that which is good, but doth also will that which is evil. ( Colossians 1:13; John 8:36; Philippians 2:13; Romans 7:15, 18, 19, 21, 23 )

This section of chapter 9 deals with free-will in the state of grace. 

The 1689 Confession states: When God converts a sinner, and translates him into the state of grace,

When God converts a sinner, he translates him into a state of grace.  It is seems likely to me that the framers of the confession had Colossians 1:3 in mind.

• He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, Col 1:13 (ESV)

When God converts, it is an act on his part; it is an action that has a result.  God acts; something happens.  This action of God’s in converting a person is completely different from someone converting themselves.  For example, it is not uncommon to hear about someone ‘converting’ to Islam or Catholicism or Mormonism, etc.  This is a person deciding to ‘convert’ to a religion.  This is not the type of ‘conversion’ the confession is referring to; the confession is referring to regeneration which is a sovereign act of God upon the heart of a person. 

Notice the word order: first ‘God’, then ‘converts.’  “God converts.”  This is not decisional regeneration, it is divine regeneration.  ‘Decisions for Christ’ do not convert souls, only God converts souls.  I recommend an important writing on this matter by James E. Adams, entitled, Decisional Regeneration.  You can find it here: http://www.chapellibrary.org/files/archive/pdf-english/dreg.pdf.  The conversion is God’s doing, not man’s.  

The 1689 Confession states: he freeth him from his natural bondage under sin

The natural man is in bondage, as the last section established.  When God converts a person, they are changed.  But how are they changed?  They are freed from their natural state of bondage under sin.  The last section established the bondage of the will (my allusion to Luther’s book intended), but in this section, we see that God frees the will from bondage.

The Scriptures certainly show this to be true:

• So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.  John 8:36 (ESV)
• We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. ⁷ For one who has died has been set free from sin. ⁸ Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. ⁹ We know that Christ being raised from the dead will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. ¹⁰ For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. ¹¹ So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. ¹² Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal bodies, to make you obey their passions. ¹³  Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. ¹⁴ For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace. Romans 6:6-14 (ESV)
•  But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, ¹⁸ and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness. Romans 6:17-18 (ESV)

The 1689 states: and by his grace alone enables him freely to will and to do that which is spiritually good;

Here the confession spells out exactly what that freedom looks like. This freedom of the will is an amazing grace, and this grace enables us to freely, not by coercion do spiritually good.  We have a new nature and that new nature desires spiritual good and chooses accordingly.

Again this is God’s work in us:

• Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. Phil 2:12-13 (ESV)

Now if you are like me, you begin to be greatly encouraged by this recognition of the change in our state as believers.  We should be encouraged and remember who we are so that we do not fall back into our old sins, forgetting that we were purged from our former sins.  But some would like to stop at this portion of the confession, such as those in the holiness movements who think that perfection of doing spiritual good is perfectly attainable in this life.  So lest our encouragement be turned into over confidence in our flesh, which will then be turned into disillusion when we fail, the confession quickly brings balance in the next phrase.

The 1689 Confession states: yet so as that by reason of his remaining corruptions, he doth not perfectly, nor only will, that which is good, but doth also will that which is evil.

Unfortunately, despite the change of our nature into a new creation, we still have corruption that remains in us.  Due to that corruption, we do not perfectly do spiritual good, we also freely will to do spiritually bad.  We wish it were not so, but it is. 

A.A. Hodge, states:

• “And yet, because of lingering remains of his old corrupt moral habit of the soul, there remains a conflict of tendencies, so that the Christian does not perfectly nor only will that which is good, but doth also will that which is evil.”[2]

 What do the Scriptures say?

• I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.   Romans 7:15 (ESV)
• For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Romans 7:18-19 (ESV)
• So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand.       Romans 7:21 (ESV)
• but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members.      Romans 7:23 (ESV)

There is a very real change that occurs in us in relation to our free-will when God converts us, but this change does not mean that we no longer sin.  The Arminian, as the Calvinist, are happy to give praise to God for the change they see in their lives when God converts them, but for the Arminian the change should cause them to see that if as a new creation they are changed, then what was the nature their old creation?  It was indeed a nature in a more serious state of sin, bondage and corrution than they thought.  If they realized how serious their old state was, they would realize their new state could only have come about by a sovereign and supernatural act of God.

All praise to God for his incredible work of redemption in his people that he initiates (God is the author of his salvation: Heb. 12:2) and he continues it through the process of sanctification and perseverance (Phil. 2:12-13), until its completion (he is the finisher of their salvation, Hebrews 12:2).  

This concludes this brief commentary on Chapter 9, Of Free Will, section 4 of 5, from the 1689 Confession of Faith.

3. Man, by his fall into a state of sin, hath wholly lost all ability of will to any spiritual good accompanying salvation; so as a natural man, being altogether averse from that good, and dead in sin, is not able by his own strength to convert himself, or to prepare himself thereunto. ( Romans 5:6;Romans 8:7; Ephesians 2:1, 5; Titus 3:3-5; John 6:44 )

Section 3 now addresses our free will in the state of sin, which is a much different state than in section one or two of this chapter.

Sin has drastically altered that state of the will in freely choosing good or evil, and it is at this point that Arminian Theology under estimates the change sin brought to the will of man.  Man is not born in a state of innocency (which the Arminian (semi-Pelagianist) acknowledges), but he fails to see the actual severity of the state in which men are born.

Since the free will is no longer in a state of innocency as in section two, we can expect that the nature of free-will has indeed been adversely affected. To ignore the nature of that change is to ignore the new state of Adam and his posterity following the fall. This state, in terms of the will of man, is critical to grasp, because if you do not, the entire grid by which you view God’s plan of redemption from Genesis (after the fall) through to the end of Revelation, will be skewed. You will miss key aspects that deal with the application of redemption (order of salvation). Namely, you will miss the sovereign work of God in salvation. God, by his own initiative and with absolutely no contribution from man, regenerates the heart of the person he chooses; regeneration renews the will of man.  Unless this unconverted will is first changed, a man or woman never would come to Christ, because not only are they uninterested, but they are unable.  Many Arminian prayers even reflect this in their prayers, asking God to change a person’s heart.  What they deny in doctrine, they accept in their prayers.

It is important that this chapter precedes the chapters which follow (dealing with the application of redemption or the order of salvation). If a person is to understand Reformed Theology, meaning a biblical theology, he must understand the truths given in this chapter.

The 1689 Confession states: hath wholly lost all ability of will to any spiritual good accompanying salvation;

It is worth noting that the confession offers a qualification to the meaning of “spiritually good”, by adding “accompanying salvation.” By this, I believe the confession is pointing to two or three issues:

• 1. The affirmation that man can do ‘morally’ good things despite his sinful state.
• 2. He cannot do spiritually good things that lead to salvation, meaning faith and repentance.
• 3. Spiritually good things that ‘accompany salvation’ (meaning good things that flow out of salvation).

In relation to points 2 and 3, I am uncertain if the confession is pointing to both, or to one. Perhaps it means both. Certainly, both are true biblically, but is the confession making both points?

When the confession stats that he ”hath wholly lost all ability of will to any spiritual good”, the confession focuses on the heart of the issue (pun intended). Adam was originally given the ability to do spiritual good, but as a result of the spiritual death that came to him (a result of God’s judgment upon Adam’s disobedience, and the imputation of that death to all Mankind), he and mankind lost that ability of the will. Part of this inability is the fact that man has lost interest in and is opposed to spiritual good. The desire for spiritual good is not present; the desire that would lead man’s will to choose spiritual good.

Some say in response to the doctrine of total inability, “It’s not my fault I do not do spiritually good, because after all, I cannot.”  The question however to asked of such a response is, “Do you want to seek God and do spiritually good and yet are unable?  If not, then why complain about not doing what you do not want to do. Would you rather be forced to do that which you do not want to do?”

God will not coerce you.  What he will do is cause you to born from above based upon his eternal decree in election, and then you will want to do good and you will be able to. That is not coercion, but transformation.  You then, with a renewed will, freely choose to do that which previously you were uninterested in choosing.  Without this transformation, you will remain in a natural state, and those in such a state are reflected in the following Scripture.

• No one understands; no one seeks for God. ¹² All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.” Romans 3:11-12 (ESV)
• For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. ⁸ Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. Romans 8:7-8 (ESV)

To be clear, the confession is not denying free-will in general, but only in relation to doing spiritually good. The fallen will is in bondage, but it still has free-will to make decisions of a non-spiritual nature. The following quote may shed light on this point:

• “By liberty we mean the inalienable prerogative of the human soul of exercising volition as it pleases. In this case [in this sense] man is as free now as before the fall. By ability we mean the capacity either to will in opposition to the desires and affections of the soul at the time, or by a bare exercise of volition to make oneself desire and love that which one does not spontaneously desire or love.”^[1] A.A. Hodge

This is a helpful point. Often the unconverted person, or the Arminian (who may be converted), jumps to the extreme thinking that what is meant is that all will power or all freedom of the will is gone following the fall. They rightly object to that notion because it just does not match reality. Here we can agree with them, and so we should. We can make decisions freely, and every day we do. God does not coerce man to do good or evil. Man freely chooses according to his nature. The key here is “according to his nature.” All the Calvinist is saying here is that the unconverted person makes decisions based on their desires, and since their desires flow from their nature which is fallen, therefore they choose according to that nature; if our nature is regenerated, we choose according to that nature (notwithstanding our struggle against the old nature). I think that the Arminian may have more agreement with the Calvinist in this than is realized.

Romans 8:7-8 states this.  The mind that is set on the flesh does not submit to God, indeed it cannot. To contrast this, what is the nature of the believer? It is renewed and regenerated and is set on the Spirit (again notwithstanding the struggle of remaining corruption):

• You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. ¹⁰ But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. ¹¹ If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you. Romans 8:9-11 (ESV)

We see further evidence in Scripture that those who are dead in sin cannot do spiritually good, and that those who are spiritually alive do spiritually good.

• I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:5 (ESV)
• For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. ⁴ But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, ⁵ he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit. Titus 3:3-5 (ESV)

We should not under-estimate the word ‘slave’ which Titus 3:3 uses in relation to sin. Someone who is a slave to sin is not free are they? The unconverted person is a slave to sin; he cannot will himself out of slavery; the converted person is a slave to righteousness, and is free from sin and can choose spiritual good. But I am getting ahead of myself in terms of the nature of a converted person since the next section of chapter nine addresses the free-will of the converted person.

The 1689 Confession states: so as a natural man, being altogether averse from that good, and dead in sin, is not able by his own strength to convert himself,

The natural man, or woman, is just that, ‘natural.’ They are in still in their a fallen state, and only by a supernatural act of God are they changed from a state of being ‘natural’, to a state of being ‘supernatural’.  God supernaturally converts them and thus they no longer remain natural.  In that natural state, man is completely averse from being good. To be ‘averse’ is to have no interest, and in fact, a distaste or opposition to spiritual good. This is due to their deadness in sin. In terms of being averse, it is not just a lack of interest, but an inability to change that being averse to a desire for spiritual good. What does the Bible tell us about a natural or spiritually dead person’s being averse to spiritual good?

• The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. 1 Cor. 2:14 (ESV)
• And you were dead in the trespasses and sins. Eph. 2:1 (ESV)
• even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ— by grace you have been saved— Eph. 2:5 (ESV)
• No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day. John 6:44 (ESV)
• But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. John 1:12-13 (ESV)

Clearly John 1:13 teaches that the person of God is ‘born’  from above (regenerated), not by man’s will, but by God’s will. This means not by one’s own choosing, decision, or free-will. Since this is so, how does the Arminians say that our will is able to respond to the gospel call? Further, they say that regeneration comes after faith, but how does one ever get to faith in the first place, let alone exercise it, unless God first does something supernatural in one to first change the nature, and thereby the will? Regeneration makes him alive, and then, he is able to exercise his renewed will in faith and repentance.

As Spurgeon said,

• “One week-night, when I was sitting in the house of God, I was not thinking much about the preacher’s sermon, for I did not believe it. The thought struck me, How did you come to be a Christian? I sought the Lord. But how did you come to seek the Lord? The truth flashed across my mind in a moment—I should not have sought Him unless there had been some previous influence in my mind to make me seek Him. I prayed, thought I, but then I asked myself, How came I to pray? I was induced to pray by reading the Scriptures. How came I to read the Scriptures? I did read them, but what led me to do so? Then, in a moment, I saw that God was at the bottom of it all, and that He was the Author of my faith, and so the whole doctrine of grace opened up to me, and from that doctrine I have not departed to this day, and I desire to make this my constant confession, “I ascribe my change wholly to God.”[2]

Spurgeon is reflecting on first causes, and I think part of the mistake the Arminian makes is that he is reflecting on what seems to be the cause, namely himself, and fails to reflect upon what caused him to choose.  The Calvinist does not deny that we choose Christ or that we exercise faith leading then to justification.  The Calvinist just denies that the power to make this choice resides naturally within our fallen state.  The Calvinist is saying that God first chose us and based upon that choice of the believer (the elect) God effectually (effectively) calls them by regenerating them and thus changing their inability to ability, thus giving them the desire for Christ, the gift of faith, which they then exercise leading to justification.  The Arminian is man-centered in this sense, not considering the proper glory due to God prior to their choice of Christ by faith.  It is ultimately the Arminian’s faulty view (unbiblical view) of the actual nature of fallen man that leads them astray in this area.

R.C. Sproul relates a story that reminds us that it is God’s initiative that draws us to him, not ours:

• “I was asked to debate this question at an Arminian school several years ago with the head of the New Testament department. When he quoted John 6:44, I mentioned to him that the Greek verb translated “draw” in this verse is the same verb that is used in the book of Acts when some men dragged Paul and Silas before the authorities for casting an evil spirit out of their slave girl (Acts 16:19). Those men did not try to entice them to come before the magistrates; they compelled them to come. The professor interrupted: “But there are references in the Greek poet Euripides (or somebody) where this same verb refers to drawing water out of a well.” Smiling to the audience, he asked, “And Dr. Sproul, does anybody compel the water to come out of the well?” Everybody laughed, and I responded, “How do you get water from a well? Do you stand at the top of the well and call, “Here, water, water, water”? Or is that water dead in the pit and absolutely inert unless you lower the bucket into the water and you drag it up to the surface?”^[3]

A.A. Hodge makes this statement of clarity:

• “In the act of regeneration the Holy Spirit has implanted a new spiritual principle, habit or tendency in the affections of his soul, which, being subsequently nourished and directed by the indwelling Spirit, frees the man from his natural bondage under sin, and enables him prevailingly to will freely that which is spiritually good.”^[4]

The 1689 Confession states: or to prepare himself thereunto.

As if to make the matter perfectly clear, the confession adds that not only can the natural man not convert himself, but he can’t even prepare himself for conversion. Samuel Waldron makes this point well in relation to this very phrase in his 1689 Commentary:

• “Preparationism is any teaching or tendency that tells men that they must do something before they believe in Christ and repent for their sin. This has seemed the natural inference to be drawn from total inability by some. Since men cannot come to Christ and God must give the grace, they have concluded that men ought to be told to do something else first. Such people often tell men, for instance, to pray for a new heart. Not only are such conclusions illogical, they undermine the gospel. If men can do nothing spiritually good before they are saved, then anything they do beside complying with the initial demands of the gospel is not good. The first spiritually good thing which God ever enables any man to do is to repent and believe in the gospel. Therefore, that is the first thing they must be told to do. Furthermore, to tell men to do anything unto their salvation besides, “Repent and believe the gospel!” is not the biblical gospel, but a counterfeit.”^[5]

In the next section, we will look at the state of free-will after God converts it.

This concludes this brief commentary on Chapter 9, Of Free Will, section 3 of 5, from the 1689 Confession of Faith.

• [1] A.A. Hodge, The Westminster Confession: A Commentary (Edinburgh, The Banner of Truth Trust), pg. 164.
• [2] Spurgeon, “Defense of Calvinism”, http://www.spurgeon.org/calvinis.htm
• [3] R.C. Sproul, Truths We Confess, Volume II, Salvation and the Christian Life (New Jersey, P & R Publishing), pg. 9.
• [4] A.A. Hodge, The Westminster Confession: A Commentary (Edinburgh, The Banner of Truth Trust), pg. 165.
• [5] Samuel Waldron, 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith: A Modern Exposition (Darlington, England, Evangelical Press), pg. 146.

The 1689 Second London Baptist Confession states in Chapter 9: Of Free-will, Section 2 of 5, the following:

2. Man, in his state of innocency, had freedom and power to will and to do that which was good and well-pleasing to God, but yet was mutable[1] [unstable][2], so that he might fall from it. ( Ecclesiastes 7:29; Genesis 3:6 )

The 1689 Confession states: Man, in his state of innocency, had freedom and power to will and to do that which was good and well-pleasing to God

When God created Adam and Eve they were in a perfect state, and God created them with a will that was free and able to choose that which was good and pleased God.  In this state, the will of Adam and Eve desired to do good and to be pleasing to God.

• See, this alone I found, that God made man upright, but they have sought out many schemes. Eccl 7:29 (ESV)

The 1689 Confession states: but yet was mutable, so that he might fall from it. 

Our first parents were not coerced into pleasing God (see section 1), but sought to do so because their nature was uncorrupted; they were in a state of original righteousness.  Their will was not in bondage to sin.  There nature was not sinful.  But it was evident by the fall that they did have the freedom of will to choose disobedience even in their state of original righteousness.

• So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. Gen 3:6 (ESV)

It is important to see that God created Adam and Eve good; there is no shifting of shadow with God. As well, God did not coerce either obedience or disobedience.  Adam and Eve chose of their own free-will.  Somehow they desired what the serpent presented to them.  

This concludes this brief commentary on Chapter 9, Of Free Will, section 2 of 5, from the 1689 Confession of Faith.

• ---

  [1] 1689 adds this to the WCF and to the Savoy. The source is presumably Collins.  The 1689 changes the WCF and the Savoy which states: “but yet mutably,” to “was mutable.”

  [2] I have found “unstable” and “mutable” in two different 1689 Confessions.  James Renihan’s (True Confessions) seems to be the most reliable source of the original 1689 and it has “mutable”, so I use that, but “unstable” does not really change the basic meaning. In the Baptist Confession of Faith published by Solid Ground Books and ARBCA it has “mutable.”

The 1689 Second London Baptist Confession states in Chapter 9: Of Free-will, Section 1 of 5, the following:

1. God hath endued the will of man with that natural liberty and power of acting upon choice[1], that it is neither forced, nor by any necessity of nature determined to do good or evil. ( Matthew 17:12; James 1:14; Deuteronomy 30:19 )

R.C. Sproul states:

• “When we examine the question of free will from the view point of Biblical theology, we are pressured by the massive impact that secular views have had on our thinking.  If there is any place where secular humanism has undermined a biblical view of human nature, it’s with respect to the idea of free will.  The prevailing view of free will in the secular culture is that human beings are able to make choices without being encumbered by sin.  On this view, our wills have no predisposition either toward evil or toward righteousness, but remain in a neutral state from birth.
• This view of human freedom is on a collision course with the biblical doctrine of the fall, which speaks of radical corruption of our human condition.”[2]

So what is the biblical view of free-will?  We are about to find out.  This chapter is very foundational in many ways, but especially in laying a foundation for the following chapters which deal with the application of redemption (effectual calling, faith and repentance, justification by faith, sanctification and perseverance of the saints). 

We will see the following in chapter 9: a definition of free-will (section 1), and free-will described in its various states: before the fall, after the fall, after regeneration and then after glorification (section 1 -4).  These distinctions are very important because the will of man is affected by these states.  One mistake of the Arminian or synergist is in not seeing the biblical distinctions about free-will in these various states.

The 1689 Confession states: God hath endued the will of man with that natural liberty and power of acting upon choice,

God has given and empowered man with a will.  And that will has liberty or freedom, along with the accompanying ability or power, to take action based upon the nature of the will.  A natural liberty and power, means the will was created in mankind by God, as part of their nature, as part of who they are, as part of what makes them man or woman.  Without a will we would not be human as we understand that.  Certainly our will is a large part of what it means to be created in the image of God.

The 1689 Confession states: that it is neither forced, nor by any necessity of nature determined to do good or evil.

This will, which has liberty and power to act upon choice, is free in that it is not forced to do good or evil.  Nor is the will of liberty and power, determined by some necessity of nature to do good or evil.  If this were so, then it would follow that the will would not be at liberty to act upon choice.  This second part of the definition seems to be a negative definition, or what the free will is not whereas the first part states what the will is.

R.C. Sproul states:

• “Here the Confession distances itself from every form of moral determinism, which would subject human choices to fixed, mechanical, or physical forces, or even to arbitrary influences of fate.  In a word, Reformed theology categorically rejects fatalism and any determinism based upon the forces of nature.  We are not coerced or forced by natural causes, or by our environment, either to do good or to do evil.”[3]

Section 1 provides us with a definition of free-will as the starting point, but if we fail to make any further distinctions beyond that, such as how the will is affected by the fall, regeneration, and glorification, we will not be getting the whole truth.  As we will see, it is the nature of man that affects his will, and to ignore the sinful nature or redeemed nature in considering the will of man is to miss all the Bible teaches about the nature of man’s will.  The further clarifications will come in the next four sections of this chapter.

A.A. Hodge has made this helpful statement:

• “A man freely chooses what he wants to chose.  He would not choose freely if he chose in any other way.  But his desire in the premises is determined by his whole intellectual and emotional state at the time.  It is plain that if the human will is decided in any given case in opposition to all the views of the reason and all the desires of the heart, however free they will might be, the man would be a most pitiful slave to a mere irrational and immoral power of willing.   All men judge that the rational and moral character of any act results from the purpose or desire, the internal state of mind or heart, which prompted the act.  If man wills in any given case in opposition to all his judgments and to all his inclinations of every kind, his act in that case would obviously be neither rational nor moral; and the man himself, in respect to that act, would be neither free nor responsible.”[4]

Let’s say I am in the market for a house.  I do all my research, carefully considering all of the factors that go into making a wise choice, and I finally find the house that fits my criteria.  But as a result of all of this, I decide not to buy it, but rather to buy another house which is inferior in every way and costs more.  The realtor asks why?  I say, “Because I am going to chose opposite of what I want to do, just to do it!”  This is irrational, and rational human beings make decisions based on what they desire to do, not what based upon they do not desire to do.  But it is worth pointing put that even in this opposite decision, what I desired more than a rational choice, was to do the opposite “just to do it.”  So I desired just to do it more than to buy the right house.

A.A. Hodge states:

• “Christ taught…that human action is determined by the character of the agent as certainly as the nature of the fruit is determined by the nature of the tree from which it springs; and that the only way to change the character of the action is to change the permanent character or moral tendency and habit of the heart of the agent. Matt. Vii. 16-20; xii. 33-35.”[5]

 We see in Scripture the following:

• So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. Gen 3:6 (ESV)
• But I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but did to him whatever they pleased. So also the Son of Man will certainly suffer at their hands.”  Matt 17:12 (ESV)
• But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.  James 1:14 (ESV)
• I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live, Deut 30:19 (ESV)

 The following quote by A.A. Hodge is helpful to keep in mind as we continue looking at the various states of the will in the next 4 sections of this chapter:

•  “In all these estates [the free-will in the state of righteousness, sin, regeneration, and glorification] man is unchangeably a free, responsible agent, and in all these cases choosing or refusing as, upon the whole, he prefers to do.  A man’s volition [will] is as his desires are in any given case.  His desires in any given case are as they are determined to be by the general or permanent tastes, tendencies, and habitudes of his character.  He is responsible for his desires, because they are determined by the nature and permanent characteristics of his own soul.  He is responsible for these, because they are the tendencies and qualities of his own nature.  If these are immoral, he and his actions are immoral.  If these are holy, he and his actions are holy.”[6]
• “The moral condition of the heart determines the act of the will, but the act of the will cannot change the moral condition of the heart.”[7]

This concludes this brief commentary on Chapter 9, Of Free Will, section 1 of 5, from the 1689 Confession of Faith.

• [1] 1689 Adds this to the WCF . The source is the Savoy Declaration.

10. This number and order of offices is necessary; for in respect of our ignorance, we stand in need of his prophetical office; and in respect of our alienation from God, and imperfection of the best of our services, we need his priestly office to reconcile us and present us acceptable unto God; and in respect to our averseness and utter inability to return to God, and for our rescue and security from our spiritual adversaries, we need his kingly office to convince, subdue, draw, uphold, deliver, and preserve us to his heavenly kingdom.[1]
( John 1:18; Colossians 1:21; Galatians 5:17; John 16:8; Psalms 110:3; Luke 1:74, 75)

Section 10 is not present in the Westminster Confession, which contains only eight sections in chapter 8.

The 1689 Confession states: This number and order of offices is necessary

The number of the offices (meaning all three: prophet, priest and king) is necessary.  Why is it necessary?  The remaining part of section 10 will answer this question.  The order is also necessary.  Why?  Again, the rest of section 10 will give us the answer to this question. 

 The Baptist Catechism question 26 introduces the topic of the three offices this way:

•  Baptist Catechism
• 26 Q. What offices doth Christ execute as our Redeemer?
  A. Christ as our Redeemer executeth the offices of a prophet, of a priest, and of king, both in his estate of humiliation and exaltation

 First: The Office of a Prophet

The 1689 Confession states: for in respect of our ignorance, we stand in need of his prophetical office;

• The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers—it is to him you shall listen Deut 18:15 (ESV)
• And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, Luke 1:76 (ESV)

Due to our ignorance, we needed a prophet to reveal to us God’s will for our salvation.  Without Christ fulfillment of the office of prophet, mankind would not know the way of salvation.

• Baptist Catechism
• 27 Q. How doth Christ execute the office of a prophet?
  A. Christ executeth the office of prophet in revealing to us, by his word and Spirit, the will of God for our salvation

 Thomas Watson said:

• “If Alexander thought himself so much abliged to Aristotle for the philosophic instruction he received from him, oh, how are we obliged to Jesus Christ, this great Prophet, for opening to us the eternal purposes of his love, and revealing to us the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven!”[2]

Second: The Office of Priest

The 1689 Confession states: and in respect of our alienation from God, and imperfection of the best of our services, we need his priestly office to reconcile us and present us acceptable unto God;

We need the priestly ministry of Christ because he offered up himself on our behalf to satisfy divine justice that we would be reconciled to God.  Further, our High Priest is our effectual Mediator between on our behalf before God.  Since Christ is our defense attorney, our mediator, our intercessor, our high priest, our case cannot fail before the Judge.  In addition, even though our best service for God is inadequate and imperfect, the Father accepts it because of Christ’s perfect obedience and service to the Father, credited to our account, by faith.

• Baptist Catechism
• 28 Q. How doth Christ execute the office of a priest?
  A. Christ executeth the office of priest in his once offering up himself a sacrifice to satisfy divine justice (Heb. 9:14, 28) and reconcile us to God (Heb. 2:17), and in making continual intercession for us (Heb.7:24, 25).

Third: The Office of King

The 1689 Confession states: and in respect to our averseness and utter inability to return to God, and for our rescue and security from our spiritual adversaries, we need his kingly office to convince, subdue, draw, uphold, deliver, and preserve us to his heavenly kingdom.[3]

We are averse to return to God.  Averse means that we are strongly opposed to return to God.  We are not only strongly opposed to return to God, but we are utterly unable to return to God.

 So the 1689 Confession establishes that we need to be rescued and we require security, as a result the kingly office fails not in doing the following for us:

• Convince: And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: John 16:8 (ESV)
• Subdue: Simeon has related how God first visited the Gentiles, to take from them a people for his name. Acts 15:14 (ESV)
• Draw: No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day. John 6:44 (ESV)
• Uphold: My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me. Psalms 63:8 (ESV)
• Deliver: The oath that he swore to our father Abraham, to grant us that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve him without fear, Luke 1:73-74 (ESV)
• Preserve us: The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. Psalms 121:7 (ESV) And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. John 6:39 (ESV)

Why do we need Christ our King to do these things for us?  That he will bring us to his heavenly kingdom.  

• Baptist Catechism
• 29 Q. How doth Christ execute the office of king?
  A. Christ executeth the office of a king, in subduing us to himself (Acts 15:14, 15, 16), in ruling (Is. 33:22), and defending us (Is. 32:1, 2), and in restraining and conquering all his and our enemies (1 Cor. 15:25; Ps. 110 throughout).

Thomas Watson states:

• “How came Christ to be king?
• Not by usurpation, but legally.  He holds his crown by immediate tenure from heaven.  God the Father has decreed him to be king.  ‘I have set my king upon my holy hill: I will declare the decree.’ (Psa ii 6,7).  God anointed him and sealed him to his regal office.  ‘Him hath God the Father sealed.’ (John vi 27).  God has set the crown upon his head.[4]

Again Watson states:

• “Let those admire God’s free grace who were once under the power and tyranny of Satan, and now of slaves Christ has made them to become the subjects of his kingdom.  Christ did not need subjects, he has legions of angels ministering to him; but in his love he has honored you to make you his subjects.  Oh, how long it ere Christ could prevail with you to come under his banner!  How much opposition did he meet with ere you would wear this prince’s colors!  At last omnipotent grace overcame you.  When Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, an angel came and beat off his chains, Acts xii:7; so, when thou wast sleeping in the devil’s arms, Christ by his Spirit smote thy heart, and caused the chains of sin to fall off, and made thee a subject of his kingdom.  Oh, admire the free grace! Thou who art a subject of Christ, and art sure to reign with him for ever!”[5]

It has been shown by the 1689 Confession why we need the number of the three offices: prophet, priest, and king.  It is also clear that the order is important.  Though the way of salvation was made known in the prophetic office of Christ, and though redemption was purchased in Christ’s priestly office, more is yet needed to bring us into an estate of salvation.  The third office of king is required to bring us from the state of a treasonous enemy to the majestic kingly throne, to loyal subjects, under his protection forever.  And he surely is a king who executes his decrees without fail.

We now come to the end of chapter 8, Of Christ the Mediator.  We have covered ten sections.  This chapter has been very rich in important doctrine for the believer; we have feasted on the glories of our Mediator, our Prophet, Priest, and King.

The 1689 Second London Baptist Confession states in Chapter 8: Of Christ the Mediator, Section 9 of 10, the following:

9. This office of mediator between God and man is proper only to Christ, who is the prophet, priest, and king of the church of God; and may not be either in whole, or any part thereof, transferred from him to any other.[1]  ( 1 Timothy 2:5 )

Section 9 is not present in the Westminster Confession, which contains only eight sections in chapter 8.

The 1689 Confession states: This office of mediator between God and man is proper only to Christ,

• The Scripture tells us: For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,  1 Tim 2:5 (ESV)

Not only in there only One, but there no one else who qualifies for this office.  Therefore if anyone claims this role or office, whether in heaven or earth, they are committing a most serious sin against the Father who appointed only one Person for all eternity.  But more on this in the last portion of section 9.

This office of Mediator is proper only to “Christ.” Christ is from the Greek CHRISTOS which means “anointed.” He was the “anointed one,” meaning that the Lord Jesus Christ was the only one the Father chose for this task, and that He was the only one who could carry out the task.  There is no other. 

The 1689 States: who is the prophet, priest, and king of the church of God;

There are three offices that the one Mediator executes or carries out.  Perhaps we could say that these three offices are sub-offices under the primary or super office of Mediator.  And these offices he executes perfectly for the church of God.

The 1689 sConfession states: and may not be either in whole, or any part thereof, transferred from him to any other.

The super office of Mediator and the three offices of prophet, priest and king cannot be transferred to any other person, whether we are talking about the whole office or any part of the offices.

The 1689 Confession means not only that there is only one Mediators, but also that Christ is the only one uniquely equipped for this calling; no other man or angel may assume any of these offices “in whole or part” by means of a “transfer” including, and perhaps particularly, the Pope or the virgin Mary.

This concludes this brief commentary on Chapter 8, Of Christ the Mediator, section 9 of 10, from the 1689 Confession of Faith.

The 1689 Second London Baptist Confession states in Chapter 8: Of Christ the Mediator, Section 8 of 10, the following:

8. To all those for whom Christ hath obtained eternal [1]redemption, he doth certainly and effectually apply and communicate the same, making intercession for them; uniting them to himself by his Spirit[2], revealing unto them, in and by his Word, the mystery[3] of salvation, persuading them to believe and obey, governing their hearts by his Word and Spirit, and[4] overcoming all their enemies by his almighty power and wisdom, in such manner and ways as are most consonant to his wonderful and unsearchable dispensation; and all of free and absolute grace, without any condition foreseen in them to procure it.[5]
( John 6:37;John 10:15, 16;John 17:9; Romans 5:10; John 17:6; Ephesians 1:9; 1 John 5:20; Romans 8:9, 14; Psalms 110:1; 1 Corinthians 15:25, 26; John 3:8; Ephesians 1:8 )

The 1689 Confession states: To all those for whom Christ hath obtained eternal redemption,

As I have stated several times already, Christ did not merely make a way for salvation, or make salvation possible.  He actually obtained redemption for his people.  Christ has obtained redemption and it is eternal. 

The “all” here does not refer to an unlimited or general atonement, but to a limited or particular atonement.  The “all” has a context of “those whom.”  Clearly the 1689 Confession teaches a limited atonement, also called a particular or definite atonement.  So we see here that Christ obtained redemption for those whom he purchased.  He did not pay for the sins of the whole world, but only for the elect.  Of course much more discussion could take place here in terms of the value of the atonement and the applied credit, but we will have to leave that for another time and place. 

The 1689 Confession states: he doth certainly and effectually apply and communicate the same

Having stated the definiteness of Christ obtaining redemption, it is simply logical that what follows is that he “doth certainly and effectually apply and communicate the same.”

•  Certainly: This means definitely without fail.
•  Effectually: This means effective, actual or producing result.
•  Communicate:  This means to give or transmit.

If one has purchased a gift for someone, then it follows that it will be given to them.  The purchased gift will definitely and actually be given.  Christ will certainly, without fail, definitely, actually, apply the purchased redemption to those for whom he purchased it.

I recently heard part of a gospel message by a pastor in California who was attempting to share the gospel; he said that because man sinned and God is holy that this put God in a quandary.  He went on to say, that God on the one hand wants a relationship with man, on the other hand God is just.  Really?  My 15 years old son who was watching this with me immediately picked up on the absolute ridiculousness of the statement.  It was almost like God was sorry he was “just” since he wanted a relationship with man so badly.  This pastor’s gospel is anemic and impotent, and so is his weakling god.

The Bible shows us a God who eternally decreed to make man, eternally decreed the fall (passive decree), eternally chose his elected people, eternally decreed to send his Son to purchase those whom he eternally decreed, and eternally decreed when that accomplished redemption would be applied to them personally.  Our God is a deliberate God, and what he wants to happen happens.  There is a God I want to worship!

•  “Since God’s purposes are all eternal and immutable, the Father and the Son will to apply it now precisely to those whom they had designed to apply it when Christ hung upon the cross, and they willed to apply it then precisely tot hose whom they had designed to apply it from eternity.”[6]  A.A. Hodge

The 1689 confession states: making intercession for them;

Christ having purchased and applied redemption to the elect, makes intercession for them.  How is this connected with redemption?  What is the significance of this intercession for the elect?

R.C. Sproul states:

• “This again is a summary of Jesus’ farewell prayer recording in John 17.  Jesus prays for those whom the Father has given him, and he distinguishes them from the world.  He intercedes for the elect in a way that he does not intercede for the rest of the world.”[7]

The Scriptures state:

• “I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours.” John 17:9 (ESV)

Again Sproul states:

• “He [Jesus] actually intercedes on our behalf so that his rescue effort will be efficacious.”[8]

It is comforting that Jesus’ intercession, his prayers, are effective and never fail.  So when he prays “keep them from the evil one” (Jn. 17:15), or “Sanctify them in the truth” (Jn. 17:17), we are assured that his prayers for us will be answered. 

This section, so far, is addressing Christ’s office as Priest.

• Baptist Catechism 28 states:
• Q. How doth Christ execute the office of a priest?
  A. Christ executeth the office of priest in his once offering up himself a sacrifice to satisfy divine justice (Heb. 9:14, 28) and reconcile us to God (Heb. 2:17), and in making continual intercession for us (Heb.7:24, 25).

As this section progresses, his office of Prophet and King will be touched on. 

The 1689 Confession states: uniting them to himself

We are headed towards several chapters (10 to 17) that deal with the order of the application of redemption.  It is significant that this union is mentioned here before we get to those steps, and as we do progress through the steps of the order of salvation, it is important to be aware that our union with Christ underlies every part of the application of redemption.

John Murray states:

• Nothing is more central or basic than union or communion with Christ.”[9]   

This doctrine is also addressed in the following locations in the 1689 Confession also addresses our union with Christ in the following places[10]:

•  Of Sanctification, chapter 13, starts out, “They who are united to Christ, effectually called, and regenerated…”
•  Of the Perseverance of the Saints, chapter 17, paragraph 2, “This perseverance of the saints depends… upon the efficacy of the merit and intercession of Jesus Christ and union with him,”
•  Of baptism, chapter 29 (though not strictly in the benefits section), starts out, “Baptism is an ordinance of the New Testament, ordained by Jesus Christ, to be unto the part baptized, a sign of his fellowship with him, in his death and resurrection; of his being engrafted into him;…”

The Westminster Confession does not address our union with Christ as part of the application of redemption, in direct terms.  The 1689 Confession seems to do a better job in addressing this.  My friend has addressed this in a paper he wrote while at Westminster Theological Seminary.  I thought I would quote a portion of his work here.  Mike Decious states:

• “Calvin indeed stressed union with Christ.  In incarnational union, Christ took on flesh and blood that he might be in union with us, that he might be tempted in all ways as us, and be the victorious second Adam (Heb. 2:14-18 and 1 Cor. 15).  In mystical and spiritual union, the Holy Spirit unites us to Christ and redemption is applied to us.  At that point we receive all the benefits of our salvation at once, though the full aspects of each await our resurrection.  One of these benefits, adoption, is especially relational, and Calvin weaves the language of adoption throughout his writing.
•  The Apostle Paul avoids the above criticisms in that for him the ordo solutis does not have the appearance of taking on a life of its own.  The ordo solutis is always rooted in the historio solutis.  This is done by means of union with Christ.  Every benefit we receive is rooted in the person of Christ by reference to our union with Him.  Not merely union with his death, but with His whole life, His death, and especially with his resurrection (Rom 4:25).
•  We were raised with Christ when we were saved (Eph. 2:5-6; Col. 2:12; Col. 3:1).  This is a central theme of Paul.  Unfortunately, the Confession [Westminster] almost exclusively speaks of redemption in terms of his death.  Though it once uses the Scriptural phrase, “raised for our justification”, the implications of that are not brought out.  The resurrection was Jesus’ redemption, and thus in union with him it was our redemption (1 Cor. 1:30).  It was also his justification (1 Tim. 3:16), his adoption (Rom. 1:3-4, Acts 13:33), and His sanctification (1 Cor. 1:30). Jesus became life-giving Spirit (1 Cor. 15:45), and gives us these benefits as we are united to Him.
• Paul makes frequent use of the relational language of adoption.  We were predestined to adoption (Eph. 1:5).  We receive the Spirit of adoption, by which we cry out Abba, Father (Rom. 8:15). Christ was the first born among many brethren (Rom. 8:29), we are of God’s household (Eph. 2:19), and we are joint-heirs with Christ (Rom. 8:17).
•  Thus by use of relating all to union with Christ, and by using the language of adoption, Calvin and Paul avoid the previously mentioned criticism of the [Westminster] Confession.  There is no medieval cause-and-effect ordo solutis.  Doctrine is not cold, impersonal, or merely forensic.  All is grounded in the person of Christ, and the redemptive significance of Christ’s life, death, and resurrection are not neglected.  The gifts are not separated from the giver, and Christ is not left behind.  The eschatological dimension of benefits are not lost.”[11]       

• John Murray states that union with Christ “can be readily seen if we remember that brief expression which is so common in the New Testament, namely, “in Christ.”  It is that which is meant by “in Christ” that we have in mind when we speak of “union with Christ.”[12]  

If you are not familiar with this topic, I merely want to point out that is a grand and broad topic.  And it is important that we understand it.  One reference I highly recommend on this topic is John Murray’s Redemption Accomplished and Applied.  He an entire chapter addressing our union with Christ that is helpful especially since he discusses it in light of the whole order of salvation.

The 1689 Confession states: by his Spirit

The elect are united with Christ by the Holy Spirit.  The personal pronoun “his”, is the antecedent ”Christ,” meaning the Spirit of Jesus.  The 1689 Confession is states that the Spirit is the one who, in connection with the Word (the gospel message preached or read from the Word of God), reveals the mystery of salvation.  This work of the Spirit is part of effectual calling and regeneration which will be discussed in chapter 10, Of Effectual Calling.

I am reminded of the 1689 Confession, chapter 20, Of the Extent of the Gospel and the Grace Therein, Section 4:

•  4. Although the gospel be the only outward means of revealing Christ and saving grace, and is, as such, abundantly sufficient thereunto; yet that men who are dead in trespasses may be born again, quickened or regenerated, there is moreover necessary an effectual insuperable work of the Holy Spirit upon the whole soul, for the producing in them a new spiritual life; without which no other means will effect their conversion unto God.
  ( Psalms 110:3; 1 Corinthians 2:14; Ephesians 1:19, 20; John 6:44; 2 Corinthians 4:4, 6 )

So though we must get the gospel right (this is critical), but we also should be mindfulwe that even the clearest gospel message will be ineffective without the Spirit of God regenerating the dead sinner.  The Spirit working through the Word will bring the elect to salvation.

• The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit. John 3:8 (ESV)

What is encouraging about this is that this work of Spirit is the Father’s job, and that frees us to concentrate of getting the gospel accurate and clear.  Clarity is the only method we should be concerned about.  Paul did not appear to concern himself with presentation and delivery, so much as a clear gospel.

•  And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. ² For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 1 Cor 2:1-2 (ESV)

The 1689 Confession states: revealing unto them, in and by his Word, the mystery of salvation,

This description describes how Christ fulfills or executes his office as Prophet.

• Baptist Catechism 27 states:
• Q. How doth Christ execute the office of a prophet?
  A. Christ executeth the office of prophet in revealing to us, by his word and Spirit, the will of God for our salvation. (John 1:18; 1 Pet.1:10,11, 12; John 15:15; and 20:31).

I see three aspects to this “revealing unto them.” Firstly, there is his incarnation as the Word; secondly his Words spoken, and thirdly his Words inscripturated.   

First, Christ became incarnate specifically to fulfill an office given to him by the Father of Mediator.  Within that general office exist three offices: Prophet, Priest and King.  As Prophet he came to deliver the Father message.  But unlike other prophets, this Prophet  was the message in and of himself.  We see in Hebrews 1:2, “he has spoken to us by his Son.”  So Jesus is God’s Word, and that Word became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:1, 14).

Secondly, Jesus also came speaking words.  The Word spoke words.  These words spoken by the Word revealed to us “the mystery of salvation.”  The one and primary theme that cannot be missed in all that the Prophet Jesus spoke is that he came to save sinners, and whoever believed in him would be saved. 

• For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.” John 6:40 (ESV)
•   The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. John 6:63 (ESV)

Thirdly, these words of Jesus were recorded for us in the gospels.  Of course, not all that Jesus said is recorded in Scriptures of the New Testament, but what God intended for future generations was preserved under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.  And even though there is a distinction in the delivery Jesus’ actual words from his own voice (to those in first century Palestine) and those words written down in Scripture, the distinction being the medium, we recognize no difference in terms of accuracy and power.  “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Heb 4:12 ESV).  Either way the Word of God has revealed the way of salvation, in and by his Word.

It is important that we understand that it is only by his Word that the way of salvation is revealed (though the Spirit must apply it).  General revelation does not reveal the way of salvation, only the gospel which is special revelation, reveals the way of salvation.  The 1689 Confession addresses this in Chapter 20, Of the Gospel and Of the Extent of Grace thereof, section 2:

• 2. This promise of Christ, and salvation by him, is revealed only by the Word of God; neither do the works of creation or providence, with the light of nature, make discovery of Christ, or of grace by him, so much as in a general or obscure way; much less that men destitute of the revelation of Him by the promise or gospel, should be enabled thereby to attain saving faith or repentance.  ( Romans 1:17; Romans 10:14,15,17; Proverbs 29:18; Isaiah 25:7;Isaiah 60:2, 3 )

Jesus did not come only as a Prophet bringing the words of life, but he also came as a Priest and King.  The next two sections will make it abundantly clear that all three of the offices are essential to him being the Mediator.  So I will leave that for those sections.

The 1689 Confession states: persuading them to believe and obey,

The persuading is the work of the Spirit and the Word sent forth by Christ.  This phrase seems to hint at Christ’s office as King.  More will be said about that later in the next two sections, so I will not comment too much here about that here.  What is key for us is that the persuading is Christ’s work, not ours.  We in a sense try to persuade with the Word, but we can’t effectually do that; only Christ can through the Word and the Spirit.

The 1689 Confession states: governing their hearts by his Word and Spirit,

Most certainly Christ does this work by his Spirit and His Word.  We cannot be governed without a change of nature and an ongoing work of the Spirit in our hearts.  This again is part of Christ’s office as King. 

The 1689 Confession states: and overcoming all their enemies by his almighty power and wisdom. 

Christ, as our King, will cause his elect not only to be saved, to be preserved (and to persevere) to the end.

• Baptist Catechism 29:
• Q. How doth Christ execute the office of king?
  A. Christ executeth the office of a king, in subduing us to himself (Acts 15:14, 15, 16), in ruling (Is. 33:22), and defending us (Is. 32:1, 2), and in restraining and conquering all his and our enemies (1 Cor. 15:25; Ps. 110 throughout).

All of this is done by his almighty power and wisdom.

• In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, ¹⁴ who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory. Eph 1:13-14 (ESV)

This concludes this brief commentary on Chapter 8, Of Christ the Mediator, section 8 of 10, from the 1689 Confession of Faith.

• [1] The 1689 adds “obtained eternal” to the WCF and the Savoy in place of “purchased” redemption.  The source is presumably Collins.
• [2] The 1689 adds this to the WCF and the Savoy.  The source is presumably Collins.
• [3] The 1689 places the WCF and Savoy plural “mysteries” with the singular “mystery.” Source is presumably Collins.
• [4] The 1689 adds this to the WCF and the Savoy.  The source is presumably Collins.
• [5] The 1689 adds this to the WCF and the Savoy.  The source is presumably Collins.
• [6] A.A. Hodge, The Westminster Confession: A Commentary (Banner of Truth Trust, Edinburgh), pg. 155.
•  [7] R.C. Sproul, Truths We Confess: A Laymen’s Guide to the Westminster Confession of Faith (P&R Publishing, New Jersey), Volume I, pg. 274. 
• [8] Ibid, pg 275.
• [9] John Murray, Redemption Accomplished and Applied (Eerdmans, Grand Rapids), pg. 161.
• [10] These references are from a paper entitled: Recommendations for the 1689 Second London Confession Committee on the Application of Redemption, by  Mike Decious.  He is a graduate of Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia.   
• [11] Mike Decious, Recommendations for the 1689 Second London Confession Committee on the Application of Redemption.  He is a graduate of Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia.   
• [12]John Murray, Redemption Accomplished and Applied (Eerdmans, Grand Rapids), pg. 161.