E. God’s Way of Salvation (WCF 7-9; WLC 20, 30–56; WSC 12, 20–28) Flashcards
What is a covenant?
- a binding agreement between two parties with promises and obligations
- “A covenant is a pact or agreement between two parties. It may be, and among men most generally is, an agreement [between equal parties]; but it may also be [imposed by a superior upon an inferior]. It is generally confirmed by a solemn ceremony as in the presence of God, and thereby obtains an inviolable character. Each one of the parties binds himself to the fulfilment of certain promises on the basis of stipulated conditions.” (Berhoff)
What is the Covenant of Works (Life)? Who are its parties?
• Between God and Adam/Eve in the Garden. If Adam obeyed he would have life. He was not to eat of the forbidden fruit.
Is there a present validity to the Covenant of Works (Life)? What is it?
• Yes, in some senses it is still in force
o If we could obey we perfectly God’s law it would lead to life
o The punishment for this covenant is still in effect: death
• In other senses no, it is not in effect
o We no longer face the specific command (to not eat)
o Since we have a sinful nature, we cannot fulfill the provisions
o Christ has kept it, and through faith in Him we gain the benefits of it
What is the Covenant of Redemption? Who are its parties?
• “It is an agreement among the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, in which the Son agreed to become a man, be our representative, obey the demands of the covenant of works on our behalf, and pay the penalty for sin, which we deserved” (Grudem, 518)
• Among the members of the Trinity
- (John 10 - this was Jesus’ mission: to lay down his life)
Discuss the Covenant of Grace.
Covenant of Grace: God's free promise of grace where salvation is promised through Christ by faith • Adam/Eve (Genesis 3:15, 21) • Noah (Genesis 9:8-17) • Abraham (Genesis 15:1-21; 17:1-27) • Moses (Exodus 19-24, especially 24) • David (2 Samuel 7:5-16) • New Covenant (Jeremiah 33:19-22)
How is the Covenant of Grace related to the Abrahamic, Mosaic, and Noahic Covenants?
They are all under the covenant of grace, but are different administrations
- Abrahamic: Promises to be received by faith (Family)
- Mosaic: A guardian to curb sin, convict sinners, and guide God’s people (National)
- Noahic: A covenant providing common grace, giving time for the full promises of God to be fulfilled in Christ
Discuss the relationship between the Old and New Covenants. Defend from Scripture.
One covenant of grace in two dispensations or administrations.
The Old Covenant was administered by promises, prophecies, sacrifices, circumcision, the paschal lamb, and other types and ordinances.
The New covenant is dispensed are the preaching of the Word, and the administration of the sacraments of baptism and the Lord’s Supper: which, though fewer in number, and administered with more simplicity, and less outward glory, yet, in them, it is held forth in more fullness, evidence and spiritual efficacy, to all nations
The Old Covenant was a guardian (Gal. 3)
Explain and define (with Scripture proofs) the orthodox doctrine of the person of Christ.
- One Person, fully God and fully man (John 1 - Divinity, 1 Tim 2 - Humanity: the man Jesus Christ, Heb 4 - tempted as we were)
• (A21) Jesus, being the eternal Son of God, became man (John 1:14), and so was, and continues to be, God and man in two distinct natures and one person (Romans 9:5), forever (Hebrews 7:24)
Briefly discuss the natures of Christ, including….
~ Was Christ a human person?
~ Does Christ have a soul?
~ What is kenosis?
~ Did Christ lay aside any of His divine attributes at the incarnation?
~ Jesus became man (John 1 - God tabernacled among us)
~ Jesus took on a human body and a reasonable soul (Matt 26 - my soul is sorrowful)
~ Kenosis: The Greek term for “emptying” (Phil 2)
~ No, God cannot stop being God and still be God; His human nature was fully human, and his divine nature always and everywhere was fully divine; Jesus emptied Himself not of His deity nor His divine attributes, but His prerogative (His glory and His privileges)(Colossians 2:9 - the fullness of deity)
Docetism
- End of 1st Century
- Jesus: Divine, but not human
- Taught by Basilides, Valentinus, Patripassians, Sabellians,
- Heresy: A view that says, “Christ only seemed to become a man.”
- Refuted by Irenaeus, 1 John 4:1-3
- Reply: If Christ were not fully human He could not redeem humanity (Heb. 2:14; 1 John 4:1-3)
- Jesus laid this view aside even in His resurrection by inviting Thomas to touch His wounds (John 20:24ff.).
Arius
- 4th Century
- Jesus is human, but not divine
- Arius, presbyter of Alexandria; Origen
- Heresy: Homoiousios: Jesus has appearance of God, is of similar substance. He is the first and highest created being.
- Refuted by Athanasius; Nicaea 325
- Reply: Athanasius: Jesus homoousios –one substance with God; Only a divine Christ can save (Phil. 2:6; Rev. 1:
Nestorius
- 5th Century
- Jesus is human and divine
- Nestorius, bishop of Constantinople
- Heresy: 1 moral being
2 people
schizophrenic - Refuted by Cyril of Alexandria; Ephesus 431
- Reply: 2 natures in 1 person
Indivisible
Apollinarius
- 4th Century
- Jesus is divine, but not human
- Apollinarius, bishop of Laodicea; Justin Martyr
- Heresy: Human body, Divine mind/soul; the divine Logos took the place of the human mind. Opposed use of theotokos. Only human nature died.
- Refuted by Vitalis; Damascus; Basil; Theodosius; Gregory of Nazianzus; Gregory of Nyssa; Constantinople 381
- Reply: Human mind & divine mind in human
Eutyches
- 5th Century
- Jesus is neither human or divine
- Eutychians; Theodosius II
- Heresy: 1 mixed nature after incarnation
New Hybrid: neither human or divine - Refuted by Flavian of Constantinople; Pope Leo; Theodoret; Eusebius of Dorylaeum; Chalcedon 451
- Reply: 2 natures: communication between them
Are any of the early heresies regarding the natures of Christ held today? If so, by whom?
• JW- Jesus is not divine
• Mormons- Latter-day Saints believe that Jesus was Jehovah himself, God of Israel, not son of Jehovah
- Coptics - monophysite
Explain and defend the doctrine of the “communication of properties.”
Human and Divine (John 1)
- This means that the one person of Jesus can exhibit attributes of divinity (omnipresence, all knowing, etc.) and at the same time exhibit attributes of humanity (eating, walking, learning, growing, etc.). The communicatio idiomatum does not mean, however, that anything particular to the divine nature was communicated to the human nature. Likewise, it does not mean that anything particular to the human nature was communicated to the divine nature.
What is the “extra Calvinisticum?”
The Calvinistic Extra. The Lutherans believed in the ubiquity (omnipresence) of Christ’s human body and nature, whereas the Calvinists have believed the historic view that Christ’s human body-and-soul is not infinite or omnipresent, but is only now at the right hand of the Father.
- the finite human nature of Christ is not capable of containing His infinite divine nature in its entirety).Thus, ever since the Incarnation, there is still infinite deity beyond Christ’s human nature. The beyond is “extra” or outside, infinite.
Define the names of Jesus …
- Jesus
- Son of Man
- Christ
- Son of God
- Lord
- Lamb of God
~ Jesus: The Hebrew yeshua’ or yehoshua’, meaning “Jehovah saves,” is transliterated into English as the name Joshua. In Greek, it became Iesous, thence Iesus in Latin and Jesus in English. Since Jesus was actually Jehovah performing saving work, his name yeshua’, “Jehovah saves,” coincides precisely.
~ Son of Man: From his mother Jesus inherited mortality. Hebrew ben ‘adam denotes “a son of Adam,” that is, any mortal man (Dan. 8:17). Thus, as a son of Adam, Jesus represents Adam’s children, acting as their agent with the Father. As both Son of God and Son of Man, Jesus stands between God and man as mediator. With the definite article, the Son of Man described an expected apocalyptic heavenly figure, identified with the Messiah (Dan. 7:13). Jesus is the son of the archetypal Man, the perfect heavenly Man, the Eternal Father (Moses 6:57; 7:35). In this sense, “Son of Man” equals “Son of God” and conveys an intentional ambiguity, reflecting both Jesus’ mortal and immortal parentage.
~ Christ: Greek for Messiah (anointed one) is Christos, Christ in English. Thus, “Jesus Christ” joins a name and a title, and means Jesus the Messiah.
~ Son of God: Jesus was not the son of any mortal man. His biological father was God, the Father. As Son of God, Jesus represents the Father and acts as his agent in all things.
~ Lord: Name used for Jesus, also used in OT for God
~ Lamb of God: In the first Passover, a slain lamb’s blood was daubed on Israelites’ houses to avert the destroyer. In the New Testament, Jesus is understood as a Passover lamb supplied by God, and Passover stands as a type for the death of Jesus, the Lamb of God, whose blood, through baptism and the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper, protects Christians from the destroyer, Satan. According to Moses 5:6-8, animal sacrifices were to be “a similitude of the sacrifice of the Only Begotten of the Father.”
How was Christ born?
• Conceived by the power of the Holy Ghost, in the womb of the virgin Mary
Explain and defend (including Scripture proofs) the Virgin Birth.
- Jesus was conceived in the womb of his mother Mary by a miraculous work of the Holy Spirit and without a human father
- Luke 1:27,31,35; Gal. 4:4
What is the humiliation of Christ? (Q27)
• Being born, and in a low condition
• Made under the law
• Undergoing the miseries of life, the wrath of God and the cursed death on the cross
• Being buried and continuing under the power of death for a time
- Phil 2: Christ Hymn
Discuss “glorified body”.
The “glorified body” is the resurrected state whereby 1) the body is animated and guided wholly by the Spirit, 2) is free from sinful inclinations (1 Cor 6:13–14), and 3) is imperishable—free from sickness and decay—glorious, and powerful (1 Cor 15:42–44).
What are the offices of Christ? How does Christ execute them? (Questions 23-26)
- Prophet: In revealing to us, by His word and Spirit, the will of God for our salvation
- Priest: In offering up Himself a sacrifice to satisfy divine justice, and reconcile us to God, and in making continual intercession for us
- King: In subduing us to Himself, in ruling and defending us, and in restraining and conquering all His and our enemies
Who is the only redeemer of God’s elect? (Q21)
WSC 21: “The only Redeemer of God’s elect is the Lord Jesus Christ, who, being the eternal Son of God, became man and so was, and continueth to be, God and man in two distinct natures, and one person, forever.”
