Walking Through Westminster, WCF 12.1 "Of Adoption"

Westminster Confession of Faith 12.1

All those that are justified, God vouchsafes, in and for His only Son Jesus Christ, to make partakers of the grace of adoption, by which they are taken into the number, and enjoy the liberties and privileges of the children of God, have His name put upon them, receive the spirit of adoption, have access to the throne of grace with boldness, are enabled to cry, Abba, Father, are pitied, protected, provided for, and chastened by Him as by a Father: yet never cast off, but sealed to the day of redemption; and inherit the promises, as heirs of everlasting salvation.

Summary

What did Jesus come to do? One very adequate answer is that He came to die for our sins (1 John 2:2). In line with last chapter, WCF 11, we know that He came to justify us before God the Father. But He doesn't just do that. His work of reconciling us to God does more. We are not simply reconciled as servants or creatures or image-bearers, but we are reconciled as sons and daughters of God. He adopts us into His family and we become His children. 

In one sense, everyone who has ever lived has been God's child, in the sense that He is their Creator and they are His creatures. They even all bear His image. But when God adopts believers into His family, He does so through Jesus. That is, the believer is viewed as a child of God in the way that the Father views Jesus as His Son. That unique relationship that the Father and Son have always had for all eternity is what the believer enters into. They are able to cry to God, "Abba, Father". We don't think of this much, but consider that no angel in heaven calls God their Father. In fact, the author of Hebrews makes clear that God's relationship with the angels is one of a Ruler and His servants (Heb 1:5-7). The believer experiences a relationship with God unlike any other creature, even unbelieving humans. The love that God had for His Son from eternity past is the love that is poured out on the believer in Christ, as we are called sons and daughters of the Father; fellow heirs with Christ of eternal life and everlasting glory. 

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Walking Through Westminster, WCF 11.1-6 "Of Justification"

Westminster Confession of Faith 11.1-6

I. Those whom God effectually calls, He also freely justifies; not by infusing righteousness into them, but by pardoning their sins, and by accounting and accepting their persons as righteous; not for any thing wrought in them, or done by them, but for Christ's sake alone; nor by imputing faith itself, the act of believing, or any other evangelical obedience to them, as their righteousness; but by imputing the obedience and satisfaction of Christ unto them, they receiving and resting on Him and His righteousness by faith; which faith they have not of themselves, it is the gift of God.

II. Faith, thus receiving and resting on Christ and His righteousness, is the alone instrument of justification: yet is it not alone in the person justified, but is ever accompanied with all other saving graces, and is no dead faith, but works by love.

III. Christ, by His obedience and death, did fully discharge the debt of all those that are thus justified, and did make a proper, real and full satisfaction to His Father's justice in their behalf. Yet, in as much as He was given by the Father for them; and His obedience and satisfaction accepted in their stead; and both, freely, not for any thing in them; their justification is only of free grace; that both the exact justice, and rich grace of God might be glorified in the justification of sinners.

IV. God did, from all eternity, decree to justify all the elect, and Christ did, in the fullness of time, die for their sins, and rise again for their justification: nevertheless, they are not justified, until the Holy Spirit does, in due time, actually apply Christ unto them.

V. God does continue to forgive the sins of those that are justified; and although they can never fall from the state of justification, yet they may, by their sins, fall under God's fatherly displeasure, and not have the light of His countenance restored unto them, until they humble themselves, confess their sins, beg pardon, and renew their faith and repentance.

VI. The justification of believers under the Old Testament was, in all these respects, one and the same with the justification of believers under the New Testament.

 

Summary

 

The chosen people of God are not only called, but also justified by God. Justification means that God pardons their sins and accounts them as righteous in His sight. It does not mean that they actually are righteous; they are sinners. But God counts them as righteous for the sake of Christ alone. This righteousness is given to them as a free gift, laid hold of by faith alone, which is itself a gift of God. Faith alone is the instrument whereby the elect lay hold of Christ's righteousness and are justified by God. But that faith which justifies them is a living faith, not dead, and it is a faith which produces the fruit of the Spirit in them, working through love. This is how we reconcile the apparent contradiction between Paul and James:

 

"Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the works of the law...but to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness". (Romans 3:28; 4:5)

 

"You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only." (James 2:24)

 

Paul is speaking of what it is that justifies a person before God: faith alone, and not works. James is speaking of what sort of faith it is that justifies a person: not a faith that is dead and alone, but a living faith which always produces good works. Justification by faith alone means justification by living faith alone; dead faith has never and will never justify anyone before God. 

 

Christ paid the penalty for His people in full, discharging their debt to the Father. But inasmuch as He was freely given by the Father in love, and not because His people deserved it, the satisfaction He provided is still gracious. In this way, God demonstrates His exact justice in the substitutionary punishment of His Son, and He demonstrates His rich grace in giving His Son freely for sinners. "...that God might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus." (Romans 3:26b)

 

Once God has justified a sinner, He never rescinds on it. He invented the principle of double jeopardy. Once God has dealt with His peoples' sins in the death and resurrection of Jesus, He never brings them up again. Another way to say this is that those whom God justifies can never become unjustified again. However, as His children, the elect can fall under God's fatherly displeasure. Their sins may lead God to hide His face from them for a time of chastisement, much as our earthly fathers may punish us for a time when we transgress or disobey them. But His fatherly mercy will always win out and He is quick to forgive. When we humble ourselves, confess our sins, and renew our repentance, God restores us to His favor again. 

In the contrast between Paul and James (above), it is interesting that they both use Abraham as their example. Abraham, the spiritual father of all believers, is the prime Biblical example of faith in God. Abraham, and all Old Testament believers, were justified in the same way that New Testament believers are justified: faith in Jesus Christ alone. In Hebrews 11, the apostle goes through a laundry list of OT believers, from Abel to the prophets. He declares that all of them were justified by faith, and even faith in Jesus. Some people, especially apostate Jews, believe that Jesus isn't in the Old Testament. But Paul says that even Moses, the greatest prophet, believed in Jesus. In fact, Moses went through with his God-ordained mission because "he esteemed the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt" (Hebrews 11:26). Another way to say it is that the Bible is always the book of Christians: Abel was a Christian; Abraham was a Christian; Moses was a Christian; David was a Christian; and they were all Christians in the same way that we are: by faith in Jesus Christ and Him crucified.

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Walking Through Westminster, WCF 10.1-4 "Of Effectual Calling"

Westminster Confession of Faith 10.1-4

I. All those whom God hath predestinated unto life, and those only, He is pleased, in His appointed time, effectually to call, by His Word and Spirit, out of that state of sin and death, in which they are by nature to grace and salvation, by Jesus Christ; enlightening their minds spiritually and savingly to understand the things of God, taking away their heart of stone, and giving unto them an heart of flesh; renewing their wills, and, by His almighty power, determining them to that which is good, and effectually drawing them to Jesus Christ: yet so, as they come most freely, being made willing by His grace.

II. This effectual call is of God's free and special grace alone, not from anything at all foreseen in man, who is altogether passive therein, until, being quickened and renewed by the Holy Spirit, he is thereby enabled to answer this call, and to embrace the grace offered and conveyed in it.

III. Elect infants, dying in infancy, are regenerated, and saved by Christ, through the Spirit, who works when, and where, and how He pleases: so also are all other elect persons who are incapable of being outwardly called by the ministry of the Word.

IV. Others, not elected, although they may be called by the ministry of the Word, and may have some common operations of the Spirit, yet they never truly come unto Christ, and therefore cannot be saved: much less can men, not professing the Christian religion, be saved in any other way whatsoever, be they never so diligent to frame their lives according to the light of nature, and the laws of that religion they do profess. And to assert and maintain that they may, is very pernicious, and to be detested.

Summary

All of God's chosen people, whom He has predestined to life from before the foundation of the world, are called by God to Jesus Christ. He effects this call through His Word and Spirit. This calling is a translation from sin and death, which is man's natural state, into a state of grace and salvation. This calling and translation are holistic, no part of the human person being left out. The mind is enlightened by the Spirit to understand the things of God. The heart of stone is taken away and replaced with a heart of flesh. The will is renewed by the power of God so that, whereas we once only desired to do evil, God now gives us the desire to do good, and to come to Christ. 

Even though it is God who works all of these things in the regenerated soul, yet He does it in such a way that we come freely, not compulsively, because He makes us able and willing by His grace. He does this great work, not because of anything He foresees in us, but only because of His free grace. We passively receive this grace, which then quickens us so that we can respond to the call and embrace the grace. 

Because this work is done entirely by God, and in no way depends on the will of man, even elect infants who die in their infancy are regenerated, saved by Christ through the Spirit. The fact that God's work is done entirely independent of our own will is the only way we can actually have hope for infants and the unborn. Consider that, if salvation in any way depended on the will of man or the ability of man to comprehend and respond to the gospel (in his own power), then the unborn who die or infants who die in their infancy would have no hope. The same would also be true of those with intellectual disabilities. Because salvation is entirely dependent on God's gracious election, and not on man's will, elect infants who die in infancy and intellectually disabled people can still have the sure hope of salvation through Christ.

There are others, not elect of God, but who still hear the outward call of the ministry of the Word, and experience some of the operations of the Spirit common to men. However, if they never truly come to Christ, they cannot be saved. It is not enough to profess Christ only with the mouth; one must also believe on Him in the heart. If those who only profess Christ with their mouths, not believing on Him in their heart, will not be saved, how much less will those who do not even profess Him with their mouth be saved! There is no doubt that sinful men may attempt to outwardly order their lives according to God's naturally revealed Law. They may even be diligent in keeping the laws of their professed religion. However, if a man does not have Christ, then all of his good deeds are tainted by his own sins and he is incapable of standing justified before God. 

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Walking Through Westminster, WCF. 9.1-5 "Of Free Will"

Westminster Confession of Faith 9.1-5

I. God has endued the will of man with that natural liberty, that is neither forced, nor, by any absolute necessity of nature, determined good, or evil.

II. 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, mutably, so that he might fall from it.

III. Man, by his fall into a state of sin, has 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.

IV. When God converts a sinner, and translates him into the state of grace, He frees 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 corruption, he does not perfectly, or only, will that which is good, but does also will that which is evil.

V. The will of man is made perfectly and immutably free to do good alone in the state of glory only.

Summary

The human will was created by God and given a natural liberty of will in itself. God, in creation, did not determine the will of man towards either good or evil by absolute necessity. This means that He did not force us one way or the other, nor did He create our will to be predisposed one way or the other. When God created man in Adam, He created him in a state of innocence. Man was created with the ability to do good and to live in a way that pleased God. Yet, man's will was also changeable, such that he might fall from this state of ability to do good.

When God created Adam, He put him into a temporary state of testing. If Adam obeyed God, he would have been confirmed in his state of righteousness and lived in peace with God. However, Adam did not obey God, but fell when Eve offered him the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Sin entered the world when Adam disobeyed God. By way of speculation, we can assume that, had Adam not eaten the fruit when Eve offered it to him, sin still would not have entered the world. Adam, not Eve, is the one held responsible for the fall. If he had reminded Eve of God's commandment and led her away from listening to Satan, we can assume that man would not have fallen into sin, even if Eve had still eaten her portion of the fruit. This is why the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness (Matt 4:1-11) is so fundamental to the Christian faith. Jesus passes the test which Adam failed. When Jesus successfully resists Satan's temptation, He does what no human being has ever done. He restores what it meant to be human; being in a state of peace and love with God, which we enter into only by faith in Jesus.

When mankind in Adam fell into a state of sin, our original state of innocence and ability to do good was totally lost. When Adam disobeyed God, we all fell with him into a state of spiritual death, in which man is now totally unable to do anything good or truly pleasing to God. As Paul says in Romans 3:10-12, "There is none righteous, no, not one; there is none who understands; there is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside; they have together become unprofitable; there is none who does good, no, not one." Even though we can look around and distinguish between what we would call "good people" and "bad people", we are judging with our own fallen judgment. God is all-knowing, seeing into the deepest darkness of the human heart. While certain people might conform more or less to our external, arbitrary standards of "goodness", God is not fooled by pretense or appearances. His judgment on the human soul is that we are all gone astray and that not one of us is truly good.

When the Holy Spirit makes a person born-again, He frees the sinner from his bondage to sin. He graciously enables the Christian to do that which is good. Yet, a Christian in this world still has remaining corruption of sin, so that the good he does is not perfectly done. Even the good things that Christians do are often tainted by sins. So, we might help the old lady cross the street, and we might do it because we love the old lady and want her to be safe, but we also have a certain pride in our good deeds being seen by others. Even if no one is there to see us, we might take pride in our hearts, that, if only someone had been there to see us, they would think what a good person we are. The Christian is also not wholly inclined to do good, and will sometimes willingly do that which is evil (c.f. Romans 7:13-24).

In the eternal state of glory, the Christian's soul will be totally free from the corruption of sin and will be made perfectly able to do only good and no evil. We will then be unable to sin anymore and free to serve God with our whole hearts, made perfectly into the image of Jesus Christ. A helpful way to approach this issue is to break it into phrases and sections:

Before the Fall: Man is able to do good or evil

After the Fall, without the Holy Spirit: Man is unable to do good, only evil

After the Fall, with the Holy Spirit: Man is able to do good or evil

The eternal state of glory: Man is unable to do evil, only good

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What's in a Name?

Friends,

This update is just to clarify a small change that is coming to this blog and to our future updates. For a while now, I have referred to our ministry as the O.K. Ginn Corral, an attempted play on the shootout at the OK Corral. It was fun. Olivia never got it, but I nerded out over it and giggled. However, given our current transition into full-time ministry, I think it's time to retire the Old West word play and start using something a little more ministry-focused. 

For this reason, I am changing the title of our letters and blog updates to "The Leaven and the Mustard Seed". I take the title from Matthew 13: 

Another parable He put forth to them, saying: "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field, which indeed is the least of all the seeds; but when it is grown it is greater than the herbs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches."

Another parable He spoke to them: "The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened."

My reason for choosing this title is that I think it fits well with our ministry focus. Jesus tells a number of parables about God's kingdom, but these two particularly focus on how God's kingdom will grow: both in the world and in the believer's heart. 

He says that God's kingdom is like a mustard seed: small and apparently insignificant when compared with other seeds. But when it is sown and grows, it becomes the greatest of all the trees, and the birds come and nest in its branches. The kingdom of God had small beginnings; about 120 disciples hiding in an upper room, afraid for their lives (Acts 1:15). But its destiny is to grow and grow until Christ's dominion stretches from one end of the earth to another; until every little speck of an island is filled with voices praising Jesus (Psalm 72:8). So, too, the ministry we will be working in will not be flashy. It will have small beginnings. It may not appear to be significant at all. But we trust that God will care for it, watering the seed with His Spirit, and will use us to grow His kingdom in East Charlotte.

Jesus says that God's kingdom is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of flour until it was all leavened. Leaven works silently. It also works totally: once it's in, there's no getting it out. This is how the gospel works in the Christian's heart. Most Christians do not have an immediate turn-around in every area of their life when God makes them born again. Rather, He puts the leaven in their soul and it slowly works to make the believer more like Christ, giving them an ever-increasing desire for God's presence and word. So, too, our ministry will have much work done that is unseen. But we trust that God will work through us, causing behind-the-scenes changes in peoples' lives and in our East Charlotte community. 

As stated, future updates and letters will carry this new title. We are grateful for your continued prayers as we transition into this new ministry. We love y'all!

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Walking Through Westminster, WCF 8.5-8

Westminster Confession of Faith 8.5-8

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

VI. Although the work of redemption was not actually wrought by Christ till after His incarnation, yet the virtue, efficacy, and benefits thereof were communicated unto the elect, in all ages successively from the beginning of the world, in and by those promises, types, and sacrifices, wherein He was revealed, and signified to be the seed of the woman which should bruise the serpent's head; and the Lamb slain from the beginning of the world; being yesterday and today the same, and forever.

VII. Christ, in the work of mediation, acts according to both natures, by each nature doing that which is proper to itself; yet, by reason of the unity of the person, that which is proper to one nature is sometimes in Scripture attributed to the person denominated by the other nature.

VIII. To all those for whom Christ has purchased redemption, He does certainly and effectually apply and communicate the same; making intercession for them, and revealing unto them, in and by the word, the mysteries of salvation; effectually persuading them by His Spirit to believe and obey, and governing their hearts by His word and Spirit; 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.

Summary

Christ's work as Mediator between God and men was twofold, consisting of perfect obedience, and offering Himself as a sacrifice for sins. This He did through the Holy Spirit, offering to God a sacrifice which perfectly satisfied God's justice. No other sacrifice remains for sinners to be reconciled to God. This sacrifice He offered to the Father once on the cross. Hebrews 10:14 says, "For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified." This sacrifice is never repeated, nor is it repeatable. The Roman doctrine of the Mass being a perpetual sacrificing of Christ at best introduces confusion; at worst, it denies the once-for-all nature of Christ's perfect sacrifice. The sacrifice of Christ perfectly satisfies the justice of God, and so Christians need no repeated sacrifice, even with their repeated sins. 

Even though the sacrifice of Christ was once-for-all, never to be repeated, the virtues, effects, and benefits of His sacrifice were given to the elect, even before Christ's incarnation, through the types and signs God gave under the old covenant. The Bible makes two seemingly contradictory statements: the first is represented by Leviticus 4:20, "And he shall do with the bull as he did with the bull as a sin offering; thus he shall do with it. So the priest shall make atonement for them, and it shall be forgiven them." The second statement is from Hebrews 10:4, "For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins." 

God promises time-and-again in the Old Testament, that when the priests sacrificed the various sacrifices, atonement was made and the peoples' sins were forgiven. Yet, in the New Testament, we read that it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. The resolution is explained in section 8.6 of the confession. Although Christ had not yet entered the world as a man, nor offered the perfect sacrifice to the Father, God worked through the Old Testament sacrifices to give grace and forgiveness. While the blood of bulls and goats never took away sin, God accepted these sacrifices in light of Christ's sacrifice which was coming. Even though Jesus became man at a particular point in time and offered the perfect sacrifice at a particular time, the Father saw His work as eternally present. God could forgive sinners before Christ's sacrifice, because He saw the sacrifice which was coming as present. Some have described this reality using the imagery of money. God forgave the OT believers on credit, foreseeing the payment that would be made by Christ; God forgives the NT believers on debit, seeing the payment that Christ has already made for them. 

Christ applies the benefits of redemption to all of His elect people, of whom not one will ever be lost (John 10:28-29). He intercedes for them in heaven, always praying for them. He reveals salvation and its mysteries to them through His word. He effectually persuades them (meaning that His persuasion is always successful); He governs them in their hearts by His Spirit, according to His word; and He overcomes all of their enemies in His good time and in the way He pleases. This is what is always best for God's people, even when we do not understand His ways.

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Walking Through Westminster, WCF 8.2-4

Westminster Confession of Faith 8.2-4

II. The Son of God, the second person of the Trinity, being very and eternal God, of one substance and equal with the Father, did, when the fullness of time was come, take upon Him man's nature, with all the essential properties, and common infirmities thereof, yet without sin; being conceived by the power of the Holy Ghost, in the womb of the virgin Mary, of her substance. So that two whole, perfect, and distinct natures, the Godhead and the manhood, were inseparably joined together in one person, without conversion, composition, or confusion. Which person is very God, and very man, yet one Christ, the only Mediator between God and man.

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

IV. This office the Lord Jesus did most willingly undertake; which that He might discharge, He was made under the law, and did perfectly fulfil it; endured most grievous torments immediately in His soul, and most painful sufferings in His body; was crucified, and died, was buried, and remained under the power of death, yet saw no corruption. On the third day He arose from the dead, with the same body in which He suffered, with which also he ascended into heaven, and there sits at the right hand of His Father, making intercession, and shall return, to judge men and angels, at the end of the world.

Summary

Jesus has always been God. As the 2nd person of the Trinity, He is truly God and has been God eternally. He is of one substance with the Father and equal to Him. According to the plan of redemption, when the Father's timing had come, the Word of God took on flesh, becoming a man. He took upon Himself human nature in all of its reality, only without sin. He lived as a true man. We often have the wrong image of Jesus in our minds, as if He was always in a glorified body; as if He spent His time on earth hovering a few inches off the ground, always with a radiant glow and an ethereal quality to Him. To think this way is to deny His humanity. He sweated; He got dirty; He probably got sick as a child; He got tired and worn out in His adult ministry. He experienced everything there is in the human experience, except for the experience of actually committing sin. And yet, He still experienced what it felt like to have sinned, as He took our sins upon Himself at the cross. 

In the power of God, the Lord's deity was united to His human nature in the incarnation. In the one person Jesus were two natures: divine and human; yet these natures were united whole, perfect, and unmixed. He did not transform His Godhood into humanness, nor was His humanness of a different sort than ours. His natures were united in such a way that we confess Him to be 100% God and 100% Man, without dividing His natures into multiple personalities, nor mixing His natures into a supernatural humanity. 

The Lord Jesus was filled with and anointed by the Holy Spirit, that He might be holy, harmless, separate from sinners, full of grace and truth. He needed to be set apart in this way so that He might be a Mediator between God and Man. That He might fulfill His office of Mediator, Christ was born under the law and perfectly kept it; Jesus was the perfect Man, the man Adam was originally supposed to be. He went to the cross and gave Himself up to the power of death, taking our sins upon Himself and becoming accursed in our place. He was buried, but His body saw no corruption in the grave. On the third day He rose from the dead in the same body in which He had suffered and died. Jesus did not rise again as a spirit or a phantom, but as a man. He rose in a physical body that could be touched and that could eat. In that same body, now glorified, He ascended into heaven to sit at the Father's right hand. Herein is a great mystery, the profound truth of the incarnation: a man sits on God's throne and it is perfectly right for Him to be there. The dust of the earth sits on the throne of the universe. The God-Man Jesus takes humanity back into heaven with Him, where He now intercedes for His people, ever praying for them and ruling the universe for their benefit. He will return from heaven at the Last Day to judge all men and angels and to bring about the full restoration and glorification of all things.

+ Blessings in Christ +