• Home
  • About This Blog
  • Contact Me
  • Subscribe
  • Comment Policy

Attempts at Honesty

Reflections on the interplay of the Bible and Culture

  • Westminster Shorter Catechism Series
  • Sermon on the Mount Series
Home Church Leadership Discipleship Who is the Redeemer of God’s Elect?

Who is the Redeemer of God’s Elect?

Posted on February 27, 2019 Written by Mark McIntyre Leave a Comment


Editor’s Note: It has been a while since a post in the Westminster Shorter Catechism series has been produced. It is my intention begin taking on one question per week and post them on Wednesdays. So we can perhaps call them “Westminster Wednesdays”?

Question 21 of the Westminster Shorter Catechism asks: Who is the redeemer of God’s chosen ones?

The answer given is: The only redeemer of God’s chosen is the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, Who became man. He was and continues to be God and man in two distinct natures and one person forever.

There is a lot of content in the answer that the Westminster Divines gave to this question.

First, it clearly states the belief that Jesus provides the only means of salvation. This belief is foundational to Christianity.

Secondly, it identifies Jesus as the eternal Son of God who became man.

Thirdly, it clearly teaches that beginning with the incarnation, Jesus was and still is both God and man in one person.

In the last few months, I have been reading about the first Ecumenical Councils of the church in the 4th and 5th Centuries. It was at these councils that the nature of Jesus was clearly defined for all of Christendom. Many of the misunderstandings about Jesus that survive today were addressed by these councils. So an understanding of the events leading up to the councils and the results of those councils will help us avoid error today.

It would be good to consider the words of the Nicene Creed, first developed at the Council of Nicaea in 325 AD and then adopted at the Council of Constantinople in 381 AD. The portion of the Creed which speaks to belief in Christ is quoted below.

[We believe] in one Lord Jesus Christ,
      the only Son of God,
      begotten from the Father before all ages,
           God from God,
           Light from Light,
           true God from true God,
      begotten, not made;
      of the same essence as the Father.
      Through him all things were made.
      For us and for our salvation
           he came down from heaven;
           he became incarnate by the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary,
           and was made human.
           He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate;
           he suffered and was buried.
           The third day he rose again, according to the Scriptures.
           He ascended to heaven
           and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
           He will come again with glory
           to judge the living and the dead.
           His kingdom will never end.


Filed Under: Discipleship

About Mark McIntyre

A follower of Jesus Christ who shares observations about how Scripture should impact the church and the world. Mark is the original author and editor of Attempts at Honesty.

Follow Attempts at Honesty

Honesty in your Inbox

Martyn Lloyd-Jones on COVID-19?

I read this paragraph by Martyn Lloyd-Jones which was originally published in 1953. I couldn’t help but think that what Lloyd-Jones has written speaks to the current crisis caused by COVID-19. Let us not therefore be stumbled when we see surprising things happening in the world. Rather let us ask, ‘What is the relevance of […]

Street signs pointing to right way and wrong way

There is a way that seems right to a man

These verses should also inform us that because of our inclination to go wrong, a healthy dose of self-doubt regarding our ability to understand and apply the Bible is advisable. Our first parents displayed the ability to distort what God said and if we are honest, we will admit that we share this with them. It is our nature to hear what we want to hear and avoid the rest.

God's Undertaker

John Lennox on Truth

My mention of truth leads me to fear that some people of postmodernist persuasion may be tempted not to read any further, unless of course they are curious to read (and maybe even attempt to deconstruct) a text written by someone who actually believes in truth. For my part I confess to finding it curious […]

On bread, fish and urban ministry

I thought of a little boy who was going to a church meeting carrying his lunch. It was about two thousand years ago when Jesus was teaching the crowds and the disciples came to Jesus suggesting that he disperse the crowd so that they don’t pass out from hunger. Jesus took that boy’s lunch of bread and fish and multiplied it so that everyone could eat.

Thoughts prompted by Ed Stetzer on the Death of Christopher Hitchens

Recently I sat next to a well dressed man on an airplane. I engaged in some small talk with him while everyone was getting seated. I had noticed an Ohio State logo on his cell phone so we discussed his excitement about Urban Meyer taking over the football program. As he sat down, he  pulled […]

Post Series

  • Westminster Shorter Catechism Series
  • Sermon on the Mount Series

Categories

Archives

Blogger Grid
Follow me on Blogarama

Copyright © 2022 · Focus Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in