Westminster Confession of Faith

Chapter VIII

Of Christ the Mediator

1
It pleased God, in His eternal purpose, to choose and ordain the Lord Jesus, His only begotten Son, to be the Mediator between God and man;162 the Prophet,163 Priest,164 and King,165 the Head and Saviour of His Church,166 the Heir of all things,167 and Judge of the world:168 unto whom He did from all eternity give a people, to be His seed,169 and to be by Him in time redeemed, called, justified, sanctified, and glorified.170
162
Isaiah 42:11 Peter 191 Peter 20John 3:161 Timothy 2:5
163
Acts 3:22
164
Hebrews 5:5-6
165
Psalm 2:6Luke 1:33
166
Ephesians 5:23
167
Hebrews 1:2
168
Acts 17:31
169
John 17:6Psalm 22:30
170
1 Timothy 2:6Isaiah 55:4-51 Corinthians 1:30
2
The Son of God, the second person in the Trinity, being very and eternal God, of one substance and equal with the Father, did, when the fulness of time was come, take upon Him man's nature,171 with all the essential properties and common infirmities thereof, yet without sin:172 being conceived by the power of the Holy Ghost, in the womb of the virgin Mary, of her substance.173 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.174 Which person is very God, and very man, yet one Christ, the only Mediator between God and man.175
171
John 1:1John 1:141 John 5:20Philippians 2:6Galatians 4:4
172
Hebrews 2:14Hebrews 2:16-17Hebrews 4:15
173
Luke 1:27Luke 1:31Luke 1:35Galatians 4:4
174
Luke 1:35Colossians 2:9Romans 9:51 Peter 3:181 Timothy 3:16
175
Romans 1:3-41 Timothy 2:5
3
The Lord Jesus, in His human nature thus united to the divine, was sanctified and anointed with the Holy Spirit, above measure,176 having in Him all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge;177 in whom it pleased the Father that all fulness should dwell;178 to the end that, being holy, harmless, undefiled, and full of grace and truth,179 He might be thoroughly furnished to execute the office of a mediator and surety.180 Which office He took not unto Himself, but was thereunto called by His Father,181 who put all power and judgment into His hand, and gave Him commandment to execute the same.182
176
Psalm 45:7John 3:34
177
Colossians 2:3
178
Colossians 1:19
179
Hebrews 7:26John 1:14
180
Acts 10:38Hebrews 12:24Hebrews 7:22
181
Hebrews 5:4-5
182
John 5:22John 5:27Matthew 28:18Acts 2:36
4
This office the Lord Jesus did most willingly undertake;183 which that He might discharge, He was made under the law,184 and did perfectly fulfil it,185 endured most grievous torments immediately in His soul,186 and most painful sufferings in His body;187 was crucified, and died;188 was buried, and remained under the power of death; yet saw no corruption.189 On the third day He arose from the dead,190 with the same body in which He suffered,191 with which also he ascended into heaven, and there sitteth at the right hand of His Father,192 making intercession,193 and shall return to judge men and angels at the end of the world.194
183
Psalm 40:7-8Hebrews 10:5-10John 10:18Philippians 2:8
184
Galatians 4:4
185
Matthew 3:15Matthew 5:17
186
Matthew 26:37-38Luke 22:44Matthew 27:46
187
Matthew 26Matthew 27
188
Philippians 2:8
189
Acts 2:23-24Acts 2:27Acts 13:37Romans 6:9
190
1 Corinthians 15:3-4
191
John 20:25John 20:27
192
Mark 16:19
193
Romans 8:34Hebrews 9:24Hebrews 7:25
194
Romans 14:9-10Acts 1:11Acts 10:42Matthew 13:40-42Jude 62 Peter 2:4
5
The Lord Jesus, by His perfect obedience, and sacrifice of Himself, which He, through the eternal Spirit, once offered up unto God, hath fully satisfied the justice of His Father;195 and purchased, not only reconciliation, but an everlasting inheritance in the kingdom of heaven, for all those whom the Father hath given unto Him.196
195
Romans 5:19Hebrews 9:14Hebrews 9:16Hebrews 10:14Ephesians 5:2Romans 3:25-26
196
Daniel 9:24Daniel 9:26Colossians 1:19-20Ephesians 1:11Ephesians 1:14John 17:2Hebrews 9:12Hebrews 9:15
6
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 to-day the same, and forever.197
197
Galatians 4:4-5Genesis 3:15Revelation 13:8Hebrews 13:8
7
Christ, in the work of mediation, acteth according to both natures, by each nature doing that which is proper to itself:198 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.199
198
Hebrews 9:141 Peter 3:18
199
Acts 20:28John 3:131 John 3:16
8
To all those for whom Christ hath purchased redemption, He doth certainly and effectually apply and communicate the same,200 making intercession for them,201 and revealing unto them, in and by the Word, the mysteries of salvation,202 effectually persuading them by His Spirit to believe and obey, and governing their hearts by His Word and Spirit;203 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.204
200
John 6:37John 6:39John 10:15-16
201
1 John 2:1-2Romans 8:34
202
John 15:13John 15:15Ephesians 1:7-9John 17:6
203
John 14:26Hebrews 12:22 Corinthians 4:13Romans 8:9Romans 8:14Romans 15:18-19John 17:17
204
Psalm 110:11 Corinthians 15:25-26Malachi 4:2-3Colossians 2:15
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