From Jethro to Barnabas…

Christ-Centered Coaching in the Westminster Confession of Faith

Scriptural Survey of the Westminster Confession of Faith

1 Timothy 2:5

     Why study the Westminster Confession of Faith? Because it is a Christ-centered, Christ-glorifying, Christ-loving Confession of Faith that will coach you on how to better communicate your adoration for Christ to a watching world. Christ is our one and only Mediator. It is this doctrine of Christ the Mediator that theWestminster theologians used to organize their Scriptural understanding of the person and work of Jesus Christ our Lord.

      Christ the Mediator is proclaimed in chapter eight of the Westminster Confession of Faith. Jesus is reported to be the only Mediator between God and man, which is a quote of 1 Timothy 2:5. What does the term Mediator mean? A Mediator is a go between—that is someone who is able to reconcile two parties. Christ, therefore, is our only bridge to God the Father as Jesus declared in John 14:6. In other words, the only reason we are able to access the throne of grace is because Jesus rolled out the red carpet for us by the shedding of His precious blood upon the cross. We can only go to the heavenly Father through our go between—through our only bridge—that is Jesus Christ our Lord. Five times in this chapter the Lord Jesus is called the Mediator (notice the preceding article and the capitalization of mediator) thereby proclaiming Christ as the only way to salvation. Thus we see clearly now that Christ is the center of the Westminster Confession of Faith. In fact, the eighth chapter presents the saving gospel of Christ’s cross and resurrection, which not only speaks well of this confession that eloquently states the truth with courage, but shows its evangelical interest in proclaiming the good news about our Lord and Savior. It unambiguously declares that Christ’s substitutionary atonement on the cross is the only event that satisfies God’s just claim against us sinners who believe due to the Holy Spirit’s effective work upon our hearts.

     Most helpfully, it states Calvin’s doctrine that Christ, as the mediator, is also the prophet priest and king. As A. A. Hodge writes about this topic, “That the mediatorial office, in the exercise of which Christ accomplishes our redemption, embraces three distinct functions, viz., those of a prophet, of a priest, and of a king . . . These are not three distinct offices meeting accidentally in one office, but three functions inhering essentially in the one office of mediator.” This is best way to organize your thoughts and teachings concerning the life of Jesus Christ your Lord and Savior. The WCF shows us the preeminent way to describe the Preeminent One, which is to explain Him as the Amazing Mediator who perfectly fulfills the functions of Prophet, Priest and King. This is the genius of Reformed theology’s presentation of Jesus.

          Imagine you are on a short-term mission’s trip and you much teach a group of third graders the life of Christ, how would you do it? Here is where the WCF provides state-of-the-art theological coaching to us today. Preach to them that Jesus Christ is the only way to heaven since He is the perfect Mediator between God and men. Teach them that Christ as the Mediator started His ministry to us as a prophet (teaching, miracles, and model), fulfilled His ministry to us as a priest (died on the cross for our sins, prays for us), and continues His ministry to us as our ever-protective King (sitting on the right hand of God for our benefit and His glory). Counsel them that this three-fold function of the Mediator cures us of all that ails us in this fallen world (Christ as prophet gives light to our clouded minds, Christ as priest secures our reconciliation with God and our justification, Christ as King overcomes all our enemies and safely guides us home to heaven). Defend Christ (apologetics) by reminding them that no one except Jesus perfectly fills these functions of prophet, priest and king.   

       The eight sections of chapter eight provide an Christological tour de force survey on the teachings of the person and work of our Lord Jesus, which is second to none in history. It records beautifully the teachings of the Apostles’ Creed (see section 4) as well as the Nicene Creed (Which person is very God, and very man, yet one Christ, the only Mediator between God and man). It presents authorized historic biblical theology of the Council of Chalcedon about Christ’s person (two whole, perfect, and distinct natures, the Godhead and the manhood, were inseparably joined together in one person, without conversion, composition, or confusion) and the context is perfectly in line with the Athanasius Creed’s declaration of the Triune God of the Scriptures (The Son of God, the second person of the Trinity, being very and eternal God, of one substance and equal with the Father). Most impressively, the chapter quotes Scripture declaring that our Lord Jesus is “full of grace and truth” and is “the Lamb slain from the beginning of the world; being yesterday and today the same forever.”   

      Even so, the eighth chapter is not just a review of proper Christology because it quietly shows us to be more fully orbed in our teachings about the Lord Jesus. For instance, the Apostles’ Creed mentions nothing about the fact that Jesus lived a holy, perfect and sinless life. The Confession states that Jesus was “without sin” and that he had “perfect obedience” to the law of God.  As R.C. Sproul observes, “In one respect, Christ’s sinlessness is more astonishing than his resurrection. Other people have come back from the dead, but no other person has lived a sinless life. His perfect life is amazing because no one of us has ever loved the Lord with all of his mind, heart, and strength. None of us has loved our neighbor as much as we love ourselves.” Therefore, as ambassadors for Christ, we implore you, as it states in 2 Corinthians 5:21, to be reconciled to God because “for our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”  

      In addition, the Confession reminds us in its recital of the Apostles’ Creed (section 4) that we should also affirm that the Lord Jesus continually makes intercession for his people (John 17). As Gerstner, Kelly and Rollinson eloquently teach:

             In His exalted state Christ is continually making intercession for those for whom  He died. This is how he applies the atonement made for them, and this explains why believers, although forgiven, continue to ask for the forgiveness of their sins. Christ is busily and gladly brings His sacrifice before the Father’s throne on their behalf. And indeed this is what makes the prayers of the saints acceptable. Christ    prays for their prayers. John Chrysostom once told of a father who was about to            return from a long journey. His young son gathered a bouquet from the garden to give him. But before he gave his father the bouquet, mother removed all the   weeds, trimmed the stems, and arranged the flowers properly. In the same way Christ makes the prayers of the righteous avail.”

Indeed, as it has been said, Christ can make sense out of a confused prayer, which is a great encouragement for us to pray often and with great expectations.  

        Nonetheless, these grand and glorious truths about Jesus are not the end of the story. Let me ask you this question, “How would end this chapter on Christ if you were writing it?” Well, I believe the way the Westminstertheologians concluded the chapter bears testimony to their pastoral heart and brilliantly captures Christ’s impeccable care for His people. After mentioning how Christ purchased and effectually applied redemption to His flock, the Confession ends with, “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 most consonant to his wonderful and unsearchable dispensation.” Obviously, the Westminster theologians desired for the people of God to go forth from this discussion about Christ with holy, unflinching confidence in the victory Jesus won for us. This chapter ends with the same type of spirit and assurance as 2 Corinthians 2:14 which heralds, “But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession.”

       Now this point is extremely critical to the healthy, happy and holy Christian life conducted within the Kingdom of Christ (as is competently presented in the 1992 landmark book Power Religion, which is a collection of a number of Reformed authors biblical view points on our victory in Christ). In fact, in order to establish that God in Christ overcomes all our enemies the Westminster theologians quote Luke 10:19 and Colossians 2:15 that both serve us well as we seek to apply this doctrine to our own lives. Read the following biblical verses to find the power of never, which means that as you are in union with Christ nothing the evil one can do can harm you:

 

1. Read what the Lord Jesus preached (Luke 10:19)

                        The Power of “Never” in the Words of Christ!

 

2. Read what the Apostle Paul taught (Colossians 2:15, 2 Timothy 4:18 )

                        The Power of “Never” in the Life of Paul.

 

3. Read what the Apostle John wrote (Revelation 12:11, 1 John 5:18)

                        The Power of “Never” in the Christian life.

 

4. Read what the Apostle James declared (4:7)

                        Do you experience the victorious power of “Never” in your life  because God in Christ will never leave you nor forsake you (Hebrews 13:5)?