The Riches of His Glorious Inheritance in the Saints
Week 2
Westminster Larger Catechism Q57-89
Resources
Resources
Resources
Resources – Christian Creeds and Reformed Confessions
Resources - iReformed
Our theme for the next several weeks:
“For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the
Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, I do not
cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my
prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father
of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation
in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts
enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which
he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious
inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable
greatness of his power toward us who believe,…”
(Eph 1:15-19)
Our theme for the next several weeks:
“For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the
Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, I do not
cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my
prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father
of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation
in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts
enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which
he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious
inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable
greatness of his power toward us who believe,…”
(Eph 1:15-19)
More background…
• The WLC (and the WSC) is an OUTLINE of doctrine
extracted from the Bible.
• Answers many (most) of the questions that we might ask
regarding the Christian life and experience.
• We will look at the “Benefits of Redemption” or as Paul
stated, “…that you may know what is the hope to which
he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious
inheritance in the saints,….” (Eph 1:18)
• First the context in our outline of doctrine to establish the
FOUNDATION:
The WLC Begins with the End
Man’s Chief End:
Glorify & Enjoy God [Q1]
An Apology for God’s Being [Q2]
God’s Revelation of Himself
[Q3]
An Apology for God’s Word [Q4]
A Summary of God’s Word [Q5]
What to Believe
(God’s & His Works) [Q6-90]
What to Do (Man’s Duty) [Q91-196]
A Biblical Pattern: Believe => Do
This pattern is not arbitrary – why did they outline it this
way?
Because it has its roots in Scripture:
• Belief begets practice. What you believe WILL dictate
how you behave. Examples:
– Paul’s letters – Romans 1-11 explain the work of God then at
12:1 “I beseech you therefore brethren by the mercies of God to
present your bodies a living sacrifice…”
– Ephesians 1- 3 declares the work of God in salvation then at 4:1
“I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner
worthy of the calling to which you have been called,…”
– Even in the giving of the 10 commandments we see this pattern:
““I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of
Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You shall have no other gods
before me….” [God: “This is Who I am and who you are –
therefore DO this…”]
What to Believe
(God & His Works)
[Q6-90]
A Summary of what to believe about God [Q6]
Who God is… [Q7-11]
What God is… [Q7]
The Persons of the
Godhead
[Q8-11]
What God does…[Q12 –
90]
Man’s Duty:
How to Glorify God
[Q91-196]
The sum of man’s
duty.
[Q91]
The moral law.
[Q92-152]
The means of
grace.
[Q153-196]
Where are we going?
Question
Topic
57, 58
59, 60
The benefits of redemption & how applied
Who are the recipients?
Justification and Sanctification: What’s the difference?
Dr. David Van Drunen
The visible church
The Invisible Church
Union with Christ &Effectual Call
Communion in Grace with Christ – Justification
Justifying Faith
Communion in Grace with Christ – Adoption &
Sanctification
The Difference Between Justification and Sanctification
Perseverance and Assurance of Believers
Communion in Glory with Christ – in this life
Communion in Glory with Christ – after death
The Final Judgment
61-63
64-65
66-68
69-71
72-73
74-76
77-78
79-81
82-83
84-87
88-89
Week
1
2
10/13/2013
10/20/2013
10/27/2013
3
4
5
6
7
8
11/3/2013
11/10/2013
11/17/2013
11/24/2013
12/1/2013
12/8/2013
9
10
11
12
13
12/15/2013
12/22/2013
12/29/2013
1/5/2014
1/12/2013
Q. 57. What benefits hath Christ procured by his
mediation?
A. Christ, by his mediation, hath procured redemption, with
all other benefits of the covenant of grace.
me·di·a·tion /mēdēˈāSHən/
noun: mediation; plural noun: mediations
1. intervention in a dispute in order to resolve it; arbitration.
"the parties have sought mediation and it has failed"
• intervention in a process or relationship; intercession.
"they are offering sacrifice and mediation between God and man"
synonyms: arbitration, conciliation, reconciliation,
intervention, intercession, good offices;
negotiation, shuttle diplomacy
"mediation between victims and offenders"
Q. 57. What benefits hath Christ procured by his
mediation?
A. Christ, by his mediation, hath procured redemption, with
all other benefits of the covenant of grace.
re·demp·tion /riˈdempSHən/
noun: redemption; plural noun: redemptions
1. the action of saving or being saved from sin, error, or evil.
"God's plans for the redemption of his world"
synonyms: saving, freeing from sin, absolution "God's redemption of his
people"
• a thing that saves someone from error or evil.
"his marginalization from the Hollywood jungle proved to be his redemption"
2. the action of regaining or gaining possession of something in exchange for
payment, or clearing a debt.
synonyms:
retrieval, recovery, reclamation, repossession, return "the
redemption of their possessions“, exchange, cashing in,
conversion "the redemption of credit vouchers"
paying off, paying back, discharge, clearing, honoring
"the redemption of the mortgage“ fulfillment, carrying out,
discharge, performing, honoring, meeting "the redemption of
his obligations"
Q. 57. What benefits hath Christ procured by his
mediation?
A. Christ, by his mediation, hath procured redemption, with
all other benefits of the covenant of grace.
OLD FRENCH
redimer
LATIN
redeem
redback
LATIN
redimere
buy back
late Middle
English
LATIN
emere
buy
late Middle English (in the sense ‘buy back’): from Old French redimer
or Latin redimere , from re(d)- ‘back’ + emere ‘buy.’
What did Christ’s work accomplish?
But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the
good things that have come, then through the
greater and more perfect tent (not made with
hands, that is, not of this creation) he entered once
for all into the holy places, not by means of the
blood of goats and calves but by means of his own
blood, thus securing an eternal redemption.
(Heb 9:11-12 ESV)
For even the Son of Man came not to be served
but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for
many.” (Mark 10:45 ESV)
Q. 58. How do we come to be made partakers of the
benefits which Christ hath procured?
A. We are made partakers of the benefits which Christ hath
procured, by the application of them unto us, which is the
work especially of God the Holy Ghost.
… are made partakers… by the application of them …
Who is doing the work here?
Remember where we are in the catechism outline?
What to believe about God > His works > His
decrees > His works of providence
What is the difference between the work of the Holy Spirit
and that of Christ?
Christ: redemption accomplished (Q 36 – 56)
Holy Spirit: redemption applied
The Holy Spirit Applies the Benefits of Redemption
But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave
the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood
nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
(John 1:12-13)
Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is
born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus
said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can
he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be
born?” Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless
one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the
kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and
that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I
said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows
where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not
know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with
everyone who is born of the Spirit.” (John 3:3-5)
The Holy Spirit Applies the Benefits of Redemption
But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior
appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in
righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of
regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us
richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his
grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
(Titus 3:4-7, ESV)
The Valley of Dry Bones…
The hand of the Lord was upon me, and
he brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord
and set me down in the middle of the
valley; it was full of bones. And he led me
around among them, and behold, there
were very many on the surface of the
valley, and behold, they were very dry.
And he said to me, “Son of man, can
these bones live?” And I answered, “O
Lord God, you know.” Then he said to
me, “Prophesy over these bones, and
say to them, O dry bones, hear the word
of the Lord. Thus says the Lord God to
these bones: Behold, I will cause breath
to enter you, and you shall live. And I will
lay sinews upon you, and will cause flesh
to come upon you, and cover you with
skin, and put breath in you, and you shall
live, and you shall know that I am the
Lord.” (Ezekiel 37:1-6, ESV)
Hebrew: Ruwach (roo’-akh) =
wind, spirit, breath
Q. 59. Who are made partakers of redemption through
Christ?
A. Redemption is certainly applied, and effectually
communicated, to all those for whom Christ hath purchased
it; who are in time by the Holy Ghost enabled to believe in
Christ according to the gospel.
Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me
shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. But I
said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. All that the
Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will
never cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own
will but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who
sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but
raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that
everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have
eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.” (John 6:35-40,
ESV)
Q. 59. Who are made partakers of redemption through
Christ?
A. Redemption is certainly applied, and effectually
communicated, to all those for whom Christ hath purchased
it; who are in time by the Holy Ghost enabled to believe in
Christ according to the gospel.
What is that group of people called for whom Christ died?
• His people
• His sheep
• His church
• His body
• The elect (Eph 1)
• Those whom He foreknew (Rom 8:29-30)
For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to
the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among
many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and
those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified
he also glorified. (Romans 8:29-30, ESV)
Underlying question: For whom did Christ die?
Didn’t Christ die for the whole world? (John 3:16, etc.)
Doesn’t the Bible teach that Christ died for “all?”
Does “ALL” mean “everyone without exception?”
In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the
world should be registered. (Luke 2:1, ESV)
That evening at sundown they brought to him all who were sick or
oppressed by demons. (Mark 1:32, ESV)
And when they had further threatened them, they let them go,
finding no way to punish them, because of the people, for all were
praising God for what had happened. (Acts 4:21, ESV)
Isn’t it correct to say that “God gives everybody a chance to be
saved, and we can take it or leave it?”
Another way to look at it… Did Christ die to provide salvation … or
did He die to provide the possibility of salvation?
… who are in time by the Holy Ghost enabled to believe…
The ETERNAL perspective:
… even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the
world, that we should be holy and blameless before him.
(Ephesians 1:4 ESV)
The TEMPORAL perspective:
And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you
once walked, following the course of this world, following
the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at
work in the sons of disobedience –
But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love
with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our
trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace
you have been saved— (Ephesians 2:1-2 and 4-5 ESV)
Q. 60. Can they who have never heard the gospel, and
so know not Jesus Christ, nor believe in him, be saved
by their living according to the light of nature?
A. They who, having never heard the gospel, know not
Jesus Christ, and believe not in him, cannot be saved, be
they never so diligent to frame their lives according to the
light of nature, or the laws of that religion which they
profess; neither is there salvation in any other, but in Christ
alone, who is the Savior only of his body the church.
What about the poor savage who has not had a
chance to hear the gospel? God surely would not
send them to hell if they never even had the
chance to hear the gospel?
The case of the poor savage….
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and
unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For
what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to
them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature,
have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things
that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew
God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became
futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be
wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for
images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.
(Romans 1:18-23, ESV)
For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of
God, (Romans 3:22-23, ESV)
How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are
they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to
hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are
sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good
news!” But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who
has believed what he has heard from us?” So faith comes from hearing, and
hearing through the word of Christ. (Romans 10:14-17, ESV)
So what?
• Why does all this matter?
– It cuts to the heart of the gospel
– It shows us who we are
– It gives all the glory to God
• QUESTIONS?
• COMMENTS
• OBJECTIONS?