1689 Weekly Chapter 8 Paragraphs 1-5
The 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith is a tried and true teaching tool. It lays out the faith in a clear, systematic way and shows the connections among doctrines. It also serves as a standard by which teaching in the church can be measured. Below, you will find a portion of the Confession to be read weekly alongside scripture.
Chapter 8 - Christ the Mediator
1. God was pleased, in his eternal purpose, to choose and ordain the Lord Jesus, his only begotten Son, according to the covenant made between them, to be the mediator between God and humanity.1 God chose him to be prophet,2 priest,3 and king,4 and to be head and savior of the church,5 the heir of all things,6 and judge of the world.7 From all eternity, God gave to the Son a people to be his offspring. In time these people would be redeemed, called, justified, sanctified, and glorified by him.8
1 Isaiah 42:1; 1 Peter 1:19, 20.
2 Acts 3:22.
3 Hebrews 5:5, 6.
4 Psalms 2:6; Luke 1:33.
5 Ephesians 1:22, 23.
6 Hebrews 1:2.
7 Acts 17:31.
8 Isaiah 53:10; John 17:6; Romans 8:30.
2. The Son of God, the second person of the Holy Trinity, is truly and eternally God. He is the brightness of the Father’s glory, the same in substance and equal with him. He made the world and sustains and governs everything he has made. When the fullness of time came, he took upon himself human nature, with all the essential properties and common weaknesses of it9 but without sin.10 He was conceived by the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mary. The Holy Spirit came down upon her, and the power of the Most High overshadowed her. Thus, he was born of a woman from the tribe of Judah, a descendant of Abraham and David in fulfillment of the Scriptures.11 Two whole, perfect, and distinct natures were inseparably joined together in one person, without converting one into the other or mixing them together to produce a different or blended nature. This person is truly God and truly man, yet one Christ, the only mediator between God and humanity.12
9 John 1:14; Galatians 4:4.
10 Romans 8:3; Hebrews 2:14, 16, 17; Hebrews 4:15.
11 Matthew 1:22, 23; Luke 1:27, 31, 35.
12 Romans 9:5; 1 Timothy 2:5.
3. The Lord Jesus, in his human nature united in this way to the divine in the person of the Son, was sanctified and anointed with the Holy Spirit beyond measure.13 He had in himself all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.14 The Father was pleased to make all fullness dwell in him15 so that—being holy, harmless, undefiled,16 and full of grace and truth17—he was thoroughly qualified to carry out the office of mediator and guarantor.18 He did not take this office upon himself but was called to it by his Father,19 who put all power and judgment in his hand and commanded him to carry them out.20
13 Psalms 45:7; Acts 10:38; John 3:34.
14 Colossians 2:3.
15 Colossians 1:19.
16 Hebrews 7:26.
17 John 1:14.
18 Hebrews 7:22.
19 Hebrews 5:5.
20 John 5:22, 27; Matthew 28:18; Acts 2:36.
4. The Lord Jesus most willingly undertook this office.21 To discharge it, he was born under the law22 and perfectly fulfilled it. He also experienced the punishment that we deserved and that we should have endured and suffered.23 He was made sin and a curse for us.24 He endured extremely heavy sorrows in his soul and extremely painful sufferings in his body.25 He was crucified and died and remained in a state of death, yet his body did not decay.26 On the third day he arose from the dead27 with the same body in which he suffered.28 In this body he also ascended into heaven,29 where he sits at the right hand of his Father, interceding.30 He will return to judge men and angels at the end of the age.31
21 Psalms 40:7, 8; Hebrews 10:5–10; John 10:18.
22 Gal 4:4; Matthew 3:15.
23 Galatians 3:13; Isaiah 53:6; 1 Peter 3:18.
24 2 Corinthians 5:21.
25 Matthew 26:37, 38; Luke 22:44; Matthew 27:46.
26 Acts 13:37.
27 1 Corinthians 15:3, 4.
28 John 20:25, 27.
29 Mark 16:19; Acts 1:9–11.
30 Romans 8:34; Hebrews 9:24.
31 Acts 10:42; Romans 14:9, 10; Acts 1:11; 2 Peter 2:4.
5. The Lord Jesus has fully satisfied the justice of God, obtained reconciliation, and purchased an everlasting inheritance in the kingdom of heaven for all those given to him by the Father.32 He has accomplished these things by his perfect obedience and sacrifice of himself, which he once for all offered up to God through the eternal Spirit.33
32 John 17:2; Hebrews 9:15.
33 Hebrews 9:14; Hebrews 10:14; Romans 3:25, 26.
1 Isaiah 42:1; 1 Peter 1:19, 20.
2 Acts 3:22.
3 Hebrews 5:5, 6.
4 Psalms 2:6; Luke 1:33.
5 Ephesians 1:22, 23.
6 Hebrews 1:2.
7 Acts 17:31.
8 Isaiah 53:10; John 17:6; Romans 8:30.
2. The Son of God, the second person of the Holy Trinity, is truly and eternally God. He is the brightness of the Father’s glory, the same in substance and equal with him. He made the world and sustains and governs everything he has made. When the fullness of time came, he took upon himself human nature, with all the essential properties and common weaknesses of it9 but without sin.10 He was conceived by the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mary. The Holy Spirit came down upon her, and the power of the Most High overshadowed her. Thus, he was born of a woman from the tribe of Judah, a descendant of Abraham and David in fulfillment of the Scriptures.11 Two whole, perfect, and distinct natures were inseparably joined together in one person, without converting one into the other or mixing them together to produce a different or blended nature. This person is truly God and truly man, yet one Christ, the only mediator between God and humanity.12
9 John 1:14; Galatians 4:4.
10 Romans 8:3; Hebrews 2:14, 16, 17; Hebrews 4:15.
11 Matthew 1:22, 23; Luke 1:27, 31, 35.
12 Romans 9:5; 1 Timothy 2:5.
3. The Lord Jesus, in his human nature united in this way to the divine in the person of the Son, was sanctified and anointed with the Holy Spirit beyond measure.13 He had in himself all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.14 The Father was pleased to make all fullness dwell in him15 so that—being holy, harmless, undefiled,16 and full of grace and truth17—he was thoroughly qualified to carry out the office of mediator and guarantor.18 He did not take this office upon himself but was called to it by his Father,19 who put all power and judgment in his hand and commanded him to carry them out.20
13 Psalms 45:7; Acts 10:38; John 3:34.
14 Colossians 2:3.
15 Colossians 1:19.
16 Hebrews 7:26.
17 John 1:14.
18 Hebrews 7:22.
19 Hebrews 5:5.
20 John 5:22, 27; Matthew 28:18; Acts 2:36.
4. The Lord Jesus most willingly undertook this office.21 To discharge it, he was born under the law22 and perfectly fulfilled it. He also experienced the punishment that we deserved and that we should have endured and suffered.23 He was made sin and a curse for us.24 He endured extremely heavy sorrows in his soul and extremely painful sufferings in his body.25 He was crucified and died and remained in a state of death, yet his body did not decay.26 On the third day he arose from the dead27 with the same body in which he suffered.28 In this body he also ascended into heaven,29 where he sits at the right hand of his Father, interceding.30 He will return to judge men and angels at the end of the age.31
21 Psalms 40:7, 8; Hebrews 10:5–10; John 10:18.
22 Gal 4:4; Matthew 3:15.
23 Galatians 3:13; Isaiah 53:6; 1 Peter 3:18.
24 2 Corinthians 5:21.
25 Matthew 26:37, 38; Luke 22:44; Matthew 27:46.
26 Acts 13:37.
27 1 Corinthians 15:3, 4.
28 John 20:25, 27.
29 Mark 16:19; Acts 1:9–11.
30 Romans 8:34; Hebrews 9:24.
31 Acts 10:42; Romans 14:9, 10; Acts 1:11; 2 Peter 2:4.
5. The Lord Jesus has fully satisfied the justice of God, obtained reconciliation, and purchased an everlasting inheritance in the kingdom of heaven for all those given to him by the Father.32 He has accomplished these things by his perfect obedience and sacrifice of himself, which he once for all offered up to God through the eternal Spirit.33
32 John 17:2; Hebrews 9:15.
33 Hebrews 9:14; Hebrews 10:14; Romans 3:25, 26.