Westminster Shorter Catechism2

Q. 30 How doth the Spirit apply to us the redemption purchased by Christ? A. The Spirit applieth to us the redemption purchased by Christ, by working faith in us, and thereby uniting us to Christ in our effectual calling. You see that there are two things here (which we will look at in reverse order)—That the Spirit works faith in us… And that by this instrument of faith, the Spirit unites us to Christ.

Q. 29 How are we made partakers of the redemption purchased by Christ? A. We are made partakers of the redemption purchased by Christ by the effectual application of it to us by His Holy Spirit. Titus 3:1-8 shows you very clearly that your salvation was God's initiative and work, not yours.

Q. 28 Wherein consisteth Christ's exaltation? A. Christ's exaltation consisteth in His rising again from the dead on the third day, in ascending up into heaven, in sitting at the right hand of God the Father, and in coming to judge the world at the last day. In His exaltation, Christ's reputation—His honour—was fully restored. God has highly exalted Him and gave Him the name which is above every name. And the one name that is above every name is Lord (Yahweh). Verse 11 says that all will confess that He is Lord.

Q. 27 Wherein did Christ's humiliation consist? A. Christ's humiliation consisted in His being born, and that in a low condition, made under the law, undergoing the miseries of this life, the wrath of God, and the cursed death of the cross; in being buried, and continuing under the power of death for a time. Submission is not the humiliation, but becoming flesh and dying on the cross is.

Q. 26 How doth Christ execute the office a king? A. Christ executeth the office of a king, in subduing us to Himself, in ruling and defending us, and in restraining and conquering all His and our enemies. Jesus is the King that God wants. Look at how He is the ideal king.

Q. 25 How doth Christ execute the office a priest? A. Christ executeth the office of a priest, in His once offering up of Himself a sacrifice to satisfy divine justice and reconcile us to God; and in making continual intercession for us. What does the work of Christ as priest entail? The most prominent work of a priest is the offering of sacrifices for sinners (Heb 5:1). The primary purpose of sacrifices was to remove the guilt of sin that condemns us.

Q. 24 How doth Christ execute the office of a prophet? A. Christ executeth the office of a prophet, in revealing to us, by His Word and Spirit, the will of God for our salvation. Jesus is Himself God's Word. His life is God's revelation. He reveals God's will to us in His person and actions.

Today we come to Q. 23 where we are told of the offices that God appointed for Christ. Q. 23 What offices doth Christ execute as our Redeemer? A. Christ as our Redeemer, executeth the offices of a prophet, of a priest, and of a king, both in His estate of humiliation and exaltation. God the Father appointed Christ to fill offices for Him—to be an officer.

There were three requirements that had to be met for the Son of God to be made man. First, the one who was to become a man already existed as a person. Only a body was needed, not a new person. Second, it was necessary for the Son of God to be fully related to us as a man. Third He had to be without sin—fully related to us, yet without sin! The Scriptures tell us how God brought His Son into our flesh in a way that met all the requirements.

Q. 21 Who is the Redeemer of God's elect? A. The only Redeemer of God's elect is the Lord Jesus Christ, who, being the eternal Son of God, became man, and so was and continueth to be, God and man in two distinct natures, and one person forever. You must come to Jesus or you will not be saved.