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THE DOCTRINES OF
GRACE, Part 6
Particular Redemption (Part 3 - The Session of Christ) by Jay Wegter INTRODUCTION –
The Priesthood of Christ is unique.,
because no other priest is fully God and fully man (Heb. 1:2-6). No other priest is sinless (1 Pet. 3:18). No
other priest became the sacrifice to
be offered (Heb. 10:10). No other
priest has infinite power and merit
to bestow upon guilty covenant breakers (2 Cor. 5:21). Christ’s priesthood is perpetual, because His life is perpetual
(Heb. 7:23-25; Num. 20:22-29). The term
“session of Christ” refers to His ascending after the resurrection to be seated
at the Father’s right hand to make intercession for us. “Seated” does not mean resting from all
work, Christ is actively engaged in the “unfinished” work of intercession (Heb.
7:25). His intercession involves a
constant applying of His sacrificial work, making it effective in the
justification and sanctification of sinners (Rom. 8:34; 1 Jn. 2:1). CHRIST IS
MEDIATORIAL KING (Heb. 10:19-22) All authority
has been given to Him in heaven and in earth.
He protects, governs and orders all things for the sake of the Kingdom
of God (Matt. 28:18; Phil. 2:9-11; Col. 1:16,17). As Mediator, He is able to save to the uttermost (Heb.
7:25). None of Christ’s purposes in
man’s salvation shall miscarry. He will
bring them all to completion. Redemption, sanctification and protection
comprise a complete salvation that saves from sin and the wrath to come a (that
is salvation to the uttermost). It is the
victory won by Christ’s atonement that is the true basis and content of
Christ’s mediation. His triumph assures
us of the efficacy of His mediation (Heb. 9:14,15; 10:14). IN HIS
INTERCESSION, HE LIVES FOREVER TO SEND HIS HOLY SPIRIT TO HIS CHURCH (John
14:16-21) We depend upon
Christ’s Spirit for all illumination (of the Word), for all continuing grace,
for all spiritual gifts, for all comfort and consolation, for all endurance and
perseverance. We must not forget that
the Holy Spirit’s work is vitally joined to the atonement (John 16:13-15; Rom.
8:9-16). Application – God alone knows how great the work is of
saving sinners. He alone knows how to
perfect the church to His glory.
Consider how much we depend upon Christ’s intercession in order to
conquer the remaining strength of sin and to crush the opposition of Satan and
the world. The Father saw that the
continual intercession of Christ was necessary and expedient unto the salvation
of the church for God’s own glory. CHRIST’S WORK OF
BEARING INIQUITY IS CLOSELY ASSOCIATED WITH HIS INTERCESSION FOR TRANSGRESSORS
(Heb. 9:12,24; Rom. 8:31-34) It is clear from
Romans 8:31-34 that our Lord’s sacrifice and intercession are intended for the
elect. In this passage, the text makes
no distinction between those for whom Christ died and those whom He
blesses. Rom. 8:31 – The Apostle draws our attention to the
infinite blessing of having God for us
(in every possible way that is holy and righteous). The “us” in verse 31 has already been defined in verses 28 and
29. Rom. 8:32 – Who are the “us all” who are receiving
all things from God? ANSWER: Those for whom God delivered up His
Son. These comprise the same “us
all” as in the previous verses 28-31.
Those who have the Son have all of the other benefits described. Those who fail
to receive the benefits do not have the Son, nor can they say that He was
delivered up for them if they perish in unbelief. Rom. 8:33, 34 – These verses continue the thought of
the benefits given to those God loves with an unchanging, inseparable
love. The great benefit here is the intercession of the Son of God. The “us” in verse 34 is the same as the
elect in verse 33. The same class of
individuals is in view in verses 29, 30, 31, 32. Those for whom He intercedes are those whom He has
justified. The scope of the atonement
(those for whom He is delivered up), embraces the same group of individuals for
whom He intercedes. That is why they
cannot be condemned or stuck with a charge before God. For Christ pleads the merits of His death on
their behalf. Rom. 8:35-39 – His particular love guarantees our
security. It is His love that prompted
Him to predestinate and it is His love that prompted Him to deliver up His Son
for us (31,32). Those whom God in
Christ loves covenantally receive all
the spiritual blessings promised in these verses. Application – Christ’s intercession is the continual
application of the benefits of His atoning work to the believer. Christ is the divine Advocate for the elect. He
pleads the value of His blood and righteousness. His defense for us entails the appeal that He has satisfied
divine justice on our behalf. CHRIST’S
INTERCESSION FOR HIS ELECT BEGAN EVEN BEFORE HIS SACRIFICIAL DEATH (John 17) In John 17,
Jesus prays for Himself (vs. 1-5), for His disciples (vs. 6-19) and for all who
would come to believe the apostolic gospel (vs. 20-26). In order for the
work through the disciples to continue, two things must happen: 1.) The disciples must be sanctified, 2.) 2.) Jesus must be sanctified.
Every believer
must have this sanctification for which Jesus prayed in order to fulfill the
commission. By sanctification, Jesus
means in this context, “set apart for God for the purpose of a mission”
(17:17). This meaning is tied to the sending of the men in verse 18. The Word of God is the appointed means of
producing that sanctification. Jesus prays to
the Father, thus God is the agent of the sanctification and the Word is the
instrument of the sanctification. JESUS’
INTECESSORY PRAYER IS FOR THOSE WHOM THE FATHER HAS GIVEN HIM (John 17) Jesus’ request
is particularly focused. He does not
pray for all people everywhere. His
prayer is “not for the world.” He prays
for those given to Him by the Father, including all future believers (John
17:9).. Application – If indeed Jesus is praying for
sanctification that equips for a mission, then the prayer of sanctification and
sending involves you! Jesus is praying
for everyone who would ever savingly believe upon Him. Every Christian
is given a mission to declare to the world the saving benefits of Christ’s
work. We must declare to men that life
does not make sense apart from the conquest that Christ has accomplished. Apart from the gospel of Jesus Christ, life
is an absurdity. Jesus’ prayer is
for effectiveness in ministry by ongoing sanctification in the lives of
believers by the power of God. The
apostolic commission is our commission.
You are placed here and kept here that you might be a mouthpiece for
Jesus Christ. You are set apart by the
Word in order to be sent out into the world on a gospel enterprise. THE BASIS OF
JESUS’ REQUEST IS THE FACT THAT HE SANCTIFIES HIMSELF (John 17:19) By the phrase,
“I sanctify Himself,” Jesus means that He is setting Himself apart for His
vicarious death on Calvary (John 17:19).
Jesus is able to ask His Father for sanctifying grace for His people
BECAUSE He is about to purchase it for His own on the cross. The sanctifying
work of the Father is requested on the basis of Jesus’ redemptive work for His
own (“for them I sanctify Myself.”).
The purpose for which Jesus set Himself apart is the cross. This is the purpose the Father sent Him into
the world (John 10:18). By His atoning
sacrifice, He purchases grace and He beseeches the Father to dispense it. JESUS SET
HIMSELF APART AS A SACRIFICIAL OFFERING ON BEHALF OF THOSE GIVEN TO HIM BY THE
FATHER The sacrifice of
Jesus was particular. His death was on
behalf “of them” in contrast to the world (that contrast occurs 5 times in this
chapter). Jesus prays for those who belong
to Him by divine prerogative (those given to Him by the Father). Jesus sets Himself apart for the sacred
purpose for which He was sent into the world to fulfill (Mark 10:45). Application – The cross purchases the very redemption
and sanctification Jesus prayed for (Heb. 9:12). It was a purposeful sacrifice.
It secured the sanctification that produces your own eagerness to do what is good. God’s people are characterized by their zeal for good works
(Titus 2:14). Wrapped up in the
salvation package purchased for you is sanctification through the Word of God
(1 Cor. 1:30; Heb. 2:11). QUESTIONS: Would there be a lordship controversy if
evangelicals understood what Jesus purchased at the cross? Consider why a hypothetical atonement
exacerbates the problem of antinomianism.
Is it not our wisdom to ask the following, “What precisely did Jesus
accomplish by His sacrificial death?” This is why we
preach, sing, declare, center upon and unfold the wonders of the cross. For the cross contains every expression of
God’s blessings toward us. Does it matter whether or not a person
believes in definite atonement? 1.) Definite atonement qualifies the nature
of the atonement. The actual accomplishment
of the cross is of paramount importance because redemption is the central
revealer of God’s character. In the
divine work of salvation God “bares His holy arm.” (Isaiah 52:10). By contrast, the creation of the universe is
merely His “finger work.” (Psalm 8:3).
The atonement is of endless fascination to angels because in it is found
the greatest manifestation of God’s attributes (1 Peter 1:12). 2.) According
to 2 Corinthians 5:14,15, the death of Christ was the death of all those who
died when He died. In other words,
Christ’s death secured the devotion of the redeemed. Christ’s death guaranteed that the dominion of sin in their lives
would be broken. It assures that the
redeemed will live for Christ. 3.) Only a definite atonement preserves the
biblical theme of an efficacious sacrifice.
Christ’s death was efficacious by God’s sovereign design. It is not waiting for men to make it
efficacious. Only definite atonement
adequately protects the marital picture of Christ’s purchase of His
church. (See Acts 20:28; Eph. 5:25-27;
Rev. 5:9,10). 4.) Only a definite atonement maintains unity
between Christ’s sin bearing and His
intercession. 5.) Only a definite atonement is consistent
with the doctrine of true substitution and
propitiation. Christ’s substitutionary
death was an actual substitution that turned God’s wrath away from the
elect. Divine wrath was immutably
removed for all those for whom Christ laid down His life. The Scripture joins the concept of
propitiation (the turning away of divine wrath) with the particular love God
has for His people (1 John 4:10). 6.) Only a definite atonement preserves the
perfect unity of the Godhead in the work
of redemption. In redemption, there is
a “division of labor.” The Father
elects, the Son redeems, the Holy Spirit applies the benefits of Christ’s death
to the elect (See John 6; Romans 8; Eph. 1 and 2 etc.). 7.) Only a definite atonement magnifies the
wisdom and power of God. God’s wisdom
is glorified in man’s salvation (Romans 9-11, esp. 11:33-35; Jude 25; Isaiah
53:11; 1 Cor. 1:24,30). God’s power is
glorified in an efficacious atonement (Psalm 110:3; Prov. 21:1; Eph. 1:11;
Isaiah 46:9,10; Rom. 1:16; Eph. 2:4-6). |
