Catechism Insight – Doctrinal Standard WSC #30

Doctrinal Standard #30

• Q. How does the Holy Spirit apply to us the redemption Christ bought?
• A. The Spirit applies to us the redemption Christ bought by producing faith in us and so uniting us to Christ in our effective calling.

Memory Verses

• “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5, ESV).

Scripture

• Study Passage: John 15:1-11
  • Support Passages: II Timothy 2:11-13, Romans 6:3-11, Galatians 2:20, I Corinthians 6:15-17, Ephesians 1:22-23
• Bible Story: Exodus 28

Thoughts

• In John 15:5 Jesus says, “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” It is only by the redemptive work of Jesus Christ that allows the “vines,” to be connected to the “branch.” Because of Jesus death and resurrection the Holy Spirit is able to dwell within the believer, producing faith and good works that is pleasing to the Father in heaven. Man’s responsibility in this work is to respond and act upon the leading and conviction of the Holy Spirit.
• Exodus 28 might seem a little ambiguous on how the priestly garments apply to this doctrinal standard. When reading Exodus we must remember that it is during the epic of redemptive history referred to as the kingdom prefigured. During this time in history, God is providing an image or picture of something to come. In the Exodus 28 passage Moses gives three commands about the garments that picture or prefigure the work of Jesus Christ.
  • Exodus 28:30 – And in the breastpiece of judgment you shall put the Urim and the Thummim, and they shall be on Aaron’s heart, when he goes in before the Lord. Thus Aaron shall bear the judgment of the people of Israel on his heart before the Lord regularly.

• Exodus 28:38 – It shall be on Aaron’s forehead, and Aaron shall bear any guilt from the holy things that the people of Israel consecrate as their holy gifts. It shall regularly be on his forehead, that they may be accepted before the Lord.
• Exodus 28:43 – and they shall be on Aaron and on his sons when they go into the tent of meeting or when they come near the altar to minister in the Holy Place, lest they bear guilt and die. This shall be a statute forever for him and for his offspring after him.
• These commands in Exodus were given during the epic of the kingdom being prefigured, therefore, they provide a picture or image of something being fulfilled in the later epics. The first thing we see is that man must be covered when approaching the Almighty Lord. This dates back to after the Fall. After Adam and Eve sinned they were no longer naked but covered when they came before God. Exodus 28 explains how the priests were to be covered when they worshiped before the Lord. The priestly garments prefigured or were pictures of what would eventually be fulfilled by the Messiah. While the garments covered the priest as they came before God, New Covenant believers are covered with the blood and righteousness of Jesus Christ uniting and making them acceptable before God.

Discussion Questions

• Does mankind, left to their own will, follow God? Explain.
• Read John 15:1-11. How do we become connected to the branch? (WSC #30)
• If God creates the connection between the branch and vine what part do we play in the process?
• If God is the one who gives salvation and we cannot lose our salvation why does Jesus warn us about not following after Him in John 15:1-11? (Refer to Lesson 29).
• Adam and Eve were covered after they sinned, the priests were dressed properly when they worshiped the Lord, and how are believers properly covered to worship God? Explain.