Catechism Insight – Doctrinal Standards WSC #21 (2 of 2 weeks)

Doctrinal Standard WSC #21

• Q. Who is the redeemer of God’s chosen ones?
• A. The only redeemer of God’s chosen is the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, who became man. He was and continues to be God and man in two distinct natures and one person forever.

Memory Verses

• “And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, 22 he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him” (Colossians 1:21–22, ESV).

Study Passage: Colossians 1:9-23

Support Passages: Luke 1:26-35, Colossians 2:8-12, Hebrews 2, Hebrews 7:23-28

Bible Story: John 9

Thoughts

• Jesus did not give up His human nature after His death and resurrection, for He appeared to His disciples as a man after the resurrection, even with the scars of the nail prints in His hands. He had ‘flesh and bones’ (Luke 24:39) and ate food (Luke 24:41-42). Later, when He was talking with His disciples, He was taken up into heaven, still in His resurrected human body, and two angels promised that He would return in the same way.” Scripture indicates that “Jesus did not temporarily become man, but that His divine nature was permanently united to His human nature, and He lives forever not just as the eternal Son of God, the second person of the Trinity, but also as Jesus, the man who was born of Mary, and as Christ, the Messiah and Savior of His people. Jesus will remain fully God and fully man, yet one person, forever (Pg. 542-543).
• Colossians provides interesting insight into some of the roles of Jesus Christ as the second person of the Trinity. He had an active part in creation. He is actively holding all of creation together. He is the head of the church. He is the first one to have a resurrected body. He is the one who has reconciled man with God.
• Jesus Christ through His death and resurrection has made it possible to be reconciled or reunited with God the Father. As a result of Christ’s death and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit man is able to reunite with God in a relationship that once was lost because of sin. Because of the imputed righteousness and the perfect mediation of Jesus Christ we have access to our God the Father.

Discussion Questions

• Explains the various roles are activities Jesus has or is actively participating in?
• Explain the two distinct natures of Jesus.
• What does reconciled mean?
• What are some examples of reconciliation?
• How has Jesus reconciled man with God?
• What part does man have in the reconciliation process?

Grudem, Wayne (1994). Systematic Theology. Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA; Zondervan Publishing House.