Heidelberg Catechism, Lord's Day 6
May 25, 2003 AM
Lord's Day 6 (I Corinthians 1)
A. It is our great privilege as church to be publishers of the
true gospel of Jesus Christ.
B. Revealed in Scripture, the gospel is the living Word of God
about Christ, through which we have deliverance
"OUR GOSPEL-REVEALED DELIVERER"
I. The Blessed Message of Him
A. The message is the message of Jesus Christ
1. Christ, Deliverer, is the content of the gospel-message
2. Christ, as God/Man/Righteousness is the gospel-message
a. Man:
b. God:
c. Righteousness:
B. This is the message we need—a deliverer who is qualified
to deliver
1. The church needs a human deliverer
2. The church needs a righteous deliverer
3. The church needs a divine deliverer
C. So the church has always confessed her love of this blessed
message
II. The Message's Blessedness in Him
A. The message the church publishes abroad is a beautiful,
blessed message.
1. It is a message of Christ, given in free grace, "of God" (see I Cor 1:30)
2. It is a message that comes in the form of a promise, an unconditional promise
B. According to the Holy Spirit in I Corinthians 1, this is a
message that is so blessed, the church is not offended by it, nor does she consider it
foolish.
1.
2.
III. The Power and the Glory of His Gospel
A. The publication of this gospel by the church becomes a great,
saving power to God's people.
1.
2.
B. When the church believes this truth, what a glorious thing is
this gospel in her midst.
Lord's Day 6 Parallels in Reformed Creeds
(emphasis added)
Belgic Confession, Articles 17 and 19
Article 17: Of the Recovery of Fallen Man. We believe that our most gracious God...seeing
that man had thus thrown himself into temporal & eternal death, & made himself
wholly miserable, was pleased to seek & comfort him, when he trembling fled from
his presence, promising him that he would give his Son, who should be made of a
woman, to bruise the head of the serpent, and would make him happy.
Article 19: Of the union and distinction of the two Natures in the person of Christ. We
believe that by this conception, the person of the Son is inseparably united &
connected with the human nature the human nature (hath) not lost its properties, but
remained a creature, having beginning of days. . . and retaining all the properties of a
real body. And though he hath by his resurrection given immortality to the same,
nevertheless he hath not changed the reality of his human nature; forasmuch as our
salvation and resurrection also depend on the reality of his body.
.... Wherefore we confess, that he is very God, and very Man: very God by his power to
conquer death; and very man that he might die for us according to the infirmity of his
flesh.
Article 25: Of the abolishing of the Ceremonial Law. We believe, that the ceremonies &
figures of the law ceased at the coming of Christ... so that the use of them must be
abolished.., yet the truth & substance of them remain with us in Jesus Christ, in whom
they have their completion. In the meantime, we still use the testimonies... of the law
& the prophets to confirm us in.... the gospel...
Canons of Dort, Head 2, Articles 4-6
Article 4. This death derives its infinite value and dignity from these considerations,
because the person who submitted to it was not only really man, & perfectly holy, but
also the only begotten Son of God... which qualifications were necessary to constitute him
a Savior for us.......
Article 5. Moreover, the promise of the gospel is, that whosoever believeth in Christ
crucified, shall not perish, but have everlasting life. This promises together with the
command to repent and believe, ought to be declared and published to all nations, and to
all persons promiscuously and without distinction, to whom God out of his good pleasure
sends the gospel.
Westminster Confession of Faith, Larger Catechism, Question and Answers 36-40
Q36: Who is the Mediator of the covenant of grace?
A36: The only Mediator of the covenant of grace is the Lord Jesus Christ, who, being the
eternal Son of God, of one substance and equal with the Father, in the fullness of time
became man, and so was and continues to be God and man...
Q38: Why was it requisite that the Mediator should be God?
A38: It was requisite that the Mediator should be God, that he might sustain and keep the
human nature from sinking under the infinite wrath of God, and the power of death; give
worth and efficacy to his sufferings, obedience, and intercession; and to satisfy God's
justice, procure his favor, purchase a peculiar people, give his Spirit to them, conquer
all their enemies, and bring them to everlasting salvation.
Q39: Why was it requisite that the Mediator should be man?
A39: It was requisite that the Mediator should be man, that he might advance our nature,
perform obedience to the law, suffer and make intercession for us in our nature, have a
fellow feeling of our infirmities; that we might receive the adoption of sons, and have
comfort and access with boldness unto the throne of grace.