HC 34

Q34. Why do you call Him our Lord?

Because He has ransomed us, body and soul, from all our sins, not with silver or gold but with His precious blood, and has freed us from all the power of the devil to make us His own possession.

Proof texts

• 1 Cor. 6:20 — [20] for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.
• 1 Tim. 2:5-6 — [5] For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, [6] who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.
• 1 Pet. 1:18-19 — [18] knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, [19] but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.
• Col. 1:13-14 — [13] He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, [14] in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
• Heb. 2:14-15 — [14] Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, [15] and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.

For discussion

1. The Assembly cited 1 Cor. 6:20 in support of this answer. Read it in context — how does it bear on what is claimed here?
2. 5 passages are cited here. Which does the most work, and is anything claimed that the proofs do not obviously carry?
3. WSC Q20 treats the same ground. What does it add, and why might it put things differently?
4. WSC Q21 treats the same ground. What does it add, and why might it put things differently?

Read alongside

WSC Q20 · WSC Q21 · WLC Q30 · WLC Q36 · WCF 7.1 · WCF 8.1 · BC 5.2 · BC 5.3 · BC 5.4 · BC 5.5 · BC 5.6 · 1689 7.1 · 1689 7.2 · 1689 7.3 · 1689 8.1