WCF 8.5

8.5. Of Christ the Mediator

The Lord Jesus, by His perfect obedience, and sacrifice of Himself, which He, through the eternal Spirit, once offered up unto God, hath fully satisfied the justice of His Father; and purchased, not only reconciliation, but an everlasting inheritance in the kingdom of heaven, for all those whom the Father hath given unto Him.

Proof texts

• Rom. 5:19 — [19] For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous.
• Heb. 9:14, 16 — [14] how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God. [16] For where a will is involved, the death of the one who made it must be established.
• Heb. 10:14 — [14] For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.
• Eph. 5:2 — [2] And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
• Rom. 3:25, 26 — [25] whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. [26] It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
• Dan. 9:24, 26 — [24] “Seventy weeks are decreed about your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to put an end to sin, and to atone for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal both vision and prophet, and to anoint a most holy place. [26] And after the sixty-two weeks, an anointed one shall be cut off and shall have nothing. And the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. Its end shall come with a flood, and to the end there shall be war. Desolations are decreed.
• Col. 1:19, 20 — [19] For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, [20] and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.
• Eph. 1:11, 14 — [11] In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, [14] who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.
• John 17:2 — [2] since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him.
• Heb. 9:12, 15 — [12] he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. [15] Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.

For discussion

1. The Assembly cited Rom. 5:19 in support of this answer. Read it in context — how does it bear on what is claimed here?
2. 10 passages are cited here. Which does the most work, and is anything claimed that the proofs do not obviously carry?
3. WSC Q25 treats the same ground. What does it add, and why might it put things differently?
4. WLC Q44 treats the same ground. What does it add, and why might it put things differently?

Read alongside

WSC Q25 · WLC Q44 · WLC Q36 · WSC Q21 · BC 5.2 · BC 5.3 · BC 5.4 · BC 5.5 · BC 5.6 · HC Q29 · CD 2.1 · HC Q37 · 1689 8.1 · SD 8.1 · IAR 4.5 · SC60 2.2 · SHC 2.3 · SHC 2.4 · IAR 5.1 · IAR 5.2 · IAR 5.3 · IAR 5.4 · IAR 5.5 · SC60 3.1 · SHC 3.2