The Bible ascribes a threefold office to Christ, speaking of Him as Prophet, Priest, and King.

1. The Prophetic Office.

The Old Testament predicted the coming of Christ as a prophet,

Deut. 18:15 "Jehovah thy God will raise up unto thee a prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken; (Deuteronomy 18:15)"

(comp. Acts 3:23). "And it shall be, that every soul that shall not hearken to that prophet, shall be utterly destroyed from among the people. (Acts 3:23)"

He speaks of Himself as a prophet in

Luke 13:33, "Nevertheless I must go on my way to-day and to-morrow and the [day] following: for it cannot be that a prophet perish out of Jerusalem. (Luke 13:33)"

claims to bring a message from the Father,

John 8:26-28; "26 I have many things to speak and to judge concerning you: howbeit he that sent me is true; and the things which I heard from him, these speak I unto the world. 27 They perceived not that he spake to them of the Father. 28 Jesus therefore said, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am [he], and [that] I do nothing of myself, but as the Father taught me, I speak these things. (John 8:26-28)"

12:49, 50; "49 For I spake not from myself; but the Father that sent me, he hath given me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. 50 And I know that his commandment is life eternal: the things therefore which I speak, even as the Father hath said unto me, so I speak. (John 12:49-50)"

14:10, 24, "10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I say unto you I speak not from myself: but the Father abiding in me doeth his works. ... 24 He that loveth me not keepeth not my words: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's who sent me. (John 14:10,24)"

foretells future things, Matt. 24:3-35; Luke 19:41-44, and speaks with singular authority,

Matt. 7:29. "for he taught them as [one] having authority, and not as their scribes. (Matthew 7:29)"

It is no wonder, therefore, that the people recognized Him as a prophet,

Matt. 21:11, 46; "And the multitudes said, This is the prophet, Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee. ... And when they sought to lay hold on him, they feared the multitudes, because they took him for a prophet. (Matthew 21:11,46)"

Luke 7:16; "And fear took hold on all: and they glorified God, saying, A great prophet is arisen among us: and, God hath visited his people. (Luke 7:16)"

24:19; "And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, The things concerning Jesus the Nazarene, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people: (Luke 24:19)"

John 6:14; "When therefore the people saw the sign which he did, they said, This is of a truth the prophet that cometh into the world. (John 6:14)"

7:40; "[Some] of the multitude therefore, when they heard these words, said, This is of a truth the prophet. (John 7:40)"

9:17. "They say therefore unto the blind man again, What sayest thou of him, in that he opened thine eyes? And he said, He is a prophet. (John 9:17)"

A prophet is one who receives divine revelations in dreams, visions, or verbal communications; and passes these on to the people either orally or visibly in prophetic actions.

Ex. 7:1; "And Jehovah said unto Moses, See, I have made thee as God to Pharaoh; and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet. (Exodus 7:1)"

Deut. 18:18; "I will raise them up a prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee; and I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. (Deuteronomy 18:18)"

Num. 12:6-8; "6 And he said, Hear now my words: if there be a prophet among you, I Jehovah will make myself known unto him in a vision, I will speak with him in a dream. 7 My servant Moses is not so; he is faithful in all my house: 8 with him will I speak mouth to mouth, even manifestly, and not in dark speeches; and the form of Jehovah shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant, against Moses? (Numbers 12:6-8)"

Isa. 6; Jer. 1:4-10; Ezek. 3:1-4, 17. His work may pertain to the past, the present, or the future. One of his important tasks was to interpret the moral and spiritual aspects of the law for the people. Christ functioned as prophet already in the Old Testament, I Pet. 1:11; "searching what [time] or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did point unto, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glories that should follow them. (1 Peter 1:11)"

3:18-20. "18 Because Christ also suffered for sins once, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God; being put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit; 19 in which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison, 20 that aforetime were disobedient, when the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water: (1 Peter 3:18-20)"

He did it while He was on earth, and continued it by the operation of the Holy Spirit and through the apostles after the ascension,

John 14:26; "But the Comforter, [even] the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said unto you. (John 14:26)"

16:12-14; "12 I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. 13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he shall guide you into all the truth: for he shall not speak from himself; but what things soever he shall hear, [these] shall he speak: and he shall declare unto you the things that are to come. 14 He shall glorify me: for he shall take of mine, and shall declare [it] unto you. (John 16:12-14)"

Acts 1:1.

And even now his prophetic ministry continues through the ministry of the Word and the spiritual illumination of believers. This is the only function of Christ which is recognized in modern liberal theology.

2. The Priestly Office.

The Old Testament also predicted and prefigured the priesthood of the coming Redeemer,

Ps. 110:4; "Jehovah hath sworn, and will not repent: Thou art a priest for ever After the order of Melchizedek. (Psalms 110:4)"

Zech. 6:13; "even he shall build the temple of Jehovah; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne; and the counsel of peace shall be between them both. (Zechariah 6:13)"

Isa. 53. In the New Testament there is only a single book in which He is called priest, namely, Hebrews, but there the name is found repeatedly,

3:1; 4:14; 5:5; 6:20; 7:26; 8:1. " Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, [even] Jesus; (Hebrews 3:1)

Having then a great high priest, who hath passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. (Hebrews 4:14)

So Christ also glorified not himself to be made a high priest, but he that spake unto him, Thou art my Son, This day have I begotten thee: (Hebrews 5:5)

whither as a forerunner Jesus entered for us, having become a high priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek. (Hebrews 6:20)

For such a high priest became us, holy, guileless, undefiled, separated from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; (Hebrews 7:26)

Now in the things which we are saying the chief point [is this]: We have such a high priest, who sat down on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, (Hebrews 8:1)"

However, other books refer to His priestly work,

Mark 10:45; "For the Son of man also came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. (Mark 10:45)"

John 1:29; "On the morrow he seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold, the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world! (John 1:29)"

Rom. 3:24, 25; "24 being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 25 whom God set forth [to be] a propitiation, through faith, in his blood, to show his righteousness because of the passing over of the sins done aforetime, in the forbearance of God; (Romans 3:24-25)"

I Cor. 5:7; "Purge out the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, even as ye are unleavened. For our passover also hath been sacrificed, [even] Christ: (1 Corinthians 5:7)"

I John 2:2; "and he is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for the whole world. (1 John 2:2)"

I Pet. 2:24; "who his own self bare our sins in his body upon the tree, that we, having died unto sins, might live unto righteousness; by whose stripes ye were healed. (1 Peter 2:24)"

3:18. "Because Christ also suffered for sins once, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God; being put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit; (1 Peter 3:18)"

While a prophet represented God among the people, a priest represented the people before God. Both were teachers, but while the former taught the moral, the latter taught the ceremonial law. Moreover, the priests had the special privilege of approach to God, and of speaking and acting in behalf of the people.

Hebrews 5:1, 3 "1 For every high priest, being taken from among men, is appointed for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins: ... 3 and by reason thereof is bound, as for the people, so also for himself, to offer for sins. (Hebrews 5:1,3)"

teaches us that a priest is taken from among men to be their representative, is appointed by God, is active before God in the interests of men, and offers gifts and sacrifices for sins. He also makes intercession for the people. The priestly work of Christ was, first of all, to bring a sacrifice for sin. The Old Testament sacrifices were types pointing forward to the great sacrifice of Christ,

Heb. 9:23, 24; "23 It was necessary therefore that the copies of the things in the heavens should be cleansed with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 24 For Christ entered not into a holy place made with hands, like in pattern to the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear before the face of God for us: (Hebrews 9:23-24)"

10:1, "For the law having a shadow of the good [things] to come, not the very image of the things, can never with the same sacrifices year by year, which they offer continually, make perfect them that draw nigh. (Hebrews 10:1)"

13:11, 12. "11 For the bodies of those beasts whose blood is brought into the holy place by the high priest [as an offering] for sin, are burned without the camp. 12 Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people through his own blood, suffered without the gate. (Hebrews 13:11-12)"

Hence Christ is also called "the Lamb of God," John 1:29, and "our passover," I Cor. 5:7. The New Testament speaks very clearly of the priestly work of Christ in numerous passages:

Mark 10:45; "For the Son of man also came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. (Mark 10:45)"

John 1:29; "On the morrow he seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold, the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world! (John 1:29)"

Rom. 3:24, 25; "24 being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 25 whom God set forth [to be] a propitiation, through faith, in his blood, to show his righteousness because of the passing over of the sins done aforetime, in the forbearance of God; (Romans 3:24-25)"

5:6-8; "6 For while we were yet weak, in due season Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: for peradventure for the good man some one would even dare to die. 8 But God commendeth his own love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:6-8)"

I Cor. 5:7; "Purge out the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, even as ye are unleavened. For our passover also hath been sacrificed, [even] Christ: (1 Corinthians 5:7)"

15:3; "For I delivered unto you first of all that which also I received: that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; (1 Corinthians 15:3)"

Gal. 1:4; "who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us out of this present evil world, according to the will of our God and Father: (Galatians 1:4)"

Eph. 5:2; "and walk in love, even as Christ also loved you, and gave himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for an odor of a sweet smell. (Ephesians 5:2)"

I Pet. 2:24; "who his own self bare our sins in his body upon the tree, that we, having died unto sins, might live unto righteousness; by whose stripes ye were healed. (1 Peter 2:24)"

3:18; "Because Christ also suffered for sins once, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God; being put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit; (1 Peter 3:18)"

I John 2:2; "and he is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for the whole world. (1 John 2:2)"

4:10; "Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son [to be] the propitiation for our sins. (1 John 4:10)"

Rev. 5:12. "saying with a great voice, Worthy is the Lamb that hath been slain to receive the power, and riches, and wisdom, and might and honor, and glory, and blessing. (Revelation 5:12)"

The references are most frequent in the Epistle to the

Hebrews, 5:1-10; 7:1-28; 9:11-15, 24-28; 10:11-14, 19-22; 12:24; "and to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better than [that of] Abel. (Hebrews 12:24)"

13:12. "Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people through his own blood, suffered without the gate. (Hebrews 13:12)"

Besides bringing the great sacrifice for sins, Christ as priest also makes intercession for His people. He is called our parakletos by implication in

John 14:16, "And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may be with you for ever, (John 14:16)"

and explicitly in

I John 2:1-2. "My little children, these things write I unto you that ye may not sin. And if any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: and he is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for the whole world. (1 John 2:1-2)"

The term means 'one who is called in to help, an advocate, one who pleads the cause of another.' The New Testament refers to Christ as our intercessor in

Rom. 8:34; "who is he that condemneth? It is Christ Jesus that died, yea rather, that was raised from the dead, who is at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. (Romans 8:34)"

Heb. 7:25; "Wherefore also he is able to save to the uttermost them that draw near unto God through him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. (Hebrews 7:25)"

9:24; "For Christ entered not into a holy place made with hands, like in pattern to the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear before the face of God for us: (Hebrews 9:24)"

I John 2:1. His intercessory work is based on His sacrifice, and is not limited, as is sometimes thought, to intercessory prayer. He presents His sacrifice to God, on the ground of it claims all spiritual blessings for His people, defends them against the charges of Satan, the law, and conscience, secures forgiveness for everything justly charged against them, and sanctifies their worship and service through the operation of the Holy Spirit. This intercessory work is limited in character; it has reference only to the elect, but includes all the elect, whether they are already believers or still live in unbelief, John 17:9, 20. "I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for those whom thou hast given me; for they are thine:... Neither for these only do I pray, but for them also that believe on me through their word; (John 17:9,20)"

3. The Kingly Office.

As Son of God Christ naturally shares in the universal dominion of God. In distinction from this we speak of a kingship that was conferred on Him as Mediator This kingship is twofold, namely, His spiritual kingship over the Church, and His kingship over the universe.

a. His spiritual kingship. The Bible speaks of this in many places,

Ps. 2:6; "Yet I have set my king Upon my holy hill of Zion. (Psalms 2:6)"

132:11; "Jehovah hath sworn unto David in truth; He will not turn from it: Of the fruit of thy body will I set upon thy throne. (Psalms 132:11)"

Isa. 9:6, 7; "6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 Of the increase of his government and of peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to establish it, and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of Jehovah of hosts will perform this. (Isaiah 9:6-7)"

Micah 5:2; "But thou, Beth-lehem Ephrathah, which art little to be among the thousands of Judah, out of thee shall one come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting. (Micah 5:2)"

Zech. 6:13; "even he shall build the temple of Jehovah; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne; and the counsel of peace shall be between them both. (Zechariah 6:13)"

Luke 1:33; "and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. (Luke 1:33)"

19:38; "saying, Blessed [is] the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest. (Luke 19:38)"

John 18:36, 37; "36 Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence. 37 Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end have I been born, and to this end am I come into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice. (John 18:36-37)"

Acts 2:30-36. The kingship of Christ is His royal rule over His people. It is called spiritual, because it relates to a spiritual realm, is established in the hearts and lives of believers, has a spiritual end in view, the salvation of sinners, and is administered by spiritual means, the Word and the Spirit. It is exercised largely in the gathering, the government, the protection, and the perfection of the Church. This kingship as well as the realm over which it extends is called in the New Testament "the kingdom of God" or "the kingdom of heaven." In the strict sense of the word only believers, members of the invisible Church, are citizens of the kingdom. But the term 'kingdom of God' is sometimes used in a broader sense, as including all who live under the proclamation of the gospel, all who have a place in the visible Church, Matt. 13:24-30, 47-50. This kingdom of God is on the one hand a PRESENT, spiritual reality in the hearts and lives of men,

Matt. 12:28; "But if I by the Spirit of God cast out demons, then is the kingdom of God come upon you. (Matthew 12:28)"

Luke 17:21; "neither shall they say, Lo, here! or, There! for lo, the kingdom of God is within you. (Luke 17:21)"

Col. 1:13; "who delivered us out of the power of darkness, and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of his love; (Colossians 1:13)"

but on the other hand a FUTURE hope, which will not be realized until the return of Jesus Christ,

Matt. 7:21; "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 7:21)"

Luke 22:29; "and I appoint unto you a kingdom, even as my Father appointed unto me, (Luke 22:29)"

I Cor. 15:50; "Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. (1 Corinthians 15:50)"

II Tim. 4:18; "The Lord will deliver me from every evil work, and will save me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom [be] the glory forever and ever. Amen. (2 Timothy 4:18)"

II Pet. 1:11. "for thus shall be richly supplied unto you the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 1:11)"

The future kingdom will be essentially the same as the present, namely, the rule of God established and acknowledged in the hearts of men. It will differ, however, in that it will be VISIBLE and PERFECT. Some are of the opinion that this kingship of Christ will cease at His return, but the Bible would seem to teach explicitly that it will endure forever,

Ps. 45:6; "Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: A sceptre of equity is the sceptre of thy kingdom. (Psalms 45:6)"

72:17; "His name shall endure for ever; His name shall be continued as long as the sun: And men shall be blessed in him; All nations shall call him happy. (Psalms 72:17)"

89:36; 37; "36 His seed shall endure for ever, And his throne as the sun before me. 37 It shall be established for ever as the moon, And [as] the faithful witness in the sky. [Selah (Psalms 89:36-37)"

Isa. 9:6; "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6)"

Dan. 2:44; "And in the days of those kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed, nor shall the sovereignty thereof be left to another people; but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. (Daniel 2:44)"

II Sam. 7:13, 16; "13 He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom for ever.... 16 And thy house and thy kingdom shall be made sure for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever. (2 Samuel 7:13,16)"

Luke 1:33; II Pet. 1:11.

b. His universal kingship, After the resurrection Christ said to His disciples: "All authority hath been given unto Me in heaven and on earth." Matt. 28:18. The same truth is taught in

I Cor. 15:27; "For, He put all things in subjection under his feet. But when he saith, All things are put in subjection, it is evident that he is excepted who did subject all things unto him. (1 Corinthians 15:27)"

Eph. 1:20-22. "20 which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and made him to sit at his right hand in the heavenly [places], 21 far above all rule, and authority, and power, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: 22 and he put all things in subjection under his feet, and gave him to be head over all things to the church, (Ephesians 1:20-22)"

This kingship should not be confused with the original kingship of Christ AS THE SON OF GOD, though it pertains to the same realm. It is the kingship of the universe entrusted to Christ as Mediator in behalf of His Church. As Mediator He now guides the destiny of individuals and nations, controls the life of the world and makes it subservient to His redemptive purpose, and protects His Church against the dangers to which it is exposed in the world. This kingship will last until the victory over the enemies of the kingdom of God is complete. When the end is accomplished, it will be returned to the Father. I Cor. 15:24-28.

To memorize. Passages pointing to:

a. Christ as prophet:

Deut. 18:18. "I will raise them up a prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee; and I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him."

Luke 7:16. "And fear took hold on them all; and they glorified God, saying, A great prophet is arisen among us: and God hath visited His people."

b. Christ as priest:

Ps. 110:4. "Jehovah hath sworn, and will not repent: Thou are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek."

Heb. 3:1. "Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, even Jesus."

Heb. 4:14. "Having then a great high priest, who hath passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession."

c. His characteristics as priest:

Heb. 5:1, 5. "For every high priest, being taken from among men, is appointed for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins... So Christ also glorified not Himself to be made a high priest, but He that spake unto Him, Thou art My Son, this day have I begotten Thee."

d. His sacrificial work:

Isa. 53:5. "But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with his stripes we are healed."

Mark 10:45. "For the Son of Man also came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His soul a ransom for many."

John 1:29. "Behold, the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world."

I Pet. 2:24. "Who His own self bare sins in His body upon the tree, that we, having died unto sins, might live unto righteousness."

I John 2:2. "And He is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but for the whole world."

e. His intercessory work:

Rom. 8:34. "It is Christ Jesus that died, yea rather, that was raised from the dead, who is at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us."

Heb. 7:25. "Wherefore also He is able to save to the uttermost "103" them that draw near unto God through Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them."

I John 2:lb. "And if any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous."

f. Christ as King of Zion:

Ps. 2:6. "Yet I have set my king upon my holy hill of Zion."

Isa. 9:7. "Of the increase of His government and of peace there shall be no end upon the throne of David, and upon His kingdom, to establish it, and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from henceforth even for ever."

Luke 1:32, 33. "He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Most High: and the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of His father David: and He shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of His kingdom there shall be no end."

g. Christ as king of the universe:

Matt. 28:18. "And Jesus came to them and spake to them, saying, All authority hath been given unto me in heaven and on earth."

Eph. 1:22. "And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the Church."

I Cor. 15:25. "For He must reign, till He hath put all His enemies under His feet."

For Further Study:

a. What do the following passages tell us respecting the nature of the prophetic work? Ex. 7:1;

Deut. 18:18; "I will raise them up a prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee; and I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. (Deuteronomy 18:18)"

Ezek. 3:17. "Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me. (Ezekiel 3:17)"

b. What Old Testament types of Christ are indicated in the following passages:

John 1:29; "On the morrow he seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold, the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world! (John 1:29)"

I Cor. 5:7; "Purge out the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, even as ye are unleavened. For our passover also hath been sacrificed, [even] Christ: (1 Corinthians 5:7)"

Heb. 3:1; "Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, [even] Jesus; (Hebrews 3:1)"

4:14; "Having then a great high priest, who hath passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. (Hebrews 4:14)"

8:3-5; "3 For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is necessary that this [high priest] also have somewhat to offer. 4 Now if he were on earth, he would not be a priest at all, seeing there are those who offer the gifts according to the law; 5 who serve [that which is] a copy and shadow of the heavenly things, even as Moses is warned [of God] when he is about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern that was showed thee in the mount. (Hebrews 8:3-5)"

9:13, 14; "13 For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling them that have been defiled, sanctify unto the cleanness of the flesh: 14 how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish unto God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? (Hebrews 9:13-14)"

10:1-14; 13:11, 12. "11 For the bodies of those beasts whose blood is brought into the holy place by the high priest [as an offering] for sin, are burned without the camp. 12 Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people through his own blood, suffered without the gate. (Hebrews 13:11-12)"

c. What do the following passages teach us respecting the kingdom of God?

John 3:3, 5; "3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except one be born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God. ...5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except one be born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God! (John 3:3,5)"

18:36, 37; "36 Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence. 37 Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end have I been born, and to this end am I come into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice. (John 18:36-37)"

Rom. 14:17; "for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. (Romans 14:17)"

I Cor. 4:20. "For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power. (1 Corinthians 4:20)"

Questions for Review

1. What threefold office has Christ?

2. What is a prophet, and what proof is there that Christ is a prophet?

3. How did Christ function as prophet in various periods of history?

4. What is a priest in distinction from a prophet? How did their teaching differ?

5. What Scriptural proof is there for the priestly character of Christ?

6. What are the characteristics of a priest?

7. What was the nature of Christ's sacrificial work? How was it foreshadowed in the Old Testaments?

8. In what does the work of Christ as intercessor consist?

9. For whom does Christ intercede?

10. What is the spiritual kingship of Christ, and over what realm does it extend?

11. How is the present kingdom of Christ related to His future kingdom?

12. How long will His spiritual kingship lasts?

13. What is the nature and purpose of His universal kingdoms?

14. How long will this last?

There is one part of Christ's priestly work that calls for further consideration, namely, the atonement.

1. The Moving Cause and Necessity of the Atonement.

It is sometimes represented as if the moving cause of the atonement lay in Christ's sympathy for sinners. God in His anger, it is said, was bent on the sinner's destruction, but the loving Christ steps in between and saves the sinner. Christ receives all the glory, and the Father is robbed of His honour. The Bible teaches us that the atonement finds its moving cause in the good pleasure of God,

Isa. 53:10; "Yet it pleased Jehovah to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see [his] seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of Jehovah shall prosper in his hand. (Isaiah 53:10)"

Luke 2:14; "Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men in whom he is well pleased. (Luke 2:14)"

Eph. 1:6-9; Col. 1:19, 20. "19 For it was the good pleasure [of the Father] that in him should all the fulness dwell; 20 and through him to reconcile all things unto himself, having made peace through the blood of his cross; through him, [I say], whether things upon the earth, or things in the heavens. (Colossians 1:19-20)"

It is best to say that the atonement is rooted in the love and justice of God: love offered sinners a way of escape, and justice demanded that the requirements of the law should be met,

John 3:16; "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal life. (John 3:16)"

Rom. 3:24-26. "24 being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 25 whom God set forth [to be] a propitiation, through faith, in his blood, to show his righteousness because of the passing over of the sins done aforetime, in the forbearance of God; 26 for the showing, [I say], of his righteousness at this present season: that he might himself be just, and the justifier of him that hath faith in Jesus. (Romans 3:24-26)"

Some deny the necessity of the atonement, and hold that God could have pardoned the sinner without receiving any satisfaction. The Bible teaches however, that a righteous and holy God cannot simply overlook sin, but reacts against it,

Ex. 20:5; "Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor serve them, for I Jehovah thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, upon the third and upon the fourth generation of them that hate me, (Exodus 20:5)"

23:7; "Keep thee far from a false matter; and the innocent and righteous slay thou not: for I will not justify the wicked. (Exodus 23:7)"

Ps. 5:5, 6; "5 The arrogant shall not stand in thy sight: Thou hatest all workers of iniquity. 6 Thou wilt destroy them that speak lies: Jehovah abhorreth the blood-thirsty and deceitful man. (Psalms 5:5-6)"

Nah. 1:2; "2 Jehovah is a jealous God and avengeth; Jehovah avengeth and is full of wrath; Jehovah taketh vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth [wrath] for his enemies. 3 Jehovah is slow to anger, and great in power, and will by no means clear [the guilty]. (Nahum 1:2-3a)"

Rom. 1:18, 32. "18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hinder the truth in unrighteousness;...32 who, knowing the ordinance of God, that they that practise such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but also consent with them that practise them. (Romans 1:18,32)"

Moreover, He had pronounced the sentence of death upon the sinner,

Gen. 3:3; "but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. (Genesis 3:3)"

Rom. 6:23. "For the wages of sin is death; but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23)"

2. The Nature of the Atonement.

The following particulars should be noted here:

a. It served to render satisfaction to God. It is often said that the atonement served primarily, if not exclusively, to influence the sinner, to awaken repentance in his heart, and thus to bring him back to God. But this is clearly wrong, for if a person offends another, amends should be made, not to the offender, but to the offended party. This means that the primary purpose of the atonement was to reconcile God to the sinner. The reconciliation of the sinner to God may be regarded as its secondary purpose.

b. It was a vicarious atonement. God might have demanded a personal atonement of the sinner, but the latter would not have been able to render it. In view of this fact God graciously ordained that Christ should take the place of man as his vicar or substitute. Christ as our vicar atoned for the sin of mankind by bearing the penalty of sin and meeting the demands of the law, and thus wrought an eternal redemption for man. For that reason we speak of the atonement as a VICARIOUS atonement. The offended party Himself made provision for the atonement in this case. The Old Testament sacrifices prefigured the atoning work of Christ,

Lev. 1:4; "And he shall lay his hand upon the head of the burnt-offering; and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him. (Leviticus 1:4)"

4:20, 31, 35; "20 Thus shall he do with the bullock; as he did with the bullock of the sin-offering, so shall he do with this; and the priest shall make atonement for them, and they shall be forgiven....31 And all the fat thereof shall he take away, as the fat is taken away from off the sacrifice of peace-offerings; and the priest shall burn it upon the altar for a sweet savor unto Jehovah; and the priest shall make atonement for him, and he shall be forgiven. ...35 and all the fat thereof shall he take away, as the fat of the lamb is taken away from the sacrifice of peace-offerings; and the priest shall burn them on the altar, upon the offerings of Jehovah made by fire; and the priest shall make atonement for him as touching his sin that he hath sinned, and he shall be forgiven. (Leviticus 4:20,31,35)"

5:10, 16; "10 And he shall offer the second for a burnt-offering, according to the ordinance; and the priest shall make atonement for him as concerning his sin which he hath sinned, and he shall be forgiven. ...16 and he shall make restitution for that which he hath done amiss in the holy thing, and shall add the fifth part thereto, and give it unto the priest; and the priest shall make atonement for him with the ram of the trespass-offering, and he shall be forgiven. (Leviticus 5:10,16)"

6:7; "and the priest shall make atonement for him before Jehovah; and he shall be forgiven concerning whatsoever he doeth so as to be guilty thereby. (Leviticus 6:7)"

17:11. "For the life of the flesh is in the blood; and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh atonement by reason of the life. (Leviticus 17:11)"

We are taught that our sins were laid upon Christ,

Isa. 53:6, "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and Jehovah hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53:6)"

He bore them, John 1:29,

Heb. 9:28, "so Christ also, having been once offered to bear the sins of many, shall appear a second time, apart from sin, to them that wait for him, unto salvation. (Hebrews 9:28)"

and gave His life for sinners,

Mark 10:45; "For the Son of man also came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. (Mark 10:45)"

Gal. 1:4; "who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us out of this present evil world, according to the will of our God and Father: (Galatians 1:4)"

I Pet. 3:18. "Because Christ also suffered for sins once, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God; being put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit; (1 Peter 3:18)"

c. It included Christ's active and passive obedience. It is customary to distinguish a twofold obedience of Christ. His active obedience consists in all that He did to observe the law in behalf of sinners, as a condition for obtaining eternal life; and His passive obedience in all that He suffered in paying the penalty of sin and discharging the debt of His people. But while we distinguish these two, we should never separate them. Christ was active also in His suffering, and passive also in His submission to the law. Scripture teaches us that He paid the penalty of the law,

Isa. 53:8; "By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who [among them] considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living for the transgression of my people to whom the stroke [was due]? (Isaiah 53:8)"

Rom. 4:25; "who was delivered up for our trespasses, and was raised for our justification. (Romans 4:25)"

Gal. 3:13; "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us; for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: (Galatians 3:13)"

I Pet. 2:24, "who his own self bare our sins in his body upon the tree, that we, having died unto sins, might live unto righteousness; by whose stripes ye were healed. (1 Peter 2:24)"

and merited eternal life for the sinner,

Rom. 8:4; "that the ordinance of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. (Romans 8:4)"

10:4; "For Christ is the end of the law unto righteousness to every one that believeth. (Romans 10:4)"

II Cor. 5:21; "Him who knew no sin he made [to be] sin on our behalf; that we might become the righteousness of God in him. (2 Corinthians 5:21)"

Gal. 4:4-7. "4 but when the fulness of the time came, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 that he might redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. 6 And because ye are sons, God sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, Abba, Father. 7 So that thou art no longer a bondservant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God. (Galatians 4:4-7)"

3. The Extent of the Atonement.

Roman Catholics, Lutherans, and Arminians of every description regard the atonement of Christ as universal. This does not mean that in their estimation all men will be saved, but merely that Christ suffered and died FOR THE PURPOSE OF SAVING ALL WITHOUT ANY EXCEPTION. They admit that the intended effect is not achieved. Christ did not actually save, but made salvation possible for all. Their actual redemption is dependent on their own choice. Reformed Churches on the other hand believe in a limited atonement. Christ suffered and died FOR THE PURPOSE OF SAVING ONLY THE ELECT, AND THAT PURPOSE IS ACTUALLY ACCOMPLISHED. Christ not merely made salvation possible but really saves to the uttermost every one of those for whom he laid down His life,

Luke 19:10; "For the Son of man came to seek and to save that which was lost. (Luke 19:10)"

Rom. 5:10; "For if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, shall we be saved by his life; (Romans 5:10)"

II Cor. 5:21; "Him who knew no sin he made [to be] sin on our behalf; that we might become the righteousness of God in him. (2 Corinthians 5:21)"

Gal. 1:4; "who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us out of this present evil world, according to the will of our God and Father: (Galatians 1:4)"

Eph. 1:7. "in whom we have our redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, (Ephesians 1:7)"

The Bible indicates that Christ laid down His life for His people.

Matt. 1:21, "And she shall bring forth a son; and thou shalt call his name JESUS; for it is he that shall save his people from their sins. (Matthew 1:21)"

for His sheep,

John 10:11, 15, "11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd layeth down his life for the sheep. ...15 even as the Father knoweth me, and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. (John 10:11,15)"

for the Church,

Acts 20:28; "Take heed unto yourselves, and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit hath made you bishops, to feed the church of the Lord which he purchased with his own blood. (Acts 20:28)"

Eph. 5:25-27, "25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself up for it; 26 that he might sanctify it, having cleansed it by the washing of water with the word, 27 that he might present the church to himself a glorious [church], not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. (Ephesians 5:25-27)"

or for the elect,

Rom. 8:32-35. "32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not also with him freely give us all things? 33 Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth; 34 who is he that condemneth? It is Christ Jesus that died, yea rather, that was raised from the dead, who is at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or anguish, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? (Romans 8:32-35)"

If the Bible sometimes says that Christ died FOR THE WORLD,

John 1:29; "On the morrow he seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold, the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world! (John 1:29)"

I John 2:2; "and he is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for the whole world. (1 John 2:2)"

4:14, "And we have beheld and bear witness that the Father hath sent the Son [to be] the Saviour of the world. (1 John 4:14)"

or FOR ALL,

I Tim. 2:6; "who gave himself a ransom for all; the testimony [to be borne] in its own times; (1 Timothy 2:6)"

Tit. 2:11; "For the grace of God hath appeared, bringing salvation to all men, (Titus 2:11)"

Heb. 2:9, "But we behold him who hath been made a little lower than the angels, [even] Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that by the grace of God he should taste of death for every [man]. (Hebrews 2:9)"

this evidently means that He died for people of all nations of the world, or (in some instances) for all kinds or classes of people.

To memorize. Passages bearing on:

a. The cause of the atonement.

Isa. 53:10. "Yet it pleased Jehovah to bruise Him; He hath put Him to grief: when Thou shalt make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of Jehovah shall prosper in His hand."

Col. 1:19, 20. "For it was the good pleasure of the Father that in Him should all the fullness dwell; and through Him to reconcile all things unto Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross."

b. Vicarious atonement.

Isa. 53:6. "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and Jehovah hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all."

Mark 10:45. "For the Son also came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many."

II Cor. 5:21. "Him who knew no sin He made to be sin on our behalf; that we might become the righteousness of God in Him."

I Pet. 2:24. "Who His own self bare our sins in His body upon the tree, that we, having died unto sins, might live unto righteousness."

c. Active obedience and the gift of eternal life.

Matt. 3:15. "But Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it now: for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness."

Matt. 5:17. "Think not that I came to destroy the law or the prophets: I came not to destroy, but to fulfill."

Gal. 4:4, 5. "But when the fullness of time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, that He might redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons."

John 10:28. "And I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish, and no one shall snatch them out of my hand."

Rom. 6:23. "For the wages of sin is death; but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Limited atonement.

Matt. 1:21. "And she shall bring forth a son; and thou shalt call His name Jesus; for it is He that shall save His people from their sins."

John 10:26-28. "But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, and no one shall snatch them out of my hand."

Acts 20:28. "Take heed unto yourselves, and to all the flocks, in which the Holy Spirit hath made you bishops, to feed the Church of the Lord which He purchased with His own blood."

For Further Study:

a. What is the difference between atonement and reconciliation?

b. How do the following passages prove the vicarious nature of Old Testament sacrifices?

Lev. 1:4; "And he shall lay his hand upon the head of the burnt-offering; and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him. (Leviticus 1:4)"

3:2; "And he shall lay his hand upon the head of his oblation, and kill it at the door of the tent of meeting: and Aaron's sons the priests shall sprinkle the blood upon the altar round about. (Leviticus 3:2)"

4:15; "And the elders of the congregation shall lay their hands upon the head of the bullock before Jehovah; and the bullock shall be killed before Jehovah. (Leviticus 4:15)"

16:21, 22. "21 and Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions, even all their sins; and he shall put them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a man that is in readiness into the wilderness: 22 and the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a solitary land: and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness. (Leviticus 16:21-22)"

c. Does John 17:9 teach us anything respecting the extent of the atonement?

"I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for those whom thou hast given me; for they are thine: (John 17:9)"

Questions for Review

1. What was the moving cause of the atonement?

2. Why was the atonement necessary?

3. What was the primary purpose of the atonement?

4. What is the difference between personal and vicarious atonement?

5. How was Christ's vicarious atonement prefigured in the Old Testament?

6. What Scripture proof is there for it?

7. What is the difference between the active and passive obedience of Christ?

8. What did each one of these effect?

9. What difference of opinion is there respecting the extent of the atonement?

10. What is meant by universal atonement, and who teach it?

11. What is limited atonement, and what Scripture proof is there for it?

12. What objections are raised against this, and how can they be answered?

The study of the work of redemption wrought by Christ is naturally followed by a discussion of the application of this redemption to the hearts and lives of sinners by the special operation of thy Holy Spirit. Before taking this up a brief chapter will be devoted to the general operations of the Holy Spirit, as these are seen in common grace.

1. Nature of Common Grace. When we speak of common grace, we have in mind either

(a) those general operations of the Holy Spirit whereby He, without renewing the heart, exercises such a moral influence on man that sin is restrained, order is maintained in social life, and civil righteousness is promoted; or

(b) those general blessings which God imparts to all men without any distinction as He sees fit.

In distinction from the Arminians we maintain that common grace does not enable the sinner to perform any spiritual good, nor to turn to God in faith and repentance. It can be resisted by man, and is always more or less resisted, and at best affects only the externals of social, civil, moral, and religious life. While Christ died for the purpose of saving only the elect, nevertheless the whole human race, including the impenitent and the reprobate, derive great benefits from His death. The blessings of common grace may be regarded as indirect results of the atoning work of Christ.

2. Means of Common Grace.

Several means may be distinguished:

(a) The most important of these is the light of God's general revelation. Without this all other means would be impossible and ineffective. It lightens every man, and serves to guide the conscience of the natural man.

(b) Human governments also serve this purpose. According to our Confession they are instituted to curb evil tendencies, and to promote good order and decency.

(c) Public opinion is another important means wherever it is in harmony with the law of God. It has a tremendous influence on the conduct of men who are very sensitive to the judgment of public opinion.

(d) Finally, divine punishments and rewards also serve to encourage moral goodness in the world. The punishments often check the sinful deeds of men, and the rewards spur them on to do what is good and right.

3. The Effects of Common Grace.

The following effects may be ascribed to the operation of common grace:

(a) The execution of the sentence of death on man is deferred. God did not at once fully execute the sentence of death on the sinner, and does not do so now, but gives him time for repentance,

Rom. 2:4; "Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? (Romans 2:4)"

II Pet. 3:9. "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some count slackness; but is longsuffering to you-ward, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9)"

(b) Sin is restrained in the lives of individuals and nations The corruption that entered human life through sin is retarded and not yet permitted to complete its destructive work,

Gen. 20:6; "And God said unto him in the dream, Yea, I know that in the integrity of thy heart thou has done this, and I also withheld thee from sinning against me. Therefore suffered I thee not to touch her. (Genesis 20:6)"

31:7; "And your father hath deceived me, and changed my wages ten times; but God suffered him not to hurt me. (Genesis 31:7)"

Job 1:12; "And Jehovah said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thy hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of Jehovah. (Job 1:12)"

2:6. "And Jehovah said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thy hand; only spare his life. (Job 2:6)"

(c) Man still has some sense of the true, the good, and the beautiful, appreciates this in a measure, and reveals a desire for truth, morality, and certain forms of religion,

Rom. 2:14, 15; "14 (for when Gentiles that have not the law do by nature the things of the law, these, not having the law, are the law unto themselves; 15 in that they show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness therewith, and their thoughts one with another accusing or else excusing [them]); (Romans 2:14-15)"

Acts 17:22. "And Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus, and said, Ye men of Athens, in all things, I perceive that ye are very religious. (Acts 17:22)"

(d) The natural man is still able to perform natural good or civil righteousness, works that are outwardly in harmony with the law, though without spiritual value,

II Kings 10:29, 30; "29 Howbeit from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, wherewith he made Israel to sin, Jehu departed not from after them, [to wit], the golden calves that were in Beth-el, and that were in Dan. 30 And Jehovah said unto Jehu, Because thou hast done well in executing that which is right in mine eyes, [and] hast done unto the house of Ahab according to all that was in my heart, thy sons of the fourth generation shall sit on the throne of Israel. (2 Kings 10:29-30)"

12:2; "And Jehoash did that which was right in the eyes of Jehovah all his days wherein Jehoiada the priest instructed him. (2 Kings 12:2)"

14;3; "And he did that which was right in the eyes of Jehovah, yet not like David his father: he did according to all that Joash his father had done. (2 Kings 14:3)"

Luke 6:33. "And if ye do good to them that do good to you, what thank have ye? for even sinners do the same. (Luke 6:33)"

(e) All men receive numerous undeserved blessings from God,

Ps. 145:9, 15, 16; "9 Jehovah is good to all; And his tender mercies are over all his works. ...15 The eyes of all wait for thee; And thou givest them their food in due season. 16 Thou openest thy hand, And satisfiest the desire of every living thing. (Psalms 145:9, 15-16)"

Matt. 5:44, 45; "44 but I say unto you, love your enemies, and pray for them that persecute you; 45 that ye may be sons of your Father who is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sendeth rain on the just and the unjust. (Matthew 5:44-45)"

Luke 6:35, 36; "35 But love your enemies, and do [them] good, and lend, never despairing; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be sons of the Most High: for he is kind toward the unthankful and evil. 36 Be ye merciful, even as your Father is merciful. (Luke 6:35-36)"

Acts 14:16, 17; "16 who in the generations gone by suffered all the nations to walk in their own ways. 17 And yet He left not himself without witness, in that he did good and gave you from heaven rains and fruitful seasons, filling your hearts with food and gladness. (Acts 14:16-17)"

I Tim. 4;10. "For to this end we labor and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of them that believe. (1 Timothy 4:10)"

To memorize. Passages proving:

a. A general striving of the Spirit with men:

Gen. 6:3. "And Jehovah said, My Spirit shall not strive with man for ever, for that he also is flesh."

Isa. 63:10. "But they rebelled, and grieved His Holy Spirit: therefore He was turned to be their enemy, and Himself fought against them."

Rom. 1:28, "And even as they refused to have God in their knowledge, God gave them up unto a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not fitting."

b. Restraint of sin:

Gen. 20:6. "And God said unto him (Abimelech) in the dream, Yea, I know that in the integrity of thy heart thou hast done this, and I also withheld thee from sinning against me."

Gen. 31:7. "And your father hath deceived me, and changed my wages ten times; but God suffered him not to hurt me."

Ps. 105:14. "He suffered no man to do them wrong; yea, He reproved kings for their sakes."

c. Good works on the part of unregenerate:

II Kings 10:30. "And Jehovah said unto Jehu, because thou hast done well in executing that which is right in mine eyes, and hast done unto the house of Ahab according to all that was in my heart, thy sons of the fourth generation shall sit upon the throne of Israel." Cf. vs. 31.

"But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of Jehovah, the God of Israel, with all his heart: he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam, wherewith he made Israel to sin. (2 Kings 10:31)"

Luke 6:33. "And if ye do good to them that do good to you, what thank have ye? for even sinners do the same."

Rom. 2:14, 15. "For when Gentiles that have not the law do by nature the things of the law, these not having the law, are the law unto themselves; in that they show the work of the law written in their hearts."

d. Unmerited blessings on all men:

Ps. 145:9. "Jehovah is good to all; and His tender mercies are over all His works."

Matt. 5:44, 45. "But I say unto you, Love your enemies, and pray for them that persecute you; that ye may be sons of your Father who is in heaven: for He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sendeth rain on the just and the unjust."

I Tim. 4:10. "For to this end we labor and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, especially of them that believe."

For Further Study:

a. Which are the three points emphasized by our Church as to common grace?

b. How do

Matt. 21:26, 46; "But if we shall say, From men; we fear the multitude; for all hold John as a prophet. ... And when they sought to lay hold on him, they feared the multitudes, because they took him for a prophet. (Matthew 21:26,46)"

Mark 14:2 "for they said, Not during the feast, lest haply there shall be a tumult of the people. (Mark 14:2)"

show the restraining influence of public opinion?

c. How do

Rom. 1:24, 26, 28, "24 Wherefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts unto uncleanness, that their bodies should be dishonored among themselves:...26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile passions: for their women changed the natural use into that which is against nature: ...28 And even as they refused to have God in [their] knowledge, God gave them up unto a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not fitting; (Romans 1:24,26,28)"

and

Heb. 6:4-6 "4 For as touching those who were once enlightened and tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5 and tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the age to come, 6 and [then] fell away, it is impossible to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame. (Hebrews 6:4-6)"

prove common grace?

Questions for Review

1. What is common grace?

2. What is our view in distinction from the Arminian?

3. Does common grace have any spiritual and saving effect?

4. Is it in any way connected with the redemptive work of Christ?

5. By what means does common grace work?

6. What are the effects of common grace?