The Apostles Creed: "...I believe in Jesus *Christ...": Lord's Day 12 (Heidelberg Catechism)

The Apostles Creed: "...I believe in Jesus *Christ...":

Lord's Day 12 (Heidelberg Catechism)

Marissa Namirr, "Gospel Gal"

This week we will continue our study of the Creed, focussing, again on the second line, "I believe in Jesus Christ." We will look, specifically, at Jesus, as the Christ, the long-awaited Anointed One, from the perspective of the Heidelberg Catechism and Reformation teachers.

This Summer, Joy and I wrote a piece comparing Lordship Salvation to historic Reformed theology. You can read the article here: http://gospelgalblog.blogspot.com/2021/07/the-reformation-answers-lordship.html. The Reformed world has no need of the system known as Lordship Salvation. Reformed theologians have always taught that Christ, the Lord's Anointed, is for His people, Prophet, Priest, and King. "The Reformers picture for us, not merely a Lord Who demands submission, subjection, surrender, obedience and loyalty, but a Shepherd-King who gently and lovingly reveals our redemption, intercedes for us, "governs us by his Word and Spirit, and who defends and preserves us in the redemption obtained for us." This Shepherd-King allures his subjects with a gentle and lowly call, "Come to me all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest." ~The Reformation Answers Lordship Salvation by Marissa Namirr and Joy Dudley

So, what does it mean to believe in Jesus as the Christ, the Anointed? Let's look at the Catechism.

Lord's Day 12
Q.31. Why is he called Christ, that is, Anointed?
A. Because he has been ordained by God the Father,
and anointed with the Holy Spirit,
to be our chief Prophet and Teacher,
who has fully revealed to us
the secret counsel and will of God
concerning our redemption;
our only High Priest,
who by the one sacrifice of his body
has redeemed us,
and who continually intercedes for us
before the Father;
and our eternal King,
who governs us by his Word and Spirit,
and who defends and preserves us
in the redemption obtained for us.

In relation to what we believe with regard to Jesus as our Anointed One, Caspar Olevianus, co-author of the Heidelberg Catechism, in his An Exposition of the Apostles’ Creed writes:


And Ursinus puts it this way: "Jesus is the proper name of the mediator; ...Christ, the promised Savior and Messiah. Both titles designate his office, yet not with the same clearness; for while the name Jesus denotes the office of the mediator in a general way, that of Christ expresses it more fully and distinctly; for the name Christ expresses the three parts of his office, ...prophetical, priestly, and regal. The name Christ signifies the anointed. Therefore, he is Jesus the Savior, in such a manner that he is Christ, or the anointed, having the office of one that is anointed, which consists of three parts, as has just been remarked. The reason why these three things are comprehended in the name of Christ, is, because prophets, priests and kings were anciently anointed, by which was signified both an ordination to the office, and also a conferring of those gifts which were necessary for the proper discharge of the duties thereby imposed. Therefore, we thus conclude: He who is to be a prophet, priest, and king, and is called the anointed, he is so-called on account of these three offices.

He goes on to specify, "...those who were anointed under the Old Testament were types
of Christ, so that it may be said that their anointing was only a shadow, and so imperfect. But the anointing of Christ was perfect. For “in him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.” (Col. 2:9) He alone received all the gifts of the Spirit in the highest number and degree. ...none of those who were anointed under the Old Testament received all the gifts—some received more, others less; but no one received all, neither did all receive them in the same degree. Christ, however, had all these gifts in the fullest and highest sense. Therefore, although this anointing was proper to those of the Old Testament, as well as to Christ, yet it was real and perfect in no one excepting Christ."

Jesus' position as the Anointed One, provides for us all the richness of our relationship to Him. The focus here is not on what we have to offer Him, but His benefits to us. Our Royal Priest redeems, intercedes, and governs us in such a way, that we can never be snatched from His hand, and in such a way, that our hearts and desires are molded by tenderness and compassion.

As the Catechism continues the focus shifts to us, by asking (Q.32) "Why are you called a Christian?" In using that name, we pronounce to the world and the church, a particular relationship to Christ. Through faith, we are *Christ-ian. Note that what follows is the *result of faith, the gift of God whereby we acknowledge, assent, and trust in all of Christ's work outside of us and all that He is to us. 

I am called a Christian...

A. Because I am a member of Christ **by faith
and thus share in his anointing,
**so that I may
as prophet confess his name,
as priest present myself
a living sacrifice of thankfulness to him,
and as king fight with a free and good conscience
against sin and the devil in this life,
and hereafter reign with him eternally
over all creatures.

In this regard, Ursinus (Ursinus' Commentary) writes, "The use and importance of this doctrine is great. 1. For consolation, because we are through faith engrafted into Christ as members to the head, that we may be continually sustained, governed and quickened by him; and because he makes us prophets, priests and kings unto God and his Father, by making us partakers of his anointing. This is truly an unspeakable dignity conferred upon Christians. 2. For admonition and exhortation; for since we are all prophets and teachers of God, we ought continually to celebrate and praise him; since we are priests, we ought to offer ourselves wholly to God, as living sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving; and since we are kings it becomes us to fight manfully against sin, the world, and the devil, that we may reign with Christ. "

If you have ever questioned your calling or purpose in this life, this is the chief vocation of everyone called "Christian": "to declare the excellencies of Him who called us from darkness into His marvelous light (I Peter 2:9). With Christ as our Head, our Prophet, Priest, and King, we can live lives of confidence and certainty. Our Sovereign has won, is winning, and will have the final victory. We are forgiven and free citizens of His Kingdom. So now, in light of all He is as our Anointed Christ, we can rejoice and fight the good fight.

Listen to the Meditation Monday episode by this title on YouTube, here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0YXoHAYwnw&ab_channel=Marissa

Resources and Sources mentioned: *The Apostles Creed *The Heidelberg Catechism * "The Reformation Answers Lordship Salvation": Gospel Gal: https://gospelgalblog.blogspot.com/2021/07/the-reformation-answers-lordship.html *Exposition of the Apostles Creed: Olevianus *The Commentary of Dr. Zacharias Ursinus on The Heidelberg Catechism