Article 20 teaches the beautiful truth of reconciliation through satisfaction. Payment must be made because sin is committed against the most High Majesty of God-sin is not merely an insult to God nor merely a debt. Angels could not pay for man’s sin since they do not have man’s nature nor could they remove infinite wrath.
Some here speak of Christ’s active obedience in which He obeyed perfectly God’s law for His people; and Christ’s passive obedience in which He allowed Himself to be crucified to pay for the sins of His people. We can more properly combine these two.
Christ obtained eternal life for His people. He does what God demanded of us. And through Christ’s payment, we are adopted as children of God: the expression of God’s mercy.
Article 21 shows Christ as Priest Who makes satisfaction for us. Melchizedec (not Aaron) is a type of Christ’s eternal priesthood.
Christ’s work shows God’s mercy in the way of justice in that He makes full payment for our sin (justice) that we might be elevated to highest glory (mercy). His is not a partial atonement (as taught by the Roman Catholics and Arminians), but full payment for the sins of His elect.
Because of His wonderful work, we rejoice always in His perfect work-and will never try to attribute part of the work of salvation to man.
QUESTIONS:
1. Who would deny that Christ’s satisfaction was adequate? Why?
2. Find a text in the Bible (and quote it) to prove that Christ is Substitute for us.
3. If Christ died for His people, how must we explain Lord’s Day 15, Q. 37, that states that Christ sustained “the wrath of God against the sin of all mankind”?
4. If Christ fully paid for our sins, how must we explain Col. 1:24?
fill up what is behind in the sufferings of Christ
5. What was the purpose of the animal sacrifice in the Old Testament?
6. (Art. 21) Quote and identify the passages of Scripture which speaks of Melchizedec as type of Christ’s eternal priesthood.
Heb. 7:1
7. Why could not Aaron’s priesthood more properly be this type of Christ’s priesthood.
8. Read Hebrews 5:1. What two things are the responsibility of priests in this text?
Offer gifts, sacrifices for sin
9. What else did the priest do according to Joel 2:17?
Make intercession for the people.
10. How does Hebrews 7:26, 27, disprove the Roman Catholic view of the atonement?
He offered Himself once
11. What is vicarious atonement?
12. In the following texts, what shows that Christ died only for His elect?
a. Matt. 1:21
b. John 15:10
c. Acts 20:28
d. Isaiah 53:10
e. Hebrews 2:11
f. Ephesians 5:23
g. John 17:3
a. His people
b. those who keep His commands, abide in His love
c. flock purchased with His blood
d. see His seed
e. many sons to glory
f. calls “sanctified brethren
g. Savior of the body
h. They might know Thee
13. Show that I John 2:2 does not mean that Christ’s death is for everyone.