Lesson #30—Redemption Applied

Shorter Catechism Q & A #30

Q. How doth the Spirit apply to us the redemption purchased by Christ?

A. The Spirit applieth to us the redemption purchased by Christ, by working faith in us, and thereby uniting us to Christ in our effectual calling.

Memorize Q & A—Exposition

The Holy Spirit applies the work of the Father and the Son by restoring our fellowship with God, restoring us as adopted children in his household, as being made after the image of our Creator. [The Atonement: Rom. 5:10–11; 2 Cor. 5:17–19; a change, reconciliation, to establish a peace relationship.]

What does it mean?

Define the word “purchased” (Acts 20:28). Discuss the role of the elder in light of the redemption purchased by Christ. Discuss the role of

1. God’s Word in redemption (Eph. 1:13–14)
2. God the Father in Christ’s work of redemption (John 6:37–39)
3. Grace in the work of redemption

What is our practice?

1. Resting our faith upon the work of grace whereby we have been redeemed by faith alone.
2. That this gift of faith is of the Holy Spirit, whereby we are united to Christ who reconciled us to the Father.
3. We are able to serve Christ in obedience to his word in all areas of our lives.

Quotes for thought and discussion:

The Church: “Which he hath purchased. …Whereby it appeareth how precious it is to him; and surely there is nothing which ought more vehemently to urge pastors to do their duty joyfully, than if they consider that the price of the blood of Christ is committed to them. For hereupon it followeth, that unless they take pains in the Church, the lost souls are not only imputed to them, but they be also guilty of sacrilege, because they have profaned the holy blood of the Son of God, and have made the redemption gotten by him to be of none effect, so much as in them lieth. And this is a most cruel offense, if, through our sluggishness, the death of Christ do not only become vile or base, but the fruit thereof be also abolished and perish; and it is said that God hath purchased the Church, to the end we may know that he would have it remain wholly to himself, because it is meet and right that he possess those whom he hath redeemed.” (John Calvin)

Uniting us to Christ: the Atonement or Reconciliation: “The two great objectives to be accomplished by Jesus Christ in His mission to this world were, first, the removal of the curse under which mankind labored as a result of disobedience and fall, and second, the restoration of men to the image and fellowship of God. Both of these are essential to salvation. The work of Christ is reconciling God and man we call the Atonement; and this doctrine, we believe, lies at the very heart of the Christian system.” (Loraine Boettner)

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