WSC Question 21 & 22:

Of Christ’s Person and Incarnation

QUEST. 21. Who is the Redeemer of God’s elect?

ANSW. The only Redeemer of God’s elect is the Lord Jesus Christ, who, being the eternal Son of God, became man, and so was and continueth to be God and man, in two distinct natures, and one person, for ever.

QUEST. 22. How did Christ, being the Son of God , become man?

ANSW. Christ the Son of God became man, by taking to himself a true body and a reasonable soul, being conceived by the power of the Holy Ghost, in the womb of the virgin Mary, and born of her, yet without sin.

Q. By whom does God bring his elect into a state of salvation?

A. By the Redeemer with whom the covenant of grace was made, Isaiah 42:6-7; Matthew 1:21.

Q. Who is the only Redeemer of God’s elect?

A. Christ, the eternal and only begotten Son of God.

Q. Has God any other who are called his sons besides Christ?

A. Yes; angels and believers.

Q. Wherein does their sonship differ from that of Christ?

A. Christ is God’s eternal, necessary, and natural son; but angels and believers are only made the sons of God in time, by a mere act of his will.

Q. How are angels the sons of God?

A. By immediate creation, Psalm 104:4.

Q. How are believers the sons of God?

A. By regeneration and adoption, I John 3:1, 9.

Q. How is Christ the Son of God?

A. By eternal generation, and therefore called his only Son.

Q. Is Christ the Son of God only by office and exaltation?

A. No; he is the Son of God by nature.

Q. How prove you that?

A. Christ says, I and my Father are one, John 10:30.

Q. Why may we not say, that Christ is the Son of God chiefly by virtue of his mediatory office and exaltation?

A. Because that would make Christ’s proper sonship and personality dependent on the Father’s will, as his mediatory office and exaltation are.

Q. Does Christ distinguish his sonship from his mediatory mission?

A. Yes: for he says, I am from him, (viz. the Father, by eternal generation); and he hath sent me, (with respect to office), John 7:29.

Q. What did the eternal Son of God become, that he might redeem man?

A. He became man; which was the greatest wonder the world ever saw, 1 Timothy 3:16.

Q. What was Christ’s becoming man a wonder of?

A. A wonder of love, wisdom, power, faithfulness, etc.

Q. How was it a wonder of love?

A. As God took on him the likeness of sinful flesh, out of infinite pity to poor, vile, rebellious men, John 3:16.

Q. How was it a wonder of wisdom?

A. It was the most curious work of God, and a proper means of bringing the highest glory to God, and greatest good to men, out of sin the greatest evil, Jeremiah 31:22.

Q. How was it a wonder of power?

A. Herein the most distant natures were closely joined together.

Q. How was it a wonder of divine faithfulness?

A. Herein the most difficult promise was fulfilled.

Q. Did Christ cease to be God when he became man?

A. No; but he became Immanuel, God-man, Isaiah 7.

Q. Was Christ as God in the least changed when he became man?

A. No; neither in person nor nature.

Q. How many natures has Christ?

A. Two; the nature of God, and the nature of man, Romans 9:5.

Q. Are these two natures in Christ mixed together, or turned into one another?

A. No; they are distinct natures, 1 Peter 3:18; Romans 9:5.

Q. What do you understand by their being distinct natures?

A. That each of them still retains its own essential properties.

Q. Is Christ’s divine nature, by its union with the human, become finite, dependent, or subject to suffering or motion?

A. No, John 3:13; Isaiah 40:28.

Q. Is the human nature of Christ, by its exaltation and union to the divine, infinite, independent, almighty, knowing all things, or everywhere present?

A. By no means; for that would infer, that a creature might be made God; than which nothing can be more absurd.

Q. Why was it necessary that our Saviour should be both God and man?

A. That he might be qualified for executing his general and particular offices.

Q. Why was his being God and man necessary to his being our Mediator?

A. That he might be nearly interested in, and have due zeal for the rights of both parties.

Q. Why was his being God and man necessary to his being our Redeemer?

A. That he might have a sufficient price to give, and almighty power to exert for our deliverance, Hebrews 7:25 and 9:14.

Q. Why was it necessary he should be God to execute his prophetical office?

A. That he might at once know the whole will of God, be present with his disciples everywhere, and teach them to profit.

Q. Why was Christ’s being man necessary to his being our prophet?

A. That he might teach us in a way adapted to our weakness, and exemplify the truths he taught in his own life, John 13:15.

Q. Why was it necessary Christ should be God to execute his priestly office?

A. That he might bear infinite wrath, give worth and efficacy to his obedience and suffering, and render his intercession ever prevalent.

Q. Why was it necessary he should be man to execute his priestly office?

A. That in his obedience and suffering he might pay that very debt we owed to God; might, in our nature, appear in the presence of God for us; and experimentally sympathise with us in trouble.

Q. Why was it necessary he should be God to execute his kingly office?

A. That he might know the cases, and subdue the hearts of his subjects; rule, defend, and and highly exalt them; and conquer all their enemies.

Q. Why was it necessary Christ should be man to execute his kingly office?

A. That he might enforce obedience to his laws by his own example, and have a tender regard for his subjects.

Q. Wherein are Christ’s divine and human nature united?

A. In his person, Isaiah 9:6.

Q. How many persons has Christ?

A. ONE only.

Q. Whether is the person of Christ a divine or human person?

A. A divine person, Isaiah 9:6.

Q. What is the difference between a human nature and a human person?

A. A human person subsists by itself, but a human nature subsists in a person.

Q. How can Christ have the nature of man without the person of man?

A. Because his human nature never subsisted by itself, but was, in its very formation, assumed into his divine person.

Q. Is not Christ’s human nature, by the want [lack] of its proper personality, rendered more imperfect than the human nature in other men?

A. No; it is hereby highly dignified, as the want of an human is supplied with a divine personality.

Q. Is Christ then the same person he was from eternity?

A. Yes; though a human nature is united to that person.

Q. Whether is Christ’s human nature united immediately to his person, or to the divine nature?

A. It is united immediately to his person, and to the divine nature, as subsisting in his person.

Q. How prove you that?

A. If it was united immediately to the divine nature, it would be equally united to the Father and Holy Ghost with the Son, since the nature is the same in all the divine persons.

Q. How was the union between Christ’s two natures constituted?

A. By Christ’s assuming the human nature into his divine person, Hebrews 2:14.

Q. Wherein did Christ’s assumption of the human nature differ from the union of his two natures?

A. Assumption is a transient act of his divine nature only, and is the cause of union; but this union is the effect, and is an eternal mutual relation of both his natures.

Q. How can the human nature be united to the divine, which exists everywhere?

A. Though Christ’s divine nature transcends the human in respect of its infinity; yet it wholly dwells in it in respect of its spirituality, Colossians 2:9; John 1:14.

Q. How do you prove that Christ’s two natures are united, and do subsist in one person?

A. Because the same person is called the child born and the mighty God, Isaiah 9:6. See also Luke 1:35; Romans 9:5.

Q. Why was it necessary our Redeemer should be God and man in one person?

A. That the works of each nature might be accepted of God, and relied on by us as the works of his whole person, Hebrews 9:14.

Q. What are the properties of the union betwixt [between] Christ’s two natures?

A. It is an incomprehensible, personal, everlasting, and inseparable union.

Q. How is it incomprehensible?

A. No man or angel can fully understand the mysteries of it.

Q. How is it a personal union?

A. The two distinct natures are united, and subsist in one person.

Q. How is this union everlasting and inseparable?

A. It never will, nor can be dissolved.

Q. How prove you that?

A. From the eternity of Christ’s priesthood, which requires the eternal union of his two natures to appear with in the presence of God for us, Hebrews 7:25; Revelation 1:18.

Q. What other wonderful unions besides this are there?

A. There is the union of the three persons in the Godhead, the natural union of our soul and body, and the mystical union of believers with Christ.

Q. How does the union of Christ’s two natures differ from the union of persons in the Godhead?

A. The union of persons in the Godhead is an uncreated and necessary union ofdistinct perſons in one nature and substance; but this in Christ is a created union of distinct natures in one person.

Q. How does the union of Christ’s natures differ from the union of our soul and body?

A. The union of our soul and body is natural, and can be broken; but this union of Christ’s natures is supernatural and inseparable.

Q. How does the union of Christ’s natures differ from the union of believers to Christ?

A. Notwithstanding of believers union to Christ, he and they remain distinct persons; but the union of Christ’s natures makes both one person.

Q. What follows upon the union of these two natures in the person of Christ?

A. That the properties and works of both natures may be ascribed to his person: so we may say, the Son of David or Mary is God, infinite, eternal, etc.; and that God, or the Son of God, is man, was born, died, shed his blood, rose again, etc.

Q. May we say, Christ as God is man, was born, died, etc. or that Christ as man is God, infinite, etc.?

A. No; this would confound the properties of Christ’s natures.

Q. When did the Son of God assume our nature, and become man?

A. About 1762 years ago.¹

Q. How prove you that Christ [the Messiah prophesied in the Old Testament scriptures] is already come?

A. Because sundry [many various] events have happened, that God declared should not take place until his Son became man.

Q. What are some of these events?

A. The departure of the sceptre from Judah, the destruction of the second temple, the loss of David’s line, the end of Daniel’s seventy weeks, and ceasing of the daily sacrifice, etc.

Q. Who is the promised Messiah, or incarnate God?

A. Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of Mary, John 1.

Q. How prove you that?

A. All things foretold concerning the Messiah, were exactly fulfilled in him.

Q. What was foretold concerning the Messiah?

A. That before the church and second temple of the Jews were destroyed, or their nation dispersed, he should spring out of the family of David; be born at Bethlehem of a virgin, in a low condition; work many miracles; be despised, crucified, and buried; rise again, and erect a glorious church among the Gentile nations, etc.

Q. How is the time of Christ’s coming designed in scripture?

A. It is called the fulness of time, Galatians 4:4.

Q. Why is it called the fulness of time?

A. It was the time fixed in God’s decree, foretold by the prophets, and when the world was in the most proper condition for his coming into it.

Q. When was the world in the most proper condition for Christ’s coming?

A. When it had been sufficiently warned of, and strongly expected his coming; and when Satan’s power over it was at its height, ignorance and knowledge jointly subserving his interests.

Q. Why was it necessary the world should be well warned concerning Christ ere [before] he came?

A. That he might come with due honour; and that many signs of his coming might be understood, whereby it might be tried whether he was the true Messiah, and no impostor.

Q. Why was it necessary the world should be in great expectation of Christ when he came?

A. That all might be ready to examine his character and conduct, and be rendered inexcusable, if they did not receive him.

Q. Why was it necessary that Satan’s power over the world should be very strong when Christ came?

A. That the love of God in sending him, the need of his coming, and its powerful influence in destroying Satan’s kingdom when at its height, might be the more visibly displayed, 1 John 4:9 and 3:8.

Q. How did Christ, the Son of God, become man?

A. By taking to himself a true body, and a reasonable soul; which are the two parts of an human nature.

Q. How prove you that Christ took to himself a true body, and not the mere shape of the human body?

A. Christ says, A spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have; neither could he have been born, hungered, thirsted, or died, etc. without a true body.

Q. Was Christ’s body framed in heaven, or created immediately out of dust?

A. No; it was made of the substance of a woman; and so he was the seed of the woman.

Q. Why was it necessary it should be made of the substance of mankind?

A. That he might be our brother and kinsman, and the right of our redemption be his.

Q. Of whom was he born?

A. Of the virgin Mary.

Q. Why was Christ born of a virgin?

A. That he might be free from original sin, Luke 1:35.

Q. Why behoved [required] Christ’s human nature to free of be sin?

A. Because it was so closely united to his divine nature; and because otherwise he could not have been a propitiation for our sins, Hebrews 7:26.

Q. How could Christ be born of a virgin?

A. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Ghost.

Q. Why is this work of the Holy Ghost called an overshadowing of the virgin?

A. Because of the great mysteriousness of it, Luke 1:35.

Q. How prove you Christ assumed a reasonable soul?

A. He cried out, My soul is troubled, and exceeding sorrowful; and God made his soul an offering for sin.

Q. Had all the three persons of the Godhead an active concern in the Son’s becoming man?

A. Yes.

Q. What distinct concern had they in it?

A. The Father prepared this human nature, the Spirit formed, and the Son assumed or put it on, and wears it for ever.

Q. What were the Old Testament names of our Redeemer?

A. Shiloh, Messiah, Immanuel, David, the Branch, the Messenger or Angel, etc.

Q. Why is he called Shiloh?

A. Properly because he is our peace, salvation, and rest.

Q. Why is he called Messiah?

A. Because he is the anointed of God, Psalm 89:20.

Q. Why is he called Immanuel?

A. Because he is God with us in our nature, and on our side.

Q. Why is he called David?

A. Because he is a man after God’s heart, and king of his true Israel.

Q. Why is he called the Branch?

A. Because in our nature he is a stem growing out of the root of Jesse, which bears fruit of glory to God, and good to men.

Q. Why is he called the Angel and Messenger of the covenant?

A. Because God sent him on the errand of our redemption, and he proclaims his covenant to us.

Q. What is our Redeemer’s most ordinary New Testament name?

A. The Lord Jesus Christ.

Q. Why is he called Lord?

A. Because he is the true God, and rules over all, Acts 10:36.

Q. Why is he called Jesus?

A. Because he saves his people from their sin and misery, Matthew 1:21.

Q. Why is he called Christ?

A. Because he was anointed by God to his mediatory offices, John 10:36.

Q. Wherewith [with what] was Christ anointed by God?

A. With the oil of the Holy Ghost, Isaiah 61:1-2; Psalm 45:7.

Q. In what proportion was Christ anointed?

A. He had the Spirit given him above measure.

Q. Is his human nature filled with an infinite fulness of the Spirit?

A. No; but he is anointed with it far above the measure of believers, who are his fellows.

Q. What do you understand by the anointing of Christ?

A. God’s giving him a commission and call to his offices, with proper furniture [enabling] for the execution of them.

Q. When did God first call Christ to his offices?

A. From all eternity, Proverbs 8:23.

Q. When did God first furnish Christ for executing his offices?

A. In his incarnation.

Q. When did God publicly install Christ in his offices?

A. At his baptism, Matthew 3:16-17.

Q. How was Christ then installed in his offices?

A. The Father solemnly attested him, and the Spirit descended on him, to furnish him for his work.

Q. Why are New Testament believers called Christians?

A. Because they follow Christ, and are anointed with his Spirit, 1 Corinthians 12:12-13; 1 John 2:20.

Q. What improvement [trust, confirmation in our life] should we make of Christ’s incarnation and unction [anointing]?

A. We should admire, love, adore, marry, and trust in the person of Christ as our near kinsman; and cry for his Spirit to anoint us.