Article 1. It pleased God, in His eternal purpose, to choose and ordain the Lord Jesus, His only begotten Son, to be the Mediator between God and man, the Prophet, Priest and King, Head and Saviour of His church, the Heir of all things, and Judge of the world. To Him God the Father from all eternity gave a people to be His seed and to be by Him in time redeemed, called, justified, sanctified, and glorified.
Article 2. When the fullness of time was come, the Son of God, the second person of the Holy Trinity, being very and eternal God, of one substance and equal with the Father, took upon Himself man’s nature, with all the essential properties and common infirmities thereof, yet without sin, being conceived by the Holy Spirit in the womb of the virgin Mary, of her substance. Thus, two whole, perfect, and distinct natures, the Godhead and the manhood, were inseparably joined together in one person, without conversion, composition, or confusion. He is very God and very man, yet one Christ, the only mediator between God and man.
Article 3. The Lord Jesus, in His human nature thus united to the divine, was sanctified and anointed with the Holy Spirit above measure, having in Him all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. In Him all the Fullness was pleased to dwell, to the end that being holy, harmless, undefiled, and full of grace and truth, He might be thoroughly furnished to execute the office of mediator and surety. This office He took not upon Himself, but was called thereto by His Father, who also put all power and judgment in His hand and gave Him commandment to execute the same.
Article 4. In order to discharge this office, which the Lord Jesus undertook most willingly, He was made under the law, perfectly fulfilled its demands, and underwent the punishment due to us, which we should have borne and suffered, being made sin and a curse for us. He endured most grievous sorrows in His soul and most painful sufferings in His body, was crucified, and died, remaining in the state of the dead, yet experiencing no corruption. On the third day He arose from the dead with the same body in which he suffered, with which He also ascended into heaven. He now sits there at the right hand of His Father, making intercession, and shall return to judge men and angels at the end of the age.
Article 5. The Lord Jesus, by His perfect obedience and sacrifice of Himself, which He through the eternal Spirit offered once to God, has fully satisfied the justice of God, procured reconciliation, and purchased an everlasting inheritance in the kingdom of heaven for all those whom the Father gave to Him.
Article 6. Although the work of redemption was not accomplished by Christ until after His incarnation, yet the efficacy and benefits thereof were communicated to the elect in all ages successively from the beginning of the world, having been also revealed through earlier promises, types, and sacrifices. Christ is the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world and is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
Article 7. In the work of mediation, Christ acts according to both natures, by each nature doing that which is proper to itself. Yet, by reason of the unity of the person, that which is proper to one nature is sometimes in Scripture attributed to the person denominated by the other nature.
Article 8. To all those for whom Christ has obtained eternal redemption, He certainly and effectually applies and communicates the same, making intercession for them, uniting them to Himself by His Spirit, revealing to them, in and by the Word, the truth of salvation, effectually persuading them to believe and obey, governing their hearts by His Word and Spirit, and overcoming all their enemies by His mighty power and wisdom, in such ways as are most consonant with His wonderful and unsearchable ordering. All this is of free and absolute grace, without any condition foreseen in them to procure it.
Article 9. This office of Mediator between God and man is proper only to Christ and may not be either in whole, or any part thereof, transferred from Him to any other.
Article 2. When the fullness of time was come, the Son of God, the second person of the Holy Trinity, being very and eternal God, of one substance and equal with the Father, took upon Himself man’s nature, with all the essential properties and common infirmities thereof, yet without sin, being conceived by the Holy Spirit in the womb of the virgin Mary, of her substance. Thus, two whole, perfect, and distinct natures, the Godhead and the manhood, were inseparably joined together in one person, without conversion, composition, or confusion. He is very God and very man, yet one Christ, the only mediator between God and man.
Article 3. The Lord Jesus, in His human nature thus united to the divine, was sanctified and anointed with the Holy Spirit above measure, having in Him all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. In Him all the Fullness was pleased to dwell, to the end that being holy, harmless, undefiled, and full of grace and truth, He might be thoroughly furnished to execute the office of mediator and surety. This office He took not upon Himself, but was called thereto by His Father, who also put all power and judgment in His hand and gave Him commandment to execute the same.
Article 4. In order to discharge this office, which the Lord Jesus undertook most willingly, He was made under the law, perfectly fulfilled its demands, and underwent the punishment due to us, which we should have borne and suffered, being made sin and a curse for us. He endured most grievous sorrows in His soul and most painful sufferings in His body, was crucified, and died, remaining in the state of the dead, yet experiencing no corruption. On the third day He arose from the dead with the same body in which he suffered, with which He also ascended into heaven. He now sits there at the right hand of His Father, making intercession, and shall return to judge men and angels at the end of the age.
Article 5. The Lord Jesus, by His perfect obedience and sacrifice of Himself, which He through the eternal Spirit offered once to God, has fully satisfied the justice of God, procured reconciliation, and purchased an everlasting inheritance in the kingdom of heaven for all those whom the Father gave to Him.
Article 6. Although the work of redemption was not accomplished by Christ until after His incarnation, yet the efficacy and benefits thereof were communicated to the elect in all ages successively from the beginning of the world, having been also revealed through earlier promises, types, and sacrifices. Christ is the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world and is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
Article 7. In the work of mediation, Christ acts according to both natures, by each nature doing that which is proper to itself. Yet, by reason of the unity of the person, that which is proper to one nature is sometimes in Scripture attributed to the person denominated by the other nature.
Article 8. To all those for whom Christ has obtained eternal redemption, He certainly and effectually applies and communicates the same, making intercession for them, uniting them to Himself by His Spirit, revealing to them, in and by the Word, the truth of salvation, effectually persuading them to believe and obey, governing their hearts by His Word and Spirit, and overcoming all their enemies by His mighty power and wisdom, in such ways as are most consonant with His wonderful and unsearchable ordering. All this is of free and absolute grace, without any condition foreseen in them to procure it.
Article 9. This office of Mediator between God and man is proper only to Christ and may not be either in whole, or any part thereof, transferred from Him to any other.
Q: Why is He called Christ, that is, Anointed?
A: Because He was ordained of the Father and anointed with the Holy Spirit 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 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.
--The Heidelberg Catechism, Question 31.
