The Westminster Shorter Catechism
Q29. How are we made partakers of the redemption
purchased by Christ?
A. We are made partakers of the
redemption purchased by Christ[1]
by the effectual application of it to
us by His
Holy Spirit.[2]
[1] John 1:11–12; [2] Titus 3:5–6.
The work of God in the redemption of man involves all three Persons of the Godhead. It is the specific work of God the Father to elect and to decree the salvation of the elect (cf. WSC 20). The specific work of the Son is to purchase redemption or to accomplish justification by His active obedience on behalf of the elect, and by His vicarious atonement on their behalf (cf. WSC 21–28). In this and the next question, we see that the proper work of the Holy Spirit is to apply the benefits of redemption purchased by Christ to the elect.
It is important that we understand this threefold economic division in the work
of redemption of the Triune God. An overemphasis on the decretive work of the
Father leads to a one-sided doctrine of eternal justification that denies that
there is a sense in which the elect are under the wrath of God prior to the
organic application of redemption (see Ephesians 2:3). An overemphasis on the
redemptive work of Christ in time and a failure to see that justification was
already planned—sovereignly, irrevocably and immutably, and is therefore
certain and in a sense actual from all eternity,—will draw a sharp
discontinuity between the Old and New Testaments and give rise to a doctrine of
salvation by works for Old Testament saints. An overemphasis on the work of the
Holy Spirit’s work in justification will give rise to an Arminian emphasis on
faith and good works as the cause of justification,—which usually also give
rise to the doctrine of resistible grace.
James Buchanan puts it well:
The one is the error of the Antinomians, who have spoken of Justification as being antecedent to, and independent of regeneration by the Holy Spirit, and have identified it sometimes with God’s eternal election,—at other times with the redeeming work of Christ,—as if there were no difference between an eternal purpose to save, and the execution of that purpose in time, or between the procuring of redemption, and the actual application of it to the souls of men. The other is the error of Popish writers, and some of their followers in the Protestant Church, who have spoken of Justification as dependent, not on the finished work of Christ alone, but on our personal obedience…. But such difficulties will be found to resolve themselves into a more general and profound question; and can only be effectually removed, by falling back on God’s eternal purpose of mercy towards sinners, which includes equally their redemption by Christ, and their regeneration by the Holy Spirit (Doctrine of Justification, BOT, 402–3).
What is involved in the application of redemption by the Holy Spirit will be
discussed in the subsequent questions.