The Belgic Confession Week 6.

Review:

Article 1.

THERE IS ONLY ONE GOD.

Article 2.

BY WHAT MEANS GOD IS MADE KNOWN UNTO US.

Article 3.

THE WRITTEN WORD OF GOD.

Article 4.

CANONICAL BOOKS OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURE.

Article 5.

WHENCE THE HOLY SCRIPTURES DERIVE THEIR DIGNITY AND AUTHORITY.

Article 6.

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE CANONICAL AND APOCRYPHAL BOOKS.

Article 7.

THE SUFFICIENCY OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES TO BE THE ONLY RULE OF FAITH.

Article 8.

GOD IS ONE IN ESSENCE, YET DISTINGUISHED  IN THREE PERSONS

Article 9.

THE PROOF OF THE FOREGOING ARTICLE OF THE TRINITY  OF PERSONS IN ONE GOD

ARTICLE 10

JESUS CHRIST IS TRUE AND ETERNAL GOD

We believe that Jesus Christ according to His divine nature is the only begotten Son of God, begotten from eternity, not made, nor created (for then He would be a creature), but co-essential and co-eternal with the Father, the brightness of His glory and the express image  of His person (Heb. 1:3), equal unto Him in all things. He is the Son of God, not only from the time that He assumed our nature but from all eternity,  as these testimonies, when compared together, teach us. Moses says that God created the world; and the Apostle John says that all things were made by that Word which he calls God. The apostle says that God made the world by His Son; likewise, that God created all things by Jesus Christ. Therefore it must needs follow that He who is called God, the Word, the Son, and Jesus Christ, did exist at that time when all things were created by Him. Therefore the prophet Micah says: His  goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting (Mic. 5:2). And the apostle: having neither beginning of days nor end of life (Heb. 7:3). He therefore is that true, eternal, and almighty God whom we invoke, worship, and serve.

We believe that Jesus Christ according to His divine nature is the only begotten Son of God,

John 3:16 “16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

What does it mean Jesus is begotten?

The heretic Arius believed this meant that the Father begat the Son in time. “There was when the Son was not.” song of Arius.

This is not a physical or temporal begetting.

God speaks to us in human terms. He is teaching us something about His nature. The Father is a Father as part of His nature. He is the Origin or all. He did not temporally “father” the Son.

“There was not when the Son was not.” was the response to Arius.

The language of begetting speaks to the divine nature of the Son. de Bres is here almost directly quoting the Nicene Creed.

I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.

And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds; God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God; begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made.

We will see further explanation of this as we continue.

begotten from eternity, not made, nor created (for then He would be a creature),

but co-essential and co-eternal with the Father, the brightness of His glory and the express image  of His person (Heb. 1:3), equal unto Him in all things.

Hebrews 1:1–3“1 God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, 2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; 3 who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,”

He is the Son of God, not only from the time that He assumed our nature but from all eternity, as these testimonies, when compared together, teach us.

Moses says that God created the world; and the Apostle John says that all things were made by that Word which he calls God.

Genesis 1:1 “1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”

The apostle says that God made the world by His Son; likewise, that God created all things by Jesus Christ.

John 1:1–3“1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.”

John 1:9–12“9 That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. 11 He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. 12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:”

John 1:14 “14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.”

Therefore it must needs follow that He who is called God, the Word, the Son, and Jesus Christ, did exist at that time when all things were created by Him.

Therefore the prophet Micah says: His  goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting (Mic. 5:2).

A prophesy about Christ.

Micah 5:2“2 “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting.””

The Messiah is from everlasting. Without creation.

And the apostle: having neither beginning of days nor end of life (Heb. 7:3).

Hebrews 7:1–3“1 For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, 2 to whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all, first being translated “king of righteousness,” and then also king of Salem, meaning “king of peace,” 3 without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, remains a priest continually.”

We do not know much about Melchizedek. It is likely he is what is commonly called a “pre-incarnate Christ.” This means he is Jesus showing up in the Old Testament physically. But the quotation here is included simply to say that Christ did not have a beginning. He is eternal.

He therefore is that true, eternal, and almighty God whom we invoke, worship, and serve.

We pray in Jesus name. We worship Jesus. We obey Jesus. Jesus is truly God.

ARTICLE 11

THE HOLY SPIRIT IS TRUE AND ETERNAL GOD

We believe and confess also that the Holy Spirit from eternity proceeds from the Father and the Son; and therefore neither is made, created, nor begotten, but only proceeds from both; who in order is the third Person of the Holy Trinity; of one and the same essence, majesty, and glory with the Father and the Son; and therefore is the true and eternal God, as the Holy Scriptures teach us.

The Holy Spirit is the “unknown” member of the Godhead. We have the least information about the Holy Spirit. But the Scriptures teach us that He is a person, not a force. He is equal to the Father and Son. He is very God.

The Holy Spirit is not made. Not created. Not begotten. He proceeds from the Father and the Son.

Where do we get this?

The Father gives the Holy Spirit.

John 14:16 “16 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—”

The Father sends the Spirit in the name of Christ.

John 14:26 “26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.”

Jesus sends the Holy Spirit.

John 15:26 “26 “But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.”

When we understand these together we understand that the Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son. This is where the creeds get this language.

But this is the creation of the Spirit. The Spirit is co-eternal with the Father and the Son. Temporally the Spirit was sent to the Disciples on Pentecost. But this was not the moment of creation. The Spirit is the third Person of the Trinity.

The Holy Spirit is called the Spirit of God.

Romans 8:9 “9 But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.”

Galatians 4:6 “6 And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!””

Genesis 1:2 “2 The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.”

The Holy Spirit is a person not a force. He receives the personal article of “Him.”

John 16:7 “7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.”

The Holy Spirit is eternal.

Hebrews 9:14“14 how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?”

Present at creation:

Genesis 1:1–2“1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.”

We know He is equally God with the Father and the Son by the fact Scripture gives Him equal reverence.

Matthew 28:18–20“18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.”

1 John 5:7 “7 For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one.”

Equally involved in salvation.

1 Peter 1:2 “2 elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace be multiplied.”

Christ is truly God. The Holy Spirit is truly God.

We worship one God in three Persons. We must love and worship all three Persons of the one God.

Do you love the Trinity?

Do you see now the beauty of the careful language of our creeds?

The Apostles Creed.

I believe in God the Father, Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth

And in Jesus Christ, his only begotten Son, our Lord

Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary

Suffered under Pontius Pilate; was crucified, dead and buried; He descended into hell

The third day he rose again from the dead

He ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty

From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead

I believe in the Holy Ghost

I believe a holy catholic church; the communion of saints

The forgiveness of sins

The resurrection of the body

And the life everlasting. Amen.

The Nicene Creed.

I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.

And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds; God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God; begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made.

Who, for us men for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary, and was made man; and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate; He suffered and was buried; and the third day He rose again, according to the Scriptures; and ascended into heaven, and sits on the right hand of the Father; and He shall come again, with glory, to judge the quick and the dead; whose kingdom shall have no end.

And I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of Life; who proceeds from the Father and the Son; who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified; who spoke by the prophets.

And I believe one holy catholic and apostolic Church. I acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins; and I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

This is the catholic faith.