The sermon by Eric Bechler, based on the Second London Baptist Confession of 1689, Chapter 8, Paragraph 6, explores the concept of Christ the Mediator. It emphasizes that Christ's work on the cross was for the elect in all ages, even those prior to the cross. The sermon argues against the belief in 'limbus patrum', stating that scripture shows that the elect, such as Enoch and Elijah, were taken to heaven. It explains that the virtue, efficacy, and benefits of redemption were communicated to the elect throughout history, not dependent on the historical moment of Christ's sacrifice. The sermon delves into the definitions of these terms and how the Old Testament promises, types, and sacrifices revealed Christ to the believers. It highlights that Christ's redeeming work was according to His eternal decree, and through faith, the elect from all ages are redeemed. The sermon concludes by affirming God's sovereignty, the certainty of His plans, and the immutability of His promises.

Our reading this morning from the second London Baptist Confession of 1689 comes again from chapter 8 of Christ the Mediator. This morning we're looking at paragraph 6. Although the price of redemption was not actually paid by Christ until after his incarnation, yet the virtue, efficacy, and benefit thereof were communicated to the elect in all ages, successively from the beginning of the world, in and by those promises, types, and sacrifices wherein he was revealed, and signified to be the seed which should bruise the serpent's head, and the lamb slain from the foundation of the world, being the same yesterday and today and forever. This morning we continue with chapter 8 of Christ's Mediator. The main point that our paragraph emphasizes this morning is that Christ's work on the cross was for the elect in all ages, even those prior to the cross.

Historically, there are some who believe in a belief called limbus patrum, which is a belief that the people who live prior to Jesus ascending to heaven did not go to heaven, but rather went to a holding place, a holding tank, limbo, until Christ completed his work of redemption. I won't go into all the verses used to try to support this belief, but will comment that scripture tells us something different. In Genesis 5 24, an Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him. In 2 Kings 2 11, and it came to pass as they still went on, and talked that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder, and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. Ecclesiastes 12 7 then shall the dust return to the earth as it was and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it." It's an important distinction for us to understand, and of course this is why it's included in our confession and something that we should go over.

So let's get started in our paragraph this morning. Although the price of redemption was not actually paid by Christ till after his incarnation, yet the virtue, efficacy, and benefits thereof were communicated to the elect in all ages, successively from the beginning of the world. Paul tells us of Christ's coming and his work in Galatians 4 verses 4 and 5. But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. But how can we apply Christ's sacrifice to mankind from Adam to the cross?

In our linear minds, we have no trouble understanding and accepting that after Christ's sacrifice, his redeeming power is effective. His sacrifice was done before we were born. It was already done. But what about those who were born before? Christ's work wasn't done.

He had not been incarnated. He had not been crucified. He had not been resurrected. For some, this is really hard to understand. How does this work?

This is a subject, again, of our paragraph this morning. It's confessing that the virtue, efficacy, and benefit of redemption was communicated to the elect in all ages from the beginning of the world. Let's start with definitions. Words from the 1600s when this was written may have different meanings than how we understand and use them today. Let's first look at the word communicate.

In our mind, we understand communicate as transferring information. For example, talking to somebody in person, or the giving of a promise, or a message. Today, even texting or emailing, This is communicating. This is what I think this is probably what most of us think when we see that word. If we go to Noah Webster we can look at some of his definitions and he adds to this definition of this, to impart, to confer for joint possession or to bestow as that which the receiver is to hold, retain, use or enjoy.

I kind of like that last definition there. I'll read it again. To communicate is to bestow as that which the receiver is to hold, retain, use, or enjoy. So we have here perhaps a fuller understanding of what's meant by communicate here, but how do we know which is better for our situation in all of these different definitions. From the context and looking at, when we're talking about the virtue, the efficacy, and the benefits, this last definition I like and it seems more appropriate in our context.

The promise of redemption was communicated. It was bestowed to the elect in all ages, meaning the elect would hold, they would use, they would enjoy this redemption whether before or after the cross. So let's take also a moment to understand the words that we're using here, virtue, efficacy, and benefit. What is the virtue of redemption? The elect before the cross, it means we're really redeemed, no differently than those after the cross.

They experienced justification. They experienced the sanctifying redemption. They had a changed nature. Its value and dignity was retroactive. Redemption was not dependent on the historical moments of the sacrifice.

Well, what about efficacy? Noah Webster defines efficacy as the power to produce effects as the efficacy of the gospel in converting men from sin. The efficacy of Redemption is the power to produce redemption, actual redemption. Christ's saving work does not just make us savable. It actually saves us.

This is the efficacy. Finally, what are the benefits of redemption? Back in paragraph 1 of chapter 8, we read about being called, justified, sanctified, and glorified, receiving eternal life. Paul in his letter to the Ephesians mentions in 1 verse 3, Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who had blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. So we confess that the virtue, the efficacy, and the benefits of redemption were communicated or bestowed.

But how? In what way? How does this happen? So we'll continue in our paragraph here. They were communicated in and by those promises, types, and sacrifices wherein he was revealed and signified to be the seed which should bruise the serpent's head.

What were these promises, types, and sacrifices wherein Christ was revealed? There are many places throughout the Old Testament where God promises the coming of a Savior to redeem his people and to undo the curse of sin. We read from as early as in Genesis 3, the promise that a seed of Eve, Christ, would deliver fallen man from the power of the devil, that he would redeem his people. Christ must die, but Satan would be conquered. In Genesis 315, and I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed, it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

We read in Psalm 110 how the Messiah will conquer all enemies in Psalm 110, 1 through 6. The Lord said unto my Lord, sit thou at my right hand until I make thine enemies thy footstool. The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion. Rule thou in the midst of thine enemies. Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning.

Thou hast the dew of thy youth. The Lord has sworn and will not repent. Thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. The Lord at thy right hand shall strike through kings in the day of his wrath. He shall judge among the heathen." A final example is that from Isaiah, where he announces the coming of his Messiah, the Savior of Israel.

Isaiah 7, 14, Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign, behold a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Emmanuel. We read more of that in Matthew when the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, in Matthew 1, 20 through 23. But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary, thy wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus, For he shall save his people from their sins. Now all this was done, and it might be fulfilled, which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with the child and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which is interpreted, God with us.

With respect to types, the word type comes from the Greek word tupos, which can mean an imprint or a mark. Thus, the Old Testament types were signs that pointed the believers to Christ himself. There were many types of Christ throughout the Old Testament. In fact it's filled with types of Christ's. I will only mention two for examples today, Noah and Moses.

Noah was an example of a type of Christ. He was a righteous man, and from Genesis 6, 9, blameless in his generation. God used him to prefigure the work of his son, Christ. Noah saved his family from the waters of judgment, just as Jesus will save his people from their sins, from their judgment. We see also that Moses, the prophet, is also a type of Christ.

Moses' parents saved him from the hands of Pharaoh. Jesus' parents saved him from the hands of Pharaoh. Jesus' parents saved him from the hands of Herod. Just as Moses returned to Egypt to save his people from bondage, Jesus returned from Egypt to save his people from their sins. With respect to sacrifices, we see Christ foreshadowing throughout the Old Testament.

Here are a few. Genesis 22, he is Abraham's burnt offering, which the Lord provided. He is a Passover lamb without blemish, whose blood redeems us. He is the meat offering, holy and perfect without sin, Leviticus 2. He is the sin offering, who bore the sins of the world, Leviticus 4.

He is the drink offering, who poured out his life for us all, Exodus 29. And finally, he is the scapegoat who took our sins away, Leviticus 16. We see that the virtue, the efficacy, and the benefit of redemption was communicated, was bestowed to the elect in all ages, in and by the promises, types, and sacrifices in the Old Testament wherein Christ was revealed. Now, in the last section of our paragraph this morning, and the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world, being the same yesterday, and today, and forever. We find both of these phrases coming straight from scripture in Hebrews 13, 8, Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and today, and forever.

Scripture is clear. Christ's redeeming work was according to his eternal decree, eternal promise, and eternal approval, the same yesterday, today, and forever. In Revelation 13, 8, we read, and all that dwell upon the earth shall worship Him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world." I'd like to read some comments from John Gill regarding this phrase, the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world that we see in Revelation 13a. Christ, who is compared to a lamb for its harmlessness, meekness, and patience, and was typified by the lambs in the legal sacrifice, And he may be said to be slain from the foundation of the world, one, in the decree and purpose of God by which he was set forth, or for appointed to be the propitiation for sin, and was foreordained before the foundation of the world to redeem his people by his blood. Two, and in the promise of God immediately after the fall of man that the seed of the woman should have his heel bruised and he himself should bruise the serpent's head which made it as sure as if it was done right then and there.

Three, and in sacrifices, which were immediately upon this offered up, and were types of death and sacrifice of Christ. Four, and in the faith of the saints, which brings distant things near and considers them as if present, and also in his members and Abel and in others in whom he suffered, as he still does in his people, to which may be added that such is the efficacy of the blood shed and death of Christ, that it reach to all the saints from the beginning of the world, for the justification of their persons, the atonement of their sins, and cleansing from them for the remission of sins that are past and for the redemption of the transgressions under the First Testament. For Old Testament saints from the beginning are saved by the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as the New Testament ones are. So in summary, the virtue, the efficacy, the benefits of redemption were communicated or bestowed to the elect of all ages. Again, how is this possible?

It's difficult to understand. Before the foundations of the world were laid, God the Father and God the Son set in place a covenant of redemption whereby God the Son would take on flesh, be born under the law, live a perfect life, fully satisfy the covenant of works, and become the mediator and surety for all those who God the Father had given him. There has always been and will always be only one way to be saved, and that is faith in Jesus Christ. Ephesians 2, 8, for by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing. It is the gift of God.

God is sovereign over all things. What he sets in place happens. He has no plan B. All his plans are immutable. His promises never fail.

If God the Father sends God the Son to redeem all those he has given him, the elect, it's done. They're redeemed. It doesn't matter when they were born. It doesn't matter when Christ would be incarnate. It doesn't matter when Christ would be resurrected.

All would be accomplished with complete certainty. Thus it is clear that the elect from all ages are redeemed through faith in Christ. In Ephesians 1, 4, and 5, according as he had chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestinated us into the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself according to the good pleasure of his will. In John 6, 37 through 40, all that the Father giveth me shall come to me. And him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.

For I came down from heaven not to do my own will, but the will of Him that sent me. And this is the Father's will which He hath sent me, that of all which He hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of Him that sent me, that everyone which seeth the Son and believeth on Him may have everlasting life, and I will raise Him up at the last day. Amen.