"CHRIST" LD12 & I John 2 We are dealing with the Son of God in the Apostolic confession. It is a large section as it deals with our redemption. We saw with His name the Son of God in His essence and now we look at "Christ" which has to do with His office and how He labors to accomplish His purpose. And we are called Christians as we reflect His threefold office!
Anointing: The word anointing is the same as Christ (Messiah.) God makes and calls His Son, the Son of God is His essence. We see how He accomplishes His work in His threefold offices and His title is CHRIST and He is the anointed one of God! Christ in the temple reads Isaiah 61 from the scrolls and in boldness says "I am the fulfillment of this promise...the anointed one of God!" Now there are two elements to anointing. 1. An appointment. God showed the prophet who they were. 2. Qualified. Anointing was done with oil and He qualified whom He had chosen. God anoints Him with His Spirit in His threefold office as a PROPHET, a PRIEST, and a KING! But God also distinguishes from all in the old testament calling Him the CHIEF Prophet, the ONLY High Priest (who could actually take away sin and make intercession for His people,) and the Eternal King who is the King of Zion of which we belong. These offices too will be reflected in your life and in mine!!!
Offices: Prophet- He was in the old testament a seething pot who overflowed with the Word of God. They searched their own prophesies to understand that which they spoke..knowing they spoke prophetic and understood that it had to come to pass. Now we have the Word of God embodied in the flesh that we beheld and we have the speech of God who spoke of His office. The speech of God even as it is today "Christ and Him crucified. We have the Lord's secret and know all things about His council and history and the end of history.
High Priest- The ONLY High Priest (Hebrews 7:21ff.) They all did their oaths in the old testament, but Christ did it once who is Himself the sacrifice and fulfills the priesthood completely! A merciful High Priest and the Priest of God who ALONE can effectively redeem His people! His is our Mediator and advocate and for His sake our sins are forgiven and in whom He gives us all things, hears us, leads and guides us, etc.
Eternal King- He IS King! Not of this world, but a heavenly kingdom and He establishes that realm in His blood and by His grace! We belong to that kingdom and so He leads us by His word and Spirit in His kingship as we are subjects of that kingdom. If words or feelings are NOT in line with the word of God then they are NOT of God!
Our Partaking: These offices are reflected in us as by faith we become partakers of Christ and receive those offices. We are prophets of Christ and we know the truth as it is in Christ Jesus and we have a confession as we are living epistles. We believe the word of God to be true and live that way and we can speak the truth of anything according to that word of God. As we are priests who no longer make sacrifices but are LIVING sacrifices to God as it is acceptable and fitting in service to Him. Living sacrifices unto Him! And we rule (King) and we manfully fight. David and Solomon pictured this conquering and in a kingdom of peace. A picture of Christ. And so we fight against our own flesh and the world till we die and reign with Him forevermore in glory!
We ARE prophets, priests, and kings and must live as such! Peters confession "Thou art the Christ!" When they ask this of us what should be said? A Christian who is a prophet who speaks the truth and lives as a priest who fights against sin till he receives glory in that eternal kingdom!