# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1959_S37
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

Ps
2

DOCTRINAL ESSAY 37

Christological passages in Scripture, such as John 1:1-18; Eph.
1:19-23; Phil. 2:6-11; Col. 1:12-20; Hebr. 1:1—2:18; 1 Tim. 3:16;
1 Tim. 2:4-6; and many other passages, not overlooking the Mes-
sianic Psalms and the Messianic portions in Isaiah and other
prophets. For who is Jesus Christ?

He is, summarily stated, the Alpha and Omega of the Scrip-
tures. He is the Mediator of all of creation, the Mediator of re-
demption, and the Consummator of the universe. He was destined
by the Father before the foundation of the world to become the
Lamb of God which would take away the sin of the world. He was
foretold by the prophets in words and symbols. His conception
and birth was announced by God through His chosen messenger,
an angel. He was identified by John the Baptist as the Lamb of
God and the Son of God. The Father, on two occasions, declared
Him to be His beloved Son, and as God’s Son He was convincingly
attested through His resurrection from the dead. He was feared
by demons, worshiped and served by angels, believed on by His
disciples; taken up in glory: the Victor over death and devil; the
second Adam; superior to the Law, to Abraham, to Moses, to the
Aaronic priesthood, to John the Baptist, to the temple; the one
true Messiah as opposed to all false Jewish Messiahs; the Savior
and Redeemer; the Founder of the church; the Ruler of the uni-
verse; the King of kings and Lord of lords; the Judge to come;
the Image of God; God Incarnate; God with the Father and Spirit.
Only He could say, as Augustine reminds us: “Come unto Me,
all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
(Matt. 11: 28)

Yet however important it is that He declared for us the Father
and told man of the Father’s love for a fallen world, that revelation
by Him is transcended by what He did. For in Him God reconciled
the world unto Himself. “He is the Propitiation for our sins, and
not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.” “By one
offering He perfected forever them that are sanctified.” “And this
is His commandment: We should believe on the name of His Son
Jesus Christ and love one another, as He [Christ] gave us com-
mandment.” (1 John 3:23)

But all that Christ did for our salvation, Paul comprehends
under what we term the article of justification by faith without
the deeds of the Law. Paul defines this article for us especially
in his epistles to the Romans and Galatians, but it is present
everywhere in Scripture. It permeates all of Scripture, and so
we call it the central article of Christian doctrine. It is that article
which holds all other articles of Christian doctrine together. Of
this article the Formula of Concord says:

This article concerning justification by faith . .. is the chief