The Son of God is, therefore, called Jesus by way of pre-eminence to indicate thereby that he is the true saviour. This is evident,

1. Because he saves us from the double evil of guilt and punishment. That he saves us from the evil of guilt is testified by the angel who said, “he shall save his people from their sins.” That he frees us from the evil of punishment may be inferred from the fact, that if sin be taker away, punishment, which is the effect of sin, must also be taken away: for if the cause be removed the effect must also be removed. The people whom Jesus saves are all those that believe, and those only. He is the saviour only of such as believe, because it is only in them that his end is obtained. He established a church in the world to gather and save men; but upon this condition, that they apprehend the benefits which he offers, and are thankful to him for them.

2. Because he is an only saviour. For as our mediator is only one, so Jesus must also be our only Saviour, according to what is declared in many places of Scripture: “There is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved.” “He that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” “God hath given unto us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.” “For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” “I, even I am the Lord, and beside me there is no saviour.” (Acts 4:12. John 3:18. 1 John 5:11. 1 Tim. 2:5. Is. 43:11.)

Obj. The Father and the Holy Spirit also save us. Therefore the Son is not an only Saviour. Ans. It is true that all the persons of the Godhead are engaged in the work of our salvation, but there is a distinction as to the manner in which they save us. The Father saves us through the Son as the fountain of salvation. The Holy Spirit saves us as being the immediate agent or accomplisher of our regeneration. The Son saves us by his merit, as being the only Saviour, paying a ransom for us, giving the Holy Spirit, regenerating and raising us up unto eternal life. The efficacy of our salvation is therefore common to the three persons of the Godhead; but the manner is peculiar to the Son. Again, the Son is called the only Saviour in opposition to all creatures. He, therefore, excludes all creatures, but not the Father, or the Holy Spirit, as it is said, “No man knoweth the things of God, but the Spirit of God;” (1 Cor. 2:11.) from which we are not to infer that the Father and the Son do not know themselves, for the Spirit is here compared with creatures, and not with the Father and the Son.

3. He is a saviour in two respects, by his merit and efficacy. He saves us by his merit or satisfaction, because by his obedience, suffering, death and intercession, he has merited for us remission of sins, reconciliation with God, the Holy Spirit, salvation and eternal life. “He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but for the sins of the whole world,” that is, for the sins of all sorts of men, of whatever age, rank, or place they may be. “The blood of Jesus Christ his Son, cleanseth us from all sin.” “Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past.” “Through the obedience of one, many were made righteous.” “The Lord hath laid upon him the iniquity of us all.” (1 John 2:2; 1:7. Rom. 3:25; 5:19. Is. 53:5.) He also saves us by his efficacy, because he has not only, by his merits, obtained for us remission of sins, righteousness and that life which we had lost, but he also grants and applies unto us the whole benefit of redemption by virtue of his Spirit through faith. For what he has merited by his death he does not retain to himself alone; but confers upon us. He did not purchase salvation and eternal life (which he had) for himself, but for us, as our mediator. Therefore he reveals unto us the will of the Father, institutes and preserves the ministry, through this he gives the Holy Spirit and converts men, collects a church, bestows all good things necessary for this life, defends his church against all her enemies, finally raises up in the last day to eternal life, all those that believe in him, and delivers them from all evils, whilst he casts all his and their enemies into everlasting punishment. To accomplish all these things is the work of the true God, who alone is almighty. In short, his efficacy regenerates us by his word and Spirit in this life, and preserves those that are renewed, lest they fall again, and at length raises them unto eternal life. These passages of scripture speak of this revelation and regeneration. “No man knoweth who the Son is but the Father, and who the Father is but the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.” “The only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.” “There is another that shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire.” “I will send the Holy Spirit unto you from the Father.” “When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men—some pastors, and teachers, &c. He ascended above all heavens that he might fill all things.” “The Son of God was manifested that he might destroy the works of the Devil.” (Matt. 11:27. John 1:18. Matt. 3:11. John 15:26. Eph. 4:8, 10, 11. 1 John 3:8.) Concerning the preservation of them that believe, the following passages may be cited: “Let not your heart be troubled; ye believe in God, believe also in me,” &c. “I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.” “I will not leave you comfortless.” “I and the Father will come unto him, and make our abode with him.” (John 14:1; 18:23. Matt. 18:20.) Of his raising us up unto eternal life, these passages of Scripture speak: “I will raise him up at the last day.” “No one shall pluck my sheep out of my hand.” “And I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish.” When he shall have subjected all things unto himself, he shall present before God a glorious church, which he has gathered from the beginning to the end of the world. (John 6:54; 10:28, 29. 1 Cor. 15:28. Eph. 5:27.) From what has now been said we may perceive that the gift of the Holy Spirit is also a part of our salvation, and that this ought to be accomplished through the mediator; for the Holy Spirit renovates the heart by abolishing sin, which being abolished, death must also, necessarily, be abolished. It was for this destruction, or abolishing of sin and death, that Christ came into the world.

4. He saves us fully, and perfectly, by commencing salvation in us in this life, and at length consummating it in the life to come. This he does, because his merit is most perfect, and that for two reasons, as has already been explained: First, because he is God. “God purchased the church with his own blood; (Acts 20:28.) from which it appears that his satisfaction surpasses the punishment and satisfaction of all the angels; and secondly because of the greatness of the punishment which he endured for us. He also saves us in the manner just specified, because the salvation which he confers upon us is most full, and complete: “Ye are complete in him;” (Col. 2:10;) that is, ye have all things which pertain unto everlasting blessedness, and are made the complete and happy sons of God through and on account of Jesus Christ: “For it pleased the Father, that in him should all fullness dwell.” “The blood of Jesus Christ, the Son of God cleanseth us from all sin.” “There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus.” “But this man, because he continueth for ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood.” “Wherefore he is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him.” (Col. 1:19. 1 John 1:7. Rom. 8:1. Heb. 7:24.)

The sum of all that has been said concerning the name of Jesus, may be briefly reduced to these questions: 1. Who is he that saves us? The Son of God is our Jesus, or Saviour. 2. Whom does he save? His people, that is, all and only the elect given to him by the Father 3. From what evils does he save us? From all sins, and from the punishment of sin. 4. In what manner does he save us? In two ways; by his merit and efficacy, and in each way most perfectly.

Now, therefore, what is the meaning of this article, I believe in Jesus? It means, 1. I believe that there is a certain Saviour of the human race. 2. I believe that this person, Jesus, born of the Virgin Mary, is this Saviour, of whom the Father declared from Heaven, “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.” (Matt. 3:17.) God therefore will have him to be worshipped and honored: “He that honoreth not the Son, honoreth not the Father which hath sent him.” (John 5:23.) 3. I believe that this Jesus, by his merit and efficacy, delivers us from all evils, both of guilt and punishment, by commencing this salvation in us in this life, and consummating it in the life to come. 4. I believe that he is not only the Saviour of others, whom he has called into his service, but that he is also my only and perfect Saviour, working effectually in me here, and carrying on until the day of full redemption what he has commenced.

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