Partakers of Christ’s Benefits: The Holy Spirit’s Work in Redemption

The question of how sinners, estranged from God and bound by the chains of their own rebellion, can partake in the glorious benefits of Christ’s redemptive work is one of the most profound and important questions of the Christian faith. The answer provided by the Westminster Larger Catechism in its 58th question unveils a truth that is both humbling and exhilarating. The Catechism asks and answers: “How do we come to be made partakers of the benefits which Christ has procured? We are made partakers of the benefits which Christ has procured by the application of them unto us, which is the work especially of God the Holy Ghost.” These benefits, forgiveness, reconciliation, adoption, sanctification, and eternal life, are not attained by human effort but are graciously applied to us by the sovereign work of God the Holy Spirit. This truth anchors our hope, directs our worship, and shapes our understanding of the gospel’s transformative power. It is worth our time to explore this doctrine, drawing from the testimony of Scripture and reflecting on the Spirit’s indispensable role in making us partakers of Christ’s redemption.

The Need for Divine Application

To grasp the significance of the Holy Spirit’s work, we must first acknowledge the dire condition of humanity apart from Christ. By nature, we are dead in our trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1), incapable of grasping or claiming the benefits of Christ’s atoning work. Our hearts, clouded by sin, cannot naturally receive the light of the gospel. As John 1:11-12 declares, “He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” This passage reveals a sobering reality: Christ’s own people, those to whom He came, that is, the people of Israel, rejected Him. Yet, it also offers a glorious promise: those who receive Him are granted the privilege of becoming God’s children. But how does this receiving occur? It is not a mere act of human will, for our wills are bound by sin. We are dead in our sins. Rather, it is the Spirit of God who enables us to receive Christ, applying His benefits to our hearts and uniting us to Him by faith.

The benefits Christ procured through His birth, life, death, and resurrection are vast and sufficient for pardon for sin, peace with God, adoption into His family, and the hope of eternal glory. Yet, these treasures remain inaccessible to us unless they are applied. Imagine a large inheritance left to a poor farmer, yet without the means to claim it, it remains out of reach. So it is with the benefits of Christ’s redemption. The Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity, is the one who bridges this gap, bringing the riches of Christ’s work to bear upon our lives.

The Holy Spirit’s Sovereign Work

The Westminster Larger Catechism emphasizes that the application of Christ’s benefits is “the work especially of God the Holy Ghost.” This underscores the Spirit’s unique role in the plan of salvation. While the Father ordains redemption and the Son accomplishes it, the Spirit applies it, ensuring that the work of Christ is not a distant promise but a living reality in the lives of God’s people. Titus 3:5-6 beautifully illustrates this truth: “He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior.” Here, we see the Spirit’s work described as a washing and renewal, a transformative act that cleanses us from sin and renews our hearts to love and serve God.

This passage in Titus highlights two critical aspects of the Spirit’s work: regeneration and renewal. Regeneration is the act by which the Spirit imparts new life to a dead soul, enabling it to see and enter the kingdom of God (John 3:3). It is the moment when the Spirit quickens us, granting us faith to receive Christ and His benefits. Renewal, on the other hand, is the ongoing work of the Spirit, sanctifying us and conforming us to the image of Christ. Both are essential, and both are entirely the work of God’s grace, not our own merit. As Titus 3:5 makes clear, our salvation is “not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy.” The Spirit’s application of Christ’s benefits is a testament to God’s unmerited favor, poured out richly through Christ.

The Means of Application

How, then, does the Holy Spirit apply these benefits to us? The Spirit works through the means of grace, primarily the Scriptures, ordinances, and prayer, to unite us to Christ and make His benefits our own. The preaching of the gospel is the primary instrument through which the Spirit calls sinners to faith. As the Word is proclaimed, the Spirit opens blind eyes, softens hard hearts, and grants faith to believe in Christ (Romans 10:17). Through baptism and the Lord’s Supper, the Spirit strengthens our faith, sealing the promises of the gospel to our hearts. In prayer, the Spirit intercedes for us, enabling us to commune with God and grow in our experience of His grace.

This application is not a one-time event but a lifelong process. The Spirit not only initiates our salvation by uniting us to Christ but also sustains it, preserving us in faith, convicting us of sin, and empowering us to live holy lives. The benefits of Christ, forgiveness, righteousness, and eternal life are not merely bestowed upon us; they are worked into the fabric of our lives by the Spirit’s ongoing ministry.

The Comfort and Call of This Truth

The doctrine articulated in Question 58 of the Westminster Larger Catechism offers profound comfort to believers. Our participation in Christ’s benefits does not depend on our own strength, wisdom, or merit. It is the work of the Holy Spirit, who sovereignly applies Christ’s redemption to those whom the Father has chosen and the Son has redeemed. This assures us that our salvation is secure, not because of our feeble efforts but because of the Spirit’s unfailing work. As John 1:12 reminds us, those who receive Christ become children of God, not by their own power, but by the Spirit’s enabling grace.

Yet, this truth also issues a call to action. If the Spirit applies Christ’s benefits through the means of grace, we are summoned to avail ourselves of these means. We are to sit under the faithful preaching of the Word, partake in the sacraments with reverence, and devote ourselves to prayer. These are not mere rituals but the channels through which the Spirit works to make Christ’s benefits our own. Moreover, the Spirit’s work in our lives calls us to live in a manner worthy of our calling, pursuing holiness and bearing fruit for God’s glory (Galatians 5:22-23).

Conclusion: The Spirit’s Glory in Our Redemption

The 58th question of the Westminster Larger Catechism directs our gaze to the glorious work of the Holy Spirit, who takes the finished work of Christ and applies it to the hearts of God’s people. Through the Spirit’s ministry, we become partakers of forgiveness, adoption, and eternal life, not by our own works, but by God’s mercy (Titus 3:5-6). This truth humbles us, reminding us that salvation is entirely of grace, and it exalts the triune God, who works in perfect harmony to redeem His people.

Let us, then, give thanks for the Holy Spirit, who makes us partakers of Christ’s benefits. Let us cling to the means of grace, trusting that the Spirit will continue His work in us until we are fully conformed to the image of our Savior. And let us live with confidence, knowing that the same Spirit who began this good work in us will carry it to completion until the day of Christ Jesus (Philippians 1:6). May our lives reflect the glory of the One who saves us, applies His benefits to us, and keeps us forever in His care.

Soli Deo Gloria