Question 31 - Why is He called Christ, that is, Anointed?

Answer - Because He has been ordained by God the Father, and anointed with the Holy Spirit,¹ to be our chief Prophet and Teacher,² who has fully revealed to us the secret counsel and will of God concerning our redemption;³ our only High Priest,⁴ who by the one sacrifice of His body has redeemed us,⁵ and who continually intercedes for us before the Father;⁶ and our eternal King,⁷ who governs us by His Word and Spirit, and who defends and preserves us in the redemption obtained for us.⁸

¹ Ps. 45:7 (Heb. 1:9); Is. 61:1 (Luke 4:18; Luke 3:21, 22. ² Deut. 18:15 (Acts 3:22). ³ John 1:18; 15:15. ⁴ Ps. 110:4 (Heb. 7:17). ⁵ Heb. 9:12; 10:11-14. ⁶ Rom. 8:34; Heb. 9:24; I John 2:1. ⁷ Zach. 9:9 (Matt. 21:5); Luke 1:33. ⁸ Matt. 28:18-20; John 10:28; Rev. 12:10, 11.

Question 32 - Why are you called a Christian?

Answer - Because I am a member of Christ by faith¹ and thus share in His anointing,² so that I may as prophet confess His Name,³ as priest present myself a living sacrifice of thankfulness to Him,⁴ and as king fight with a free and good conscience against sin and the devil in this life,⁵ and hereafter reign with Him eternally over all creatures.⁶

¹ I Cor. 12:12-27. ² Joel 2:28 (Acts 2:17); I John 2:27. ³ Matt. 10:32; Rom 10:9, 10; Heb. 13:15. ⁴ Rom. 12:1; I Pet. 2:5, 9. ⁵ Gal. 5:16, 17; Eph. 6:11; I Tim. 1:18, 19. ⁶ Matt. 25:34; II Tim. 2:12.