Page 237 - Bible Writers Theology Original

Soteriology • Salvation ♦ 221 in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour
them that are tempted" (Hebrews 2:17-18),
• "For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feel ing of our infirmities: but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin" (Hebrews 4:15).
It might be appealing to the human mind to assume that "full humanity" must have been present with "full deity" in the Son of God to perform our redemption. People may ask: "How then, could, Christ, without being fully
eeu'thly human kinsman redeemer could have been the author of our redemption?" But unfortunately, such inquiry would sound reminiscent of some of the endless theological debates on Christology of the past
As the wise man said: "thou dost not inquire wisely concerning this" (Ecclesiastes 7:10), and as Paul admonished: "Say not in thine heart, who shall ascend into heaven .... or, who shall descend into the deep..." (Romans
10:6-7). Surely it would be futile to explain away the mystery of the atone ment without the fundamental truth of the incarnation; God in Christ, the eternal word made flesh, reconciling the world unto Himself.
In our mental search for a supposed qualifying kinsman redeemer, it would be like "seeking the living from among the dead" (Luke 24:5; Revelation 5:2-3), if we lose God's perspective for the redemption of mankind. Humanity still asks how? The Bible tells why, md God gives a sign: "Hear ye now, O, house of David; ... the U}rd himself shall give you a
sign...Immanuel" (Isaiah 7:13-14). And the overwhelmed Virgin Mary seiid: "How shall this be....? (Luke 1:34),to which the divine answer was "... With God nothing shall be impossible (Luke 1:37).
John the Baptist proclaimed: "Behold theLamb ofGod, which takes awaythe sin of the world" (John 1:29). There is a world of difference between the con cept of a human kinsman redeemer and the Lamb of God. The mystery of the atonement lies at the heart of the mystery of the manifestation of God in the flesh (1 Timothy 3:16). Our in-depth treatment of biblicalChristology has shown the real identity and nature of the One who sufferedon the crosson our behalf. (See Rev. 19:13) His Name is the Word of God.
It can be traced from the scriptures that (Sod's principle of substitution in atonement invariably involves two elements of different natures.
• The serpent of brass set up on a pole by Moses in the wildemess before the Israelites was not a real serpent but only a form of (Numbers 21:4- 9) (See also John 3:14.)
• A ram replaced Isaac on the altar of sacrifice when Abraham wz»s test-