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The human race was designed to contribute to the vindication of the divine nature from angelic challenge and accusation. It was intended to occur through the willingness of mankind to enjoy intimate, shared life fellowship with God.
There was only one condition. God said to Adam, the representative and representational head of the human race, “… from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die.” (Genesis 2:17) Thus, disobedience to the covenantal condition would cause Adam to die. Spiritually dead, he would become separated from God. It would constitute the end of shared life and consequently, intimate fellowship between God and mankind. As a result, the nature of God would appear to be beyond vindication. Of course, Adam failed to obey the covenantal condition. He chose fellowship with Eve over the unparalleled privilege of intimate, shared life fellowship with God. Adam’s disobedience resulted in the fall of humanity. It was the saddest day in history. |
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Law
As previously indicated, God established the rule of law on earth for benefit of the fallen. The Apostle Paul explained, “But we know that the law is good, if one uses it lawfully, realizing the fact that law is not made for a righteous person, but for those who are lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers and immoral men and homosexuals and kidnappers and liars and perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound teaching, according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, with which I have been entrusted.” (1 Timothy 1:8-11) For benefit of the fallen, the rule of law was designed to reveal the transgression of law (sin). Paul clarified, “… through the law comes the knowledge of sin.” (Romans 3:20; 4:15; 7:7) Thus, the rule of law serves as the means by which the fallen can recognize the guilt, condemnation, penalty, and debt associated with its transgression. Relative to the purpose for which it was established, the Apostle Paul referred to the rule of law as the “law of sin and of death.” (Romans 8:2; 2 Corinthians 3:7, 9) He did so because the sinner exists apart from God in subjection to the bondage of the rule of law in the realm of death. Requirement The “law of sin and of death” was established on earth with a strict requirement. The justice of God demands that it be fully satisfied. The requirement of the “law of sin and of death” is righteousness demonstrated by perfect obedience to its every command, regulation, and ordinance. James clarified, “For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all.” (James 2:10) The fulfillment of the requirement of the “law of sin and of death” demands righteousness equivalent to the righteousness of God. “…you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matthew 5:48; cf. Matthew 5:20) Anything less cannot satisfy the justice of God. Concordant with the Fall, the human race was rendered powerless to satisfy the righteous requirement of the rule of law. Compromised by the indwelling principle of sin (sin nature or “flesh”), it is incapable of obeying its rule according to divine standard. (Romans 3:20; 7:14-20; 8:3; Galatians 2:16; 3:11) As a result, mankind has historically demonstrated the need for a savior. |
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Atonement
Absolutely corrupted by the indwelling principle of sin, mankind cannot provide his own atonement for sin. He is completely dependent on the grace of God. Theoretically, God was presented with three possible means to provide atonement for the sinful human race. First, He could have left fallen humanity in a justifiable state of condemnation. Second, God could have compromised His nature to exist in a state of compatibility with the fallen. Third, He could have changed fallen man into a state of harmony with the perfections of His nature. (cf. Matthew 5:48) The first two remedies were incongruent with the nature of God and therefore, His eternal plan. Consequently, He could not have left fallen humanity in a justifiable state of condemnation or compromised His own nature to accommodate the rebelliousness of the fallen. In theory, the only remedy available for God to provide atonement for the fallen was to convert them into a state of harmony with His nature. Allowing for an unbiased, concurrent demonstration of love, mercy, and justice on earth, it was congruent with both His nature and plan. (Leviticus 16:29-34; Isaiah 53:4-12; Matthew 26:26-28; Romans 5:6-8; 1 Corinthians 15:3; Hebrews 9:12-14; Revelation 5:9-10) Foundation Foundational to His plan for the atonement of fallen humanity, God initiated the Eternal Covenant in eternity and fulfilled its stipulations in time. (Isaiah 42:6-7; 53:10; Acts 2:23-24; 13:30; Romans 6:4; Galatians 1:1; Ephesians 1:20; Hebrews 7:1-28; 9:11-17; 23-28; 10:5-14; 29; 12:24; 13:20; 1 Peter 1:20-21) It was a redemptive covenant of life (zoe). The stipulations of the Eternal Covenant included the willing death of the Son, His subsequent resurrection by the Father, and the application of its benefit to humanity by the Spirit. Serving as the means by which God could justify the fallen from sin, they graciously provided for the atonement of the sinner. Mediation Without any personal means to atone for his own sin, mankind must depend on God. He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to mediate. He satisfied His ministry of mediation through His role in the fulfillment of the Eternal Covenant. Jesus Christ was the mediator of the Eternal Covenant. “For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time.” (1 Timothy 2:5-6) The incarnate Christ, fully divine and fully human, was alone qualified to mediate between holy God and sinful mankind. God in human flesh, He possessed the qualifications necessary to represent both God to mankind and mankind to God through the covenantal offices of prophet, priest, and king. (John 1:1-5, 10, 14, 18; Romans 1:3; Galatians 4:4; Philippians 2:5-8; Colossians 2:9; 1 Timothy 3:16; Hebrews 2:14; 1 John 1:1; 4:2; 2 John 7) Through His role of mediation, Jesus Christ graciously provided for the atonement of the sinful. He satisfied the justice of God by fulfilling the righteous requirement of the rule of divine law and paying the price necessary for the justification of the sinner from transgression. |
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Abolish or Fulfill
In His role of mediation, Jesus spoke to an unredeemed Jewish audience about His relationship to the rule of law. He said, “Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished.” (Matthew 5:17-18) Rather than to abolish (kataluo - kat-al-oo'-o: “destroy”), Jesus came to fulfill (pleroo - play-ro'-o: “to make replete; satisfy”) the rule of the law. Relative to His Jewish audience, Jesus specifically referred to the Mosaic Law. It constituted one part of the larger body of divine law on earth that had been provided exclusively for the Jewish people. However, Jesus not only came to fulfill the Mosaic Law but the principle of law in general and thus, the “law of sin and of death.” Like everyone else throughout history, the Jewish people had proven incapable of fulfilling the righteous requirement of the rule of law (Mosaic Law). (Deuteronomy 31:16-18; Psalm 78:10; Daniel 9:11; Zephaniah 3:1-4; John 7:19; Acts 7:51-53; etc.) Therefore, it had remained unfulfilled. The requirement of law unsatisfied, it was critically important to national Israel that the Christ not simply abolish (destroy) the law (Mosaic Law). If abolished, its requirement of righteousness would have forever remained unfulfilled and the justice of God unsatisfied. Rather than abolishing the rule of law, Jesus elevated its status. He emphasized to His unredeemed Jewish audience, “Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments [of the Mosaic Law], and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven (impending Church Age; see chapters 21-22); but whoever keeps and teaches them [the commandments of the Mosaic Law given to the Jewish people], he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:19) By His statement, Jesus indicated that unredeemed, religious Jews during the impending Church Age would remain under rule of the Mosaic Law. Consequently, they would continue to be obligated to obey its stipulations. Of course, the unredeemed Jewish people would continue to disobey the rule of Mosaic Law during the Church Age. Nevertheless, it was not designed to harm but to benefit them. Through their failure to obey the Mosaic Law, they would be provided with motive to seek their Messiah. According to Jesus, the one that would be “called great” in the “kingdom of heaven” (the impending Church Age) would be the keeper and teacher of the Mosaic Law for benefit of the spiritually blind people of national Israel. By design, it would continue to unveil their need for the Messiah, the solitary means by which the righteous requirement of the Mosaic Law was fulfilled and consequently, the justice of God satisfied. Fulfillment Concordant with the justice of God, Jesus the Messiah did not come to abolish the rule of law but to fulfill its requirement of righteousness. For benefit of both Jew and Gentile, He fulfilled the righteous requirement of the rule of divine law by His lifetime of perfect obedience to its every command, regulation, and ordinance. (Matthew 5:17; Luke 24:44; John 8:46; Galatians 3:10-14; Colossians 2:14-23; Hebrews 7:12; 10:1; 1 Peter 2:22) Throughout His earthly life Jesus Christ experienced temptation in the same manner as every other human being. However, He never transgressed the law of God. As a result, Christ demonstrated that He was the sinless, unblemished “Lamb of God.” (John 1:29, 36; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 4:15; 7:26; 9:14; 1 Peter 1:19; 2:22; 1 John 3:5) Apart from Christ’s gracious fulfillment of the requirement of law, the human race would have remained subject to law and thus, obligated to satisfy its requirement of righteousness. Incapable of achieving perfect righteousness, however, the requirement of the rule of law would have remained unfulfilled and the justice of God unsatisfied. Consequently, humanity would have never been able to experience the privilege of knowing and enjoying God. Justification As indicated, the divine rule of law has a requirement. Its requirement is righteousness demonstrated by perfect obedience. Nevertheless, mankind is not capable of fulfilling the requirement of divine law. He is compromised by the indwelling principle of sin. (Romans 8:3) Relative to the inability of mankind, the Father graciously sent the Son to earth to do what mankind could not. He fulfilled the righteous requirement of the rule of divine law. Therefore, the justice of God was fully satisfied concerning the requirement of the rule of law. The transgression of the rule of law, however, remained a point of contention. The justice of God demanded that it too had to be addressed. Thus, the transgressor had to be justified from his transgression. To “justify” typically means to declare free of blame or to absolve. In court of law, it often refers to a judge declaring an accused person not guilty of transgression. The biblical concept is similar. Translated from the Greek word dikaioo (dik-ah-yo'-o), the word “justify” in the English New Testament means “to acquit, to set free, to remove guilt”.[1] For sinful mankind to be restored to shared life fellowship with God, he had to be acquitted from all transgression of divine law. It required the forgiveness of both its penalty and debt. To justly forgive all the transgression of His law (sin); past, present, and future, God the Father imputed (credited) the sin of the world, all of it, to the account of God the Son, Jesus Christ. It was a legal act witnessed by the heavenly host. Fulfilling His role in the redemptive Eternal Covenant, Jesus Christ then paid the ultimate price. He willingly presented His human body as a sacrificial offering for the sin of the world. (Matthew 20:28; 26:28; Acts 10:43; 13:30; 26:18; Romans 4:25; 5:6-8; 6:4, 10; 7:4; 8:34; 14:9; 1 Corinthians 5:3-5; 6:20; 2 Corinthians 5:14-15; Galatians 1:1; 2:20; Ephesians 1:7; 20; Philippians 2:8; Colossians 1:14; 2:13; 1 Thessalonians 4:14; 1 Timothy 2:6; Hebrews 9:12, 14, 22; 1 Peter 1:18-21; 3:18) By the “blood of the Eternal Covenant,” Jesus provided the necessary payment for the penalty and debt of all human transgression of divine law (sin); past, present, and future. The last words of Jesus Christ from the cross were, “It is finished!” (John 19:30) They are translated from the single Greek word tetelestai. It is variously interpreted in the New Testament as “finished, fulfilled, expired, accomplished, made perfect, completed.” Thus, Jesus declared from the cross that His sacrificial death constituted payment in full for the penalty and debt of all human transgression of the rule of law. As a result, the fallen could be forgiven not only of all past sin but all present and future sin as well. Confirming the meaning of the last words of Christ from the cross, ancient receipts for taxes have been discovered that confirm the intent of Christ’s last words. The word tetelestai was written across the receipts, acknowledging that the tax debt had been "paid in full."[2] Through the redemptive work of Christ on the cross, the penalty and debt of human transgression was paid in full. According to Paul, the transgression of fallen mankind was recorded in a “certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us.” (Colossians 2:14) It is hostile because it provides an indisputable record of fallen status and a lifetime of corresponding practice. The “certificate of debt” establishes an indefensible, legal basis for divine judgment and condemnation. Through the cross of Christ, however, the heavenly Father ensured the forgiveness of all transgression. Thus, the “certificate of debt” was graciously “canceled out” (obliterated, erased) once and for all when it was nailed to the cross with Christ. The justification of fallen mankind from the penalty and debt of transgression (sin) required the mediatorial, substitutional, sacrificial death of Jesus Christ. By His death it was paid in full. Consequently, the fallen could be forgiven of all transgression of divine law; past, present, and future. The justification of transgressors and their restoration to shared life fellowship with God required more than the fulfillment of the requirement of law and the forgiveness of transgression. Satisfying the justice of God further demanded that the forgiven be made righteous equivalent to the righteousness of God. “… you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matthew 5:48) So that the forgiven could be made righteous, the Father graciously imputed (credited) to their account the righteousness of Christ. It was accompanied by an eternally binding declaration of righteousness. (Romans 3:23-24, 28; 4:25; 5:1; 9-18; 8:30; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11; Galatians 2:16; 3:11) It must be noted that the legal imputation of righteousness and the affirming declaration of righteousness did not make the fallen experientially righteous. The fulfillment of experiential righteousness is a promise that will be consummated with the future redemption of the physical body. (Romans 8:23) (Romans 3:25-26; 4:1-25; 5:1; 19; 6:4a; 1 Corinthians 1:30; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Galatians 3:6-9) The justification of fallen mankind from all transgression of divine law (sin) also required the resurrection of the Christ from the dead. Fulfilling His role in the Eternal Covenant, the heavenly Father resurrected the Son, Jesus Christ. (Acts 13:30; Romans 4:25; 6:4; Galatians 1:1; Ephesians 1:20; 1 Peter 1:20-21) Because He lives, His righteousness could be imputed (credited) and His life (zoe) imparted to every person who chooses to respond by faith. “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21) Summary To satisfy the justice of God, the justification of the transgressor was necessarily comprised of the following redemptive works of Jesus Christ: |
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Benefit
As indicated, the righteous requirement of the rule of law was already satisfied. Jesus Christ fulfilled it by His perfect obedience to its every command, ordinance, and stipulation. The justice of God satisfied by the fulfillment of the requirement of law, He provided for His ecclesia to be justified from sin. Through the redemptive work of Christ, the New Testament church was gloriously privileged to be forgiven of all transgression of divine law; past, present, and future. In addition, it was utterly blessed to receive an imputation of divine righteousness. It was affirmed by a legal, eternally binding declaration of righteousness. Concordant with the imputation of Christ’s righteousness, the requirement of the rule of law was legally fulfilled in the New Testament church. (Romans 8:4a) As a result, it is “… holy and blameless and above reproach” regarding the law of God. (Romans 8:4-13; Ephesians 5:26-27; Colossians 1:22; Hebrews 12:23) Therefore, the ecclesia is not obligated to fulfill the requirement of law. Not only was the requirement of the rule of law satisfied by the redemptive work of Christ but also its purpose. The fundamental purpose of the rule of law is to reveal the transgression of law (sin). Fully justified from sin, however, there is no sin remaining within the New Testament church in need of revelation. Both the requirement and purpose of the law fully satisfied; the rule of law became superfluous for the New Testament church. Therefore, it was released from the jurisdiction of the rule of law. (Romans 6:14; 7:1-6; 1 Corinthians 9:20-21; Galatians 3:1-5, 10-14, 23-26; 5:4-6; 22-23; Hebrews 7:12; 10:1) The New Testament church was released from the jurisdiction (sphere of authority) by its baptism into the crucifixion and death of Christ. (Romans 6:3-7, 7:1-6; Galatians 2:20) Although released from the jurisdiction of divine law, the New Testament church remains obligated to God. However, its obligation is not according to the old external rule of law but the new law of the Eternal Covenant; the “law of faith,” the “law of Christ,” the “law of the Spirit of life (zoe) in Christ Jesus,” the “perfect law,” and the “law of liberty.” (Romans 3:27; 8:2; 1 Corinthians 9:21; Galatians 6:2; James 1:25; 2:12) The entire benefit of justification (acquittal from sin; past, present, and future and righteousness imputed) is clearly immeasurable. Nevertheless, the Apostle Paul provided a small sampling of some of the amazing benefits. He revealed that justification from sin leads to “peace with God.” Paul then mentioned some of the blessings of “peace with God.” He included direct access to God, the certainty of hope fulfilled, purpose in trial and tribulation, divine love poured out by the presence of the indwelling Spirit of God, and joy beyond measure. (Romans 5:1-11) By Grace Fallen man is utterly helpless. He cannot achieve justification from the transgression of law (sin) apart from the gracious will and work of God alone. (Romans 3:23-24) Through Faith God has provided fallen man with the means to cooperate in his justification from sin. It occurs through instrumentality of faith alone. “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.” (Romans 3:28; 5:1; Galatians 2:16; 3:11; Ephesians 2:8-9) God Is for Us With foreknowledge, God graciously intervened in the affairs of fallen mankind through the mediatorial, substitutional, sacrificial work of Jesus Christ. Satisfying His justice, it allowed for the justification of the fallen from the transgression of law (sin). “… if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.” (John 8:36) “He who was delivered over because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification.” (Romans 4:25) “If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? Who will bring a charge against God's elect? God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.” (Romans 8:31-34) “I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died needlessly." (Galatians 2:21) © 2023 James Hiatt |
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