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The
saving power of the atonement required Christ
to be wholly and utterly human, without any ‘Divinity
of nature’, and without any ‘Deity’ which God
alone possesses.
It was predicated on Christ's life of perfect
obedience, and on his bearing a nature identical
to our own.
This fundamental principle of the atonement is
dealt with no less than six times in the apostolic
writings, and the exposition they give on each
and every occasion, whether speaking to Jews or
Gentiles, is exactly the same:
Hebrews 2:14
14Forasmuch then as the children are partakers
of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise
took part of the same; that through death
he might destroy him that had the power of
death, that is, the devil;
15And deliver them who through fear of
death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
Christ was made of the very same flesh and
blood as ourselves, in order that through
his death he might destroy the power of death,
and deliver those subject to bondage.
So, according to Paul here, it was imperative
that Christ be of the same flesh and blood as
we ourselves, in order to effect the atonement.
Thus we see that the deliverance of those subject
to bondage was predicated on Christ's mortality.
Of his 'Divinity', nothing is said...
Hebrews 10:
10By the which will we are sanctified through
the offering of the body of Jesus Christ
once for all.
19Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter
into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,
20By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated
for us, through the veil, that is to say, his
flesh;
Here Paul says that Christ, through the offering
of his body of flesh, and by his blood,
enabled our sanctification, and the entering
in of a new and living way, which he consecrated
for us.
Obviously, according to Paul, it was imperative
that Christ be of the same flesh and blood as
we ourselves, in order to effect the atonement.
Thus we see that the sanctification and entering
in to the holiest, was predicated on Christ's
mortality. Of his 'Divinity', nothing
is said...
Romans 8:
3For what the law could not do, in that it was
weak through the flesh, God sending His own Son
in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for
sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
4That the righteousness of the law might be
fulfilled in us...
Here Paul says that Christ was made in the
likeness of sinful flesh, in order that he
might condemn sin in the flesh, so that
we might have access to righteousness.
It is clear that Paul is telling us that it was
imperative Christ be of the same flesh and blood
of we ourselves, in order to effect the atonement.
Thus we see that this fulfillment of righteousness
was predicated on Christ's mortality.
Of his 'Divinity', nothing is said...
Ephesians 2:
15Having abolished in his flesh the enmity,
even the law of commandments contained in ordinances;
for to make in himself of twain one new man, so
making peace;
16And that he might reconcile both unto God
in one body by the cross, having slain
the enmity thereby:
Here Paul tells us that the enmity between God
and man was abolished in the flesh of Christ,
who, by his death on the cross, slew the enmity,
so making peace and reconciling us to God.
Again, according to Paul here, it was imperative
that Christ be of the same flesh and blood as
we ourselves, in order to effect the atonement.
Thus we see that the peace and reconciliation
was predicated on Christ's mortality.
Of his 'Divinity', nothing is said...
Colossians 1:
20And, having made peace through the blood
of his cross, by him to reconcile all things
unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things
in earth, or things in heaven.
21And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies
in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath
he reconciled
22In the body of his flesh through death,
to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable
in his sight:
Here Paul says that Christ, in the body of
his flesh through death, by means of the
blood of his cross, was able to reconcile
us, and make peace.
Again, according to Paul here, it was imperative
that Christ be of the same flesh and blood as
we ourselves, in order to effect the atonement.
Thus we see that the peace and reconciliation
was predicated on Christ's mortality.
Of his 'Divinity', nothing is said...
1 Peter 2:
24Who his own self bare our sins in his own
body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins,
should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes
ye were healed.
Here Peter says that Christ, his own self,
bare our sins in his own body on the tree,
and thus ensured we may live unto righteousness,
our stripes being healed.
Again, according to Paul here, it was imperative
that Christ be of the same flesh and blood as
we ourselves, in order to effect the atonement.
Thus we see that the righteousness and healing
was predicated on Christ's mortality.
Of his 'Divinity', nothing is said...
I argue that every time the apostles expound the
atonement, they demonstrate without possibility
of dispute that its salvic efficacy was predicated
on Christ's absolute mortality, and
not on any 'divine-nature-added-to-human-nature'
in whatever form you choose to describe it.
Paul tells us that Christ had to be man in order
to effect the atonement. Not once does he tell
us Christ had to be God. Not once.
Now a list of quotes which prove that Christ had
exactly the same nature as we ourselves:
Hebrews 2:14
14Forasmuch then as the children are partakers
of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise
took part of the same; that through death
he might destroy him that had the power of
death, that is, the devil;
It doesn't get much stronger than 'He',
also', himself', likewise',
'partook of the same'.
Our human nature is biased towards sin. Hebrews
says of Christ that he, himself, likewise,
partook of the same.
His human nature was no different to ours.
Romans 8:
3For what the law could not do, in that it was
weak through the flesh, God sending His own Son
in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for
sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
4That the righteousness of the law might be
fulfilled in us...
Well, Paul tells us quite clearly that Christ
was sent in the likeness of sinful flesh'.
Hebrews 3:
15For we have not an high priest which cannot
be touched with the feeling of our infirmities;
but was in all points tempted like as we are,
yet without sin.
Christ was tempted in every way that we are -
because he was made of the same sin-biased human
nature. The only difference between his life and
ours was that he did not sin.
In order to support his claim of the substitutionary
nature of the atonement, and that the saving power
of the atonement required the Divinity of Christ,
the trinitarian must provide:
- Quotes saying that the saving power of the atonement
was required the Divinity of Christ
- Quotes saying that the human nature which Christ
bore was different to that which we bore, and
specifically, unbiased towards sin
The incredible witness which the apostles give
to the fundamental truth of the atonement cannot
be denied.
In fact, so powerful is this witness to the truth
of the atonement, that it can be used to combat
the errors of the substitutionary atonement and
the trinity simultaneously.
Every trinitarian will tell you that the atonement
was substitutionary - Christ died instead of us.
The substitutionary atonement is built on the
concept of ‘retribution’, of a wrathful Deity
whose sanguinous fury can only be satisfied with
a blood sacrifice.
The issue is that modern trinitarians make it
a fundamental fellowship issue that Christ was
both 100% man and 100% God. If this was truly
the apostolic understanding, and if this was truly
one of the apostolic predicates of fellowship,
then it would have been articulated as such.
Trinitarians object to Christ being described
as 'only man' as pertaining to his nature
- the apostles insisted on it. The fact of the
matter is that the trinitarian of today emphasises
Christ's alleged 'Divinity'.
The apostles emphasised his humanity.
- The trinitarian makes the 'Deity'
of Christ a fellowship issue - the apostles made
the humanity of Christ a fellowship issue.
- The trinitarian predicates the saving power
of the atonement on the 'Deity'
of Christ - the apostles predicate the saving
power of the atonement on the humanity
of Christ.
- The trinitarian's doctrine, dogma, and teaching
are all focussed on proving that Christ was God
- the apostles' doctrine, dogma, and teaching,
are all focussed on proving that Christ was a
man, the son of God
There is a profound and obvious difference here.
It is vital to understand the manner in which
the substitutionary atonement and the doctrine
of the trinity are intimately related.
The subsititutionary atonement requires the payment
of a penalty for all the sins of all
mankind, and the only sacrifice considered capable
of fulfilling such a demand is God Himself - the
sacrifice of no mere mortal, it is argued, could
satisfy the Divine wrath. To deny the substitutionary
atonement is to deny a fundamental reason
for the Deity of Christ.
This vulnerability of the trinitarian theology
is very quickly revealed when the subject of the
atonement is discussed. The trinitarian position
rapidly descends into a question begging farce
- Christ had to be God because he had to make
a substitutionary atonement, a substitutionary
atonement necessitated the sacrifice of a God,
Christ was sacrificed to make the atonement, therefore
Christ had to be God.
Typically, the approach is to prove that the atonement
was not substitutionary, but the passages used
by the Christadelphian to advance the true nature
of Christ’s representative sacrifice are inevitably
the same as those used by the trinitarian to support
the substitutionary sacrifice - the debate frequently
breaks down into a semantic argument, a trifiling
over the various subtle shades of meaning a word
may have.
The eloquence and force of the argument founded
on the apostolic exposition of the atonement,
however, is unassailable.
The simple fact that the apostles insist
that the saving power of the atonement absolutely
necessitated the complete and utter mortality
of Christ, is enough to annihilate the substitutionary
atonement, and to strike a critical mortal blow
into the heart of the trinitiarian dogma:
1) If the saving power of the atonement absolutely
necessitated the complete and utter mortality
of Christ, then his ‘Deity’ was not required
at all.
2) If the ‘Deity’ of Christ was not required for
the saving power of the atonement, then the atonement
itself could not possibly have been substitutionary,
by definition - no man, it is argued, could
pay the price for all the sins of mankind, past,
present, and future.
3) If the saving power of the atonement absolutely
necessitated the complete and utter mortality
of Christ, and if it did not require his
‘Deity’ at all, then not only does the doctrine
of the atonement provide no support for the
trinity whatsoever, it becomes evident that
the doctrine of the trinity is utterly irrelevant
to the atonement.
The result is that the illogical circular reasoning
of the trinitarian, which attempts to use the
substitutionary atonement to prove the Deity of
Christ, whilst attempting to use the Deity of
Christ to prove the subsititutionary atonement,
breaks down immediately.
by
Parakaleo
I'm
just going to add a piece I wrote for the 'Nature
of Christ' debating thread, which points out
how Jesus could have our nature (which
inevitably sins) and still overcome.
| QUOTE
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>
if God affected Christs nature or dna that
in some way made him better than us... then
it stands to reason that he cannot judge us....(although
we know the scriptures say he can and will
judge us) Because he does not share our nature,
and he ergo would not have overcome our sinful
fallen nature, because he was "genetically"
or supernaturally better than us...
>
Evangelion:
Scripture clearly states that his nature was
no different to our own. However, it is possible
that God provided him with superior abilities,
such as high intelligence, endurance, memory,
etc. This would make him well suited to his
mission, without actually granting him any
unfair advantage with regard to his own personal
battle against sin. |
I agree with Evangelion but would also like to add
that as well as the superior abilities granted to
Jesus, he also had the advantage of daily education
by the Father and a constant relationship with
his Father as a result.
These Messianic passages illustrate the point:
- Isa
50v4-6 (KJV)
The Lord GOD hath given me the tongue of the
learned, that I should know how to speak a word
in season to him that is weary: he
wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine
ear to hear as the learned.
The Lord GOD hath opened mine ear, and I was
not rebellious, neither turned away back.
I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks
to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not
my face from shame and spitting.
- Isa
50v4-5 (Contemporary English Version)
The LORD God gives me the right words to encourage
the weary. Each morning he awakens me eager
to learn his teaching;
he made me willing to listen and not rebel or
run away.
- Psa
40v6-8
Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire;
mine ears hast thou opened*: burnt offering
and sin offering hast thou not required.
Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the
book it is written of me,
I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea,
thy law is within my heart.
*'opened' = Hb
'digged' - a reference to the
Hebrew slave who was entitled to freedom but voluntarily
gave himself back to serve his master.
- Exodus
21v2-6
If thou buy a Hebrew servant, six years he shall
serve: and in the seventh he shall go out free
for nothing.
If he came in by himself, he shall go out by
himself: if he were married, then his wife shall
go out with him.
If his master have given him a wife, and she
have born him sons or daughters; the wife and
her children shall be her master's, and
he shall go out by himself.
And if the servant shall plainly say, I love
my master, my wife, and my children; I will
not go out free:
Then his master shall bring him unto the judges;
he shall also bring him to the door, or unto
the door post; and his master shall bore his
ear through with an awl; and he shall serve
him forever.
In this case his ear was pierced to show this free
will decision to all. A fitting type of Christ's
voluntary submission to his Father on the cross!
And note Christ had a different
will to his Father.
- Luke
22v42
Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this
cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but
thine, be done.
Someone once showed me a stick figure analogy to
illustrate the similarity and differences of Christ
to us. I can't draw it so I'll have to describe
it.
Firstly there was a plain stick figure, which represented
Adam before he sinned. No bias towards sin, just
made upright and capable of going either way.
- Ecc
7v29
Lo, this only have I found, that God hath
made man upright; but they have sought out
many inventions.
After Adam sinned, man became biased
towards sin which can be illustrated
by a stick figure of a man holding a heavy bucket
on one side and hence bowed over on that side. That
makes it inevitable we will sin. Without God's
intervention it is not possible for us not
to sin.
- 1
John 1v8
If we say that we have no sin
,
we deceive ourselves, and the truth is
not in us.
- 1
Kings 8v46
If they sin against thee, (for there is no
man that sinneth not ,)...
- Ecc
7:20
For there is not a just man upon earth
,
that doeth good, and sinneth not.
- Rom
5v12
Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the
world, and death by sin; and so death passed
upon all men, for that all have sinned:
If you add Christ's superior abilities, education
and relationship with his Father into the picture,
it becomes a bucket on the other
side of the stick figure, enabling him
to remain upright because
balanced.
This doesn't mean he romped it home - Gethsemane
alone should show us that. He was sorely tempted
in all points like we are, having identical human
nature to us, yet God gave him the necessary 'tools'
(as it were) to overcome sin.
- Heb
2v18
For in that he himself hath suffered being
tempted, he is able to succor them that
are tempted.
I think this is clearly the reason that when the
Apostle Paul comments on the work of Christ, he
only ever compares Christ to one man, Adam. Because
only these two have ever been capable of not sinning.
- Rom
5v12-19 (World English Bible)
Therefore, as sin entered into the world
through one man ,
and death through sin; and so death passed to
all men, because all sinned.
For until the law, sin was in the world; but
sin is not charged when there is no law.
Nevertheless death reigned from Adam until Moses,
even over those whose sins weren't like
Adam's disobedience, who is a foreshadowing
of him who was to come.
But the free gift isn't like the trespass.
For if by the trespass of the one the many died,
much more did the grace of God, and the gift
by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, abound
to the many.
The gift is not as through one who sinned: for
the judgment came by one to condemnation, but
the free gift came of many trespasses to justification.
For if by the trespass of the one, death
reigned through the one; so much more will those
who receive the abundance of grace and of the
gift of righteousness reign in life through
the one, Jesus Christ.
So then as through one trespass, all men were
condemned; even so through one act of righteousness,
all men were justified to life.
For as through the one man's disobedience
many were made sinners, even so through the
obedience of the one will many be made righteous.
- 1Co
15v21-22
For since by man came death, by man came also
the resurrection of the dead.
For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ
shall all be made alive
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