One of my readers made a comment previous blog post wanting to explore a little more deeply about why the divinity of Christ was necessary for the atonement to be sufficient.
I wanted to try and address that here a bit more.
The point that Grudem was making is that either Jesus is eternal deity or He is a created being. If He was created, does He become part of the creation marred by the sinful fall of man?
Grudem's point is that it if difficult to see how a created being could offer sacrifice in full propitiation for divine wrath? Could any creature, no matter how great the standing in the order of creation, save us from our sins?
I guess you could argue that there are aspects of creation outside of the heavenly realm that are not marred by a sinful humanity. There is the heavenly realm, populated of angels. But aren't demons no more than fallen angels? Is there an essential, elemental goodness, a perfection within the angelic realm that would allow perfect sacrifice on our behalf.
As I think about it, anything in creation can be subject to pride and arrogance and fall into sin. Satan, the greatest of angels did, and took a third of the angelic host with him.
The point is nothing within creation can stand the rigors of divine wrath and satisfy it fully. It takes a transcendent being, standing outside of creation to do that. And that can only come from the divine Creator. Hence, Jesus must be God to fulfill the requirements of divine wrath.
I wanted to try and address that here a bit more.
The point that Grudem was making is that either Jesus is eternal deity or He is a created being. If He was created, does He become part of the creation marred by the sinful fall of man?
Grudem's point is that it if difficult to see how a created being could offer sacrifice in full propitiation for divine wrath? Could any creature, no matter how great the standing in the order of creation, save us from our sins?
I guess you could argue that there are aspects of creation outside of the heavenly realm that are not marred by a sinful humanity. There is the heavenly realm, populated of angels. But aren't demons no more than fallen angels? Is there an essential, elemental goodness, a perfection within the angelic realm that would allow perfect sacrifice on our behalf.
As I think about it, anything in creation can be subject to pride and arrogance and fall into sin. Satan, the greatest of angels did, and took a third of the angelic host with him.
The point is nothing within creation can stand the rigors of divine wrath and satisfy it fully. It takes a transcendent being, standing outside of creation to do that. And that can only come from the divine Creator. Hence, Jesus must be God to fulfill the requirements of divine wrath.
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