Post by Archangelwolf on Apr 4, 2004 19:07:08 GMT -5
God's good creation is slowly perfecting itself to His goal of perfection, but humanity, instead of helping God, is hindering Him with its selfishness and disobedience. God had hoped to achieve His goals with humanity's assistance, but as evidenced in Genesis, humanity wanted its own interests with creation. So, God hoped to guide creation to perfection through a nation of people as a human resistance movement against evil. Well, it started out well enough, but that idea crashed and burned as well.
The problem was not God; it was the instrument He was using. God was using human beings that were born into a sinful nature. They knew that they should obey God, love one another, and take care of God's creation; yet they did not. Whether He made covenants with them or not, they continued to pursue their own interests. How could humanity, and the rest of creation for that matter, be saved?
The answer: a Messiah!
The Israelites, through their prophets, had always foretold of His coming. However, they expected something a little different than what God had planned. The Israelites expected another God-fearing leader like David that would lead them back to a place of world prominence, much like America enjoys today. The problem with that plan is...God had already tried it. He had tried to save the world through a nation; and it did not work out. So, God was going to try to save the world through one man. That man is Jesus. Jesus is the physical manifestation of what Israel was supposed to be.
The atonement of Jesus upon humanity, and all of creation for that matter, can be compared to looking out the windows of a skyscraper. Each view is going to be different, yet they are all the same view. First of all, we must understand that our separation from God is something that we can not solve ourselves. The only way we can be saved is by God's grace. We must be forgiven as a gift, because we can not earn it in any way.
View #1. Ransom
Humanity, because of their sin, is under the authority of evil, or Satan. Jesus comes and offers Himself as a ransom for us. Basically, he says, "If I give you myself, will you set them free?" Satan agrees to the trade-off, and he takes Jesus, tortures Him, and kills Him. Then, God double-crosses Satan and raises Jesus from the dead.
View #2. Substitution
God decides to mercifully allow Himself to be killed on a cross to satisfy or absorb His own anger towards humanity for their selfish nature towards His creation.
View #3. Victory over death.
God, through Jesus, enters death and overcomes it; thus allowing believers into eternal life.
View #4. Perfect Repentance.
If God wants to forgive us so much, then why does He not just do it? Humanity can not, and will not, completely repent on its own; because deep down, there are parts of us that love to sin. So, Jesus is the only human being that could wholeheartedly repent.
View #5. Moral Influence
Jesus gave of Himself throughout His life right up unto the cross, and beyond. Jesus completely abandoned any human ambitions for the sake of seeking ONLY God's will. When we allow ourselves to be given back to God, in turn we give ourselves to our community and the world. In essence, we give ourselves back to creation as God had intended.
View #6. Vulnerability
By allowing Himself to become vulnerable on the cross, and accepting violence from Jews and Romans alike, Jesus displayed God's loving heart. Instead of quenching His anger by causing suffering on humanity, He accepts suffering upon Himself out of love. God rejects the violence associated with humanity, and instead of avenging our disobedience with violent retaliation, God transforms it with loving reconciliation.
View #7. Pain of Forgiveness
The violent and torturous death makes visible the pain that it took God to forgive us. Like a betrayed husband forgiving his unfaithful wife, so God forgave us; as much as it hurt. When we least deserved forgiveness, God knew that we needed it the most.
Arch.
The problem was not God; it was the instrument He was using. God was using human beings that were born into a sinful nature. They knew that they should obey God, love one another, and take care of God's creation; yet they did not. Whether He made covenants with them or not, they continued to pursue their own interests. How could humanity, and the rest of creation for that matter, be saved?
The answer: a Messiah!
The Israelites, through their prophets, had always foretold of His coming. However, they expected something a little different than what God had planned. The Israelites expected another God-fearing leader like David that would lead them back to a place of world prominence, much like America enjoys today. The problem with that plan is...God had already tried it. He had tried to save the world through a nation; and it did not work out. So, God was going to try to save the world through one man. That man is Jesus. Jesus is the physical manifestation of what Israel was supposed to be.
The atonement of Jesus upon humanity, and all of creation for that matter, can be compared to looking out the windows of a skyscraper. Each view is going to be different, yet they are all the same view. First of all, we must understand that our separation from God is something that we can not solve ourselves. The only way we can be saved is by God's grace. We must be forgiven as a gift, because we can not earn it in any way.
View #1. Ransom
Humanity, because of their sin, is under the authority of evil, or Satan. Jesus comes and offers Himself as a ransom for us. Basically, he says, "If I give you myself, will you set them free?" Satan agrees to the trade-off, and he takes Jesus, tortures Him, and kills Him. Then, God double-crosses Satan and raises Jesus from the dead.
View #2. Substitution
God decides to mercifully allow Himself to be killed on a cross to satisfy or absorb His own anger towards humanity for their selfish nature towards His creation.
View #3. Victory over death.
God, through Jesus, enters death and overcomes it; thus allowing believers into eternal life.
View #4. Perfect Repentance.
If God wants to forgive us so much, then why does He not just do it? Humanity can not, and will not, completely repent on its own; because deep down, there are parts of us that love to sin. So, Jesus is the only human being that could wholeheartedly repent.
View #5. Moral Influence
Jesus gave of Himself throughout His life right up unto the cross, and beyond. Jesus completely abandoned any human ambitions for the sake of seeking ONLY God's will. When we allow ourselves to be given back to God, in turn we give ourselves to our community and the world. In essence, we give ourselves back to creation as God had intended.
View #6. Vulnerability
By allowing Himself to become vulnerable on the cross, and accepting violence from Jews and Romans alike, Jesus displayed God's loving heart. Instead of quenching His anger by causing suffering on humanity, He accepts suffering upon Himself out of love. God rejects the violence associated with humanity, and instead of avenging our disobedience with violent retaliation, God transforms it with loving reconciliation.
View #7. Pain of Forgiveness
The violent and torturous death makes visible the pain that it took God to forgive us. Like a betrayed husband forgiving his unfaithful wife, so God forgave us; as much as it hurt. When we least deserved forgiveness, God knew that we needed it the most.
Arch.
