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#404 SOTERIOLOGY
A Theological examination of the provision and application of salvation, treating the union with Christ, regeneration, conversion, justification, sanctification, and perseverance.
By
Edward G. Rice
25 May 1999
Submitted in partial fulfillment of requirements
for the course Soteriology #404 Video Studies Program
Professor Dr. Warren Vanhetloo
Calvary Baptist Theological Seminary
Lansdale Pennsylvania

Explain Carefully the Union of the two natures of Christ.

The unfathomable Oneness of the infinite with the finite, of the omniscient with the unlearned, the union of the omnipotent with the weak, the union of the omnipresent with a body licked in time and space, this union was the essential characteristic for a propitiation a 'Daysman' to stand betwixt God and man "That might lay His hand upon us both." . . . "and we should come together in judgment." Thus, this Daysman, must be as much man as if He were not God, and as much God as if He were not man. This Daysman must be an equal with God, and an equal with man. He could not be a created being; created by God; superior to man and inferior to God; No, such would not be a Daysman that could lay his hand upon each, for how could such an one lay his hand upon God to mediate and how could such an one lay his hand upon man in judgment?

This Daysman could not be God who pretended to be in the form of man, who revealed himself to man just as if He were man but who, in actuality was a spirit in the form of man. No, this Daysman, though he could so deceive ignorant man, could not lay his hand on both man and God and "stand betwixt us"... " that we should come together in judgment." if He were known by an omniscient God as a deceiver of men, and not really flesh and blood. This Daysman must be as much man as if He were not God, and as much God as if He were not a man. Nor could this Daysman be just a devout God inspired man, exulted above all of mankind and held as the example of one attaining a form of deity, no a mere created man could never attain a position which would allow him to place a hand on God and a hand on man, and "stand betwixt " us as a reconciler which would take away our sin. For, again, an omniscient infinite God could not be touched by such an one unless this Daysman "thought it not robbery to be equal with God," and the infinite God thought it not slander to be equal with this Daysman. This daysman could not be a pretender on either side of God no man, he must be truly God and truly man, as much God as if he were not man, as much man as id he were not God. Such a combination of the infinite with the finite is impossible, However, Mary, who recognized this impossibility ask God, "how can these things be?" and she was told "with God nothing shall be impossible" Zacharias said of his Don John, "And thou child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest' for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways; to give knowledge of salvation unto his people by remission of their sins, Through the tender mercy of Our God; whereby the Dayspring from on high hath visited us, to give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet in to the way of peace."

In the annals of Christian history there are four deviations from the sound Biblical necessity of a God-Man Daysman. There were (are) those who denied the reality of His deity, saying he was not really God. Then, those who denied the integrity of His deity, saying He wan God , but he had to set aside all his Godly attributes to be man, they deny the integrity of His deity. There are those, it seems, who actually denied the reality of his manhood, saying he was only a spirit being, without flesh and blood for God cannot have flesh and blood as you and I would . Lastly their are those who denied the integrity of His manhood, saying his man-ness was swallowed up in his deity. Thus this the orthodox Christian must let the Jehovaha-witness (so-called) and Mormon doctrines be damned and declare boldly our daysman was as much man as if He were not God, and as much God as if he were not man. Only He can be our Daysman. Job said it,. . . "For (God) is not a man as I am, that I should answer him, and we should come together in judgment. Neither is there any Daysman betwixt us, that might lay his hand on us both."

But I have such a Daysman. Do you?



How Does the Lutheran view of the union of the two natures agree with that of others and differ from others, and how is this difference related to teaching regarding the Lord's Supper?
 
Orthodox Christianity holds that the person of Jesus Christ was a union of the human and divine in such a way that human attributes were asserted to his Person, (i.e. hunger, weariness, temptation) and divine attributes were asserted to his Person (i.e. creation and upholding the world, the love and compassion of God). Secondly, the Person of Jesus Christ could use the natures He possessed. He could walk and talk, feel and breath with his human nature. He could create bread and calm the sea with his divine nature. These distinctions are held by Lutherans as well, however, in order to build a concept that they physically partake of the body and blood of Jesus Christ in their sacraments, they altered this clear model. Lutherans hold to con-substantiation. Thereby they believe the body and blood of Christ is literally present in the wafer and wine. This differs even from the Catholic pagan sacrament of transubstantiation, whereby they believe a wafer turns into the literal body of Christ, and the wine into the literal blood of Christ. They believe that the eating of the body and blood is what makes us holy, gives us righteousness, and makes us acceptable to God;. . . how pagan! The Lutherans, desiring to leave such pagan practice, but desiring to hold to a sacramental system, manufactured a concept that at Christ's resurrection, or ascension, His human body became 'ubiquitous (i.e. almost omnipresent). They hold that the literal atoms of His body and blood can literally occupy the wafer and wine. In the model of the Person of Christ drawing from both human and divine natures, the Lutherans alone hold that some of the divine nature (omni-presence) spilled over into the human nature, although none of the human nature could get into the divine. Consequently learned Lutherans despise the pagan Catholic Mass with its mystical trans-substantiation. Lutherans dabble in the same sacramental developments,, but attempt to follow a logical approach, con-substantiation, rather than the mystical development of trans-substantiation. Unfortunately some unlearned Baptists do not even know a difference between a sacrament and an ordinance and would partake of Catholic or Lutheran mass if at a wedding, funeral etc. Sacramental views are pagan and contrary to God's pattern of Salvation. 

The belief that communion is a holy sacrament, that the elements of bread and wine mystically or logically generated or produces righteousness within a person is foreign to God's Word. The twist that the Lutherans put into the theological model of the deity of Jesus demonstrates that as Protestants, they did not protest quite enough. Thy did not break from the twisted and tangled sacramental development of the Roman Catholic Church. Instead, they twisted and tangled the distinctions between the two natures within the Person of Jesus the Christ. How unfortunate that Lutheran Doctrine holds onto works for righteousness, when Luther, himself desired a clean break from this fallacy. Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. (Titus 3:5-7 )


Identify the three offices of Jesus and explain His function as prophet.

The clear offices of Jesus the Christ are not distinct but include prophet, priest and king; the functions are revealing, reconciling, and ruling; the relationship is saving from the ignorance of sin (as a prophet), the guilt and separation of sin (as a priest) and the dominion of sin (as a king). These offices are supreme and practiced upon all of mankind. He is, indeed, the supreme Prophet; i.e. John called him the "WORD" of God, the LIGHT that shined upon all men. He is, indeed, the supreme Priest, i.e. He taught "there is no other name" under heaven whereby we must be saved. He is, indeed, the supreme King, i.e. all this world will be his footstool and He will be called King of kings, and Lord of lords. These three offices are prefigured in the Old Testament to prepare the way with an appreciation of the Person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ as Prophet, Priest, and King.

Let's examine briefly his marvelous function as a prophet. The Bible says "The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a prophet form the midst of thee, of thy brethern, like unto me, unto him ye shall hearken;" (Deut 18:15)  and again "I will raise them up a prophet from among them, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him, and it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him."  God did send this prophet.  Jesus spoke for God and spoke as God! He was the ultimate revelation of God, one could rightly call Him the unit of communication of God, or the Word of God.  As such He fulfilled the function of prophet. He fulfilled the function of scripture in that He taught, He predicted, and He performed miracles.  He called Himself a prophet, and He was called a prophet.
   John called Him the "light"  that shined in darkness, "that was the true light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world."  "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, . . .  full of grace and truth."   This supreme prophet was not only the spokesman for God, he was the manifestation of God. He was God in the flesh.
What are the methods of representing the atonement in Scripture?

   The four most vivid representation of the atonement may be drawn from the key verse of all scripture, the verse that captures this work of Christ. "For God so loved . . " speaks of the moral analogy of the manifested love of God.  "That He gave", captures the marketplace analogies of a price to be paid.  "His only begotten Son", holds forth the legal analogy of a substitute, a surety, that was paid. And forth "should not perish" reminds us of the sacrifice, that must instead perish.  The sacrificial analogies, God's favored analogy, can be here envisioned.  Each of these four characterizations of the atoning work of Christ are amply foreshadowed and depicted in God's revealed Word.
   The Moral Analogy:  Man made in the image of God has an ability to choose, to exercise his will.  God has made us with such an ability to select, to choose who we would love or not love.  Love is not, as taught in our society, a feeling or an emotion it is a choice that moral man can will.   Thus, the command by God to love our wives, to love one another, to love our enemies is not a gushing emotional feeling but a purposeful intentional act of our will, . .  or not.   (i.e. unwilling to love, "I don't love her any more!", "I will not love my enemy.")  It is an act' a will' and purposeful arranging of ones act, emotion and even affection.  To examine mans love in this way, to clearly state that it may be selected or rejected by ones will  is to better capture the intention of "For God so loved the world."   He purposefully loved the unlovely, He exercised His will to love his enemy, dis-obedient rebelling hearted man.  This was self-less love this was on purpose, directed love . . .  God so loved that He gave.  As Christ loved the Church and gave Himself . . . so ought a man to love his wife as his own flesh.  So ought men to love their neighbor.  Examine your love- examine your ability to selectively love and then understand that "God so loved the world."
   There is a market place analogy of the atonement.  "He gave." the Bible said.  God so loved that He gave His only begotten son.  A prive that was paid.  A market place analogy of the atoning work of Jesus Christ.  In Matthew 20:28 the Bible says "Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto,. but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many,  "An instead of", "as the price of"; "in exchange for."  Mark 10:45 states the same "to give his life a ransom for many."  II Timothy 2:5-6 states "For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men - the man Christ Jesus;  Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time."  It is due time that we herald the news that "Christ did not die to be a martyr,  Christ did not die  to be a martyr, Christ did not die to be an example to us of selflessness, Christ did not die to demonstrate how we can die gracefully, with dignity, Christ did not die for a cause or social or  political reform; Christ did not die for what Christian Science says  "the exemplification of mans unity with God, where man reflects divine truth, life and love."1
   Here me, and understand the "Christian" lies  of liberals and modernists, and look at the gold with a backdrop of black, know the reason he died with an understanding of the backdrop made from the black absence of light. He died as my ransom,  He died to "secure the release of a person for a required price, as from captivity or detention".  He died to set me free from sin AND its consequence.  I have been bought, God gave His only begotten Son, as my ransom.  In Corinth, a regional marketplace a hub of commerce for all the Roman Empire Paul said "For ye are bought with a price;  therefore glorify God in your body; and in your Spirit, which are Gods." (ICor 6:20)  He said "Ye are bought with a price, be not ye the servants of men."  (7:23) . . . abide with God"
   Peter said of this market place analogy, "But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who prively shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them and bring upon themselves swift destruction."
   In the book of Ruth we find there were two kinsman redeemers, the closest kinsman redeemer would not pay the ransom price, yeah he could not pay the ransom price to redeem Ruth and her inheritance.   But God, so loved the world, that he GAVE his only begotten Son.  He paid the price on the market place, he paid my sin debt on the cross, He paid your sin debt on the cross. Whether you have chosen to accept him as your Saviour, accepted the random so freely offered or rejected the offer He paid the ransom for mans sin.   Paid in full, "therefor there is now no more condemnation"    My sin debt has been paid, your sin debt has been paid, but I have accepted the offer, I have applied the ransom, I have been redeemed by the blood; I have been bought back redeemed and ransomed.   This is the market place analogy of Christ's atoning work.  "For God so loved the world THAT HE GAVE his only begotten son.
   Thirdly God has provided in scripture the legal analogies for his Son's atoning work.  He gave "His only begotten Son."    The language of the court room shows up in Jesus' exposition of John 3:16, in verse 28 he says "He that believeth no Him is not condemned.; but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."  :And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men love darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil." "But when the fullness of time was come, god sent forth his son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons." (Gal 4:4)   In the book of Romans, Paul presents a legal dissertation of the violated law and the legal remedy of our sin plight.  We understand Christ's obedience to the law, penalty for sin, the guilt , and the guilty sentence passed upon all men.  The justification, the substitution,, the propitiation, our mediator, our adoption all legal terms for what Christ did in Hid atoning work. You don't have to be a lawyer to understand it nor especially to accept it in faith, but rest assured that it has been  testes and analyzed by the lawyers, non so thorough as the author of Law, God Himself.
   The moral analogies, the marketplace analogies, and the legal analogies are overwhelmed by the Scriptures that portray the sacrificial analogies.  "Whosoever believeth in Him should not perish."  God required that man's hand be placed on the head of a lamb, as the lambs throat was slit, and his blood was caught in a basin.  This life's blood of an innocent one, was to be an atonement.  "For the life of the flesh is in the blood:  and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your soul: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul." (Deut 17:11)
   I could not cover in such a short article the sacrificial analogies of Christ, our Passover, Christ our atonement, Christ, the lamb of God that taketh away the sin  of the World.  The multifaceted picture present in the burnt offering of Leviticus chapter 1 of the meal offering of chapter 2, the peace offering of chapter 3, the sin offering of chapter 4, (and Hebrews 13) and the trespass offering of chapter 5.  Hebrews provides a tour guide through the temple and its foreshadowing of the atoning work of Christ in the sacrificial analogies of our perfect sacrifice, the Lamb that taketh away the sin of the world.


Explain the Mosaic Sacrificial System as preparatory to the Work of Christ.

   In scripture God characterizes the tasks of His son as prophet, priest and King, the is the revealer, the reconciler, and the ruler.  The most illustrated and detailed of these is the reconciler or priest.  The priest and the sacrifice are meticulously delineated in the Mosaic Sacrificial system.  The atoning act of Christ is analyzed and illustrated in the moral act of Gods love, in the market place analogy of our purchase, in the legal definitions of our justification, and exclusively, even explicitly as the sacrificial lamb so amply illustrated in the Mosaic Sacrificial System.    The spiritual efficacy, of the spiritual effectiveness of this sacrificial system is reasonably debated but the preparatory teaching found in the Mosaic Sacrificial System is clearly intended to foreshadow the upcoming atoning work of Christ.  This foreshadowing,  this illustrative teaching, this sacrificial analogy of Christ's work can be seen in four clear principles.
   First taught is the need of the satisfaction of an offended God.   The Bible shows the every first death in all God's creation was the death of an animal to have a skin to cover the nakedness of the disobedient Adam and Eve.  God is offended by sin and "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: . . .    Therefore a by the offense  of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life."  (Rom 5:12 -)   That God requires judgment for sin is clearly portrayed in the sacrificial system.
   Secondly, portraying that sin involves guilt and separation the ultimate separation, that of death, is found in the Mosaic Sacrificial System.  The judgment for



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