Chapter 7: The Incarnation and Atonement

IN THIS CHAPTER, you will discover:

·   Jesus as the Son of God.
·   Jesus as the Son of Man.
·   Jesus as both divine and human in one person.
·   The marvel of the Virgin Birth.
·   The meaning and method of the Atonement.

AS A RESULT, you will be able to:

·   Understand why Christ's divine nature saves you from sin.
·   Recognize the importance of Christ's humanity for your victorious Christian life.
·   Describe Christ's divine-human nature and the similar union that now exists within you.
·   Affirm the importance of Christ's Virgin Birth for the Incarnation.
·   State why God needed to atone for your sin.

Key Scripture: "'But what about you?' he (Jesus) asked. 'Who do you say that I am?' Simon Peter answered, 'You are the Christ, the Son of the living God'" (Matt. 16:15-16).

Key Words: Incarnation, Arianism, Kenosis

That "the Word became flesh" (John 1:14) is the subject of our study on the Incarnation. Incarnation comes from a Latin word literally meaning "en-fleshment." We sometimes use an expression "in the flesh" to mean a personal appearance. At the Incarnation God personally appeared on earth. Like the Trinity, this is a great mystery of the Christian faith. Today we measure our time in relation to this momentous event - either before Christ (B.C.) or after Christ (A.D.). God becoming flesh to be the Savior of the world is the heart of the gospel message. Without the doctrine of the Incarnation, there is no salvation.

The Gospels identify Jesus by two titles. He is called the Son of God and the Son of Man. The Incarnation encompasses both aspects of His nature. First, we will look at Jesus as the Son of God. Mark's Gospel opens: "The beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God" (1:1). The Gospel writers record Jesus being called the Son of God by an angel, Satan, demons, and the Father. For much of His public ministry, however, Jesus never identified Himself as the Son of God. Before His passion, under the questioning of the priests and scribes, Jesus answered that He was the Son of God (Luke 22:70).

The disciples of Jesus learned that Jesus was the Son of God through personal revelation. When Jesus came walking on the water to the boat, the disciples recognized that He was no ordinary man. After Peter identified Jesus as the Christ, Jesus replied, "This was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven" (Matt. 16:17). Neither the multitudes nor the Jewish leaders knew that Jesus was the Son of God, despite their firsthand acquaintance with Him. Such knowledge could only come through the Father's revelation. Faith provides the inward assurance for this personal revelation. We cannot touch Jesus' nail-pierced hands and side like Thomas did. Yet Jesus said, "Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed" (John 20:29). Our faith results from Jesus' disclosure through the word and Spirit. The Scriptures continuously bear witness to Jesus’ deity. With Jesus' coming, the Old Testament revelation was fulfilled. The miracles depicted in the Gospels also attest to the Sonship of Jesus. The supreme declaration that Jesus was the Son of God came through his resurrection from the dead. This is affirmed by Paul: "Who through the Spirit of holiness w declared with power to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord" (Rom. 1:4).

The illumination of the Holy Spirit makes Jesus' special revelation in Scripture real to us. The breath of the Spirit gave humanity life at creation. As faith is awakened, the Spirit breathes into us again. We are spiritually born anew through our confession of Jesus as Lord. Word and Spirit thus cooperate to bring a certainty of faith in the Son of God.

Let us next look at the meaning of the title "The Son of God.”" We will carefully examine each word. "Son" relates to Jesus as the Chosen One. Israel was God's Son, His chosen people in the Old Testament. Whereas Israel was wayward and faithless, Jesus was faithful and true. Jesus was not chosen (or adopted) as Son at His baptism, as some heretics taught. He was eternally God's Son. He fulfilled God's calling, at which Israel had failed. With the new covenant, Jesus, the Chosen One, elected the church to be His new chosen people.

"The" Son of God shows Jesus' uniqueness. John 3:16 speaks of Jesus as the "one and only Son." Note the discussion in RT, footnote 49 on page 314 of the Greek word monogenes. John in his Gospel and first letter used this word to speak of Jesus' distinctiveness. We become children of God through adoption (Gal. 4:4-5). Jesus was born the Son of God, thus His Sonship is singular. His Sonship preexisted His human birth. God created the world through the Son as the divine Word. Arianism, a fourth-century heresy, taught that Jesus was preexistent, but declared He was created by the Father before creation. The Nicene Creed (A.D. 325) affirmed the eternal preexistence of Jesus and that He was not a created being. The Jehovah's Witnesses are a contemporary revival of the error of Arius. 

"The" Son is equal to the Father. Like the Father, Jesus gives life. His activity also parallels that of the Father. In the chapter on the Trinity, we learned He is of the same essence or substance (consubstantial) as the Father. Yet His role in the Trinity is different from the Father's. The Father eternally generates; the Son is eternally begotten. Though Father and Son are equal, they have distinct roles in the Godhead.

Jesus as "God" is the personal embodiment of the Father. This is what Jesus meant when He stated: "I and the Father are one" (John 10:30) and "Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father" (John 14:9). We just learned that each is distinct in their divine activity. Yet as God, Father and Son share divine works, titles, and identification. Jesus forgave sins and accepted worship as God did. For such actions the Jews sought to stone Him for blasphemy. Jesus also used such Old Testament designations of God as the Holy One, the Good Shepherd, and the First and the Last. Titles like "Lord," "Savior," and "Redeemer," given to God in the Old Testament, were also given to Jesus. In the New Testament, Jesus is directly identified with God. Perhaps the clearest statement is John 1:1: "The Word was God." Thomas similarly acclaimed Jesus, "My Lord and my God" (John 20:28). Jesus readily accepted such divine recognition. A final identification comes from the book of Revelation. God and Jesus are both called the Alpha and the Omega (1:8, 22:12-13).

What do we make of certain statements in Scripture that suggest Jesus is less than God? Jesus, speaking of His own return, stated, "No one knows about that day or hour…but only the Father" (Matt. 24:36). Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians that "the head of Christ is God" (11:3) and that "the Son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him" (15:28). Such subordination does not relate to Christ's divine nature. Rather, it relates to His kenosis or self-emptying. This language is taken from Philippians 2:6-7. (The NIV translation here is "made himself nothing.") Although God, Jesus emptied Himself of His divine glory and took the form of a servant. The Incarnation required Jesus temporarily to set aside His perfections of all-power, all-knowledge, and all-presence. Yet Jesus considered the surrender of these attributes necessary to express fully His love in redemption.

We close our study by considering the significance of Jesus' Incarnation. Jesus revealed the nature of God. God's character of holiness, love, and truth was mirrored by Jesus. Never again need we ask, "What is God like?" He is exactly like Jesus. If God were to come to earth again, His words and deeds would be identical to those of Jesus. Jesus as the Son of God made redemption possible. Only God Himself could take away sin. If Jesus were not God and never raised from the dead, "you are still in your sins" (1 Cor. 15:17). What a thought! But God did send His Son as the Redeemer, and redemption was accomplished. We must recognize Jesus as the Son of God for our salvation to occur. Paul writes, "That if you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved" (Rom. 10:9). Such a confession is more than intellectual assent. The acknowledgment that Jesus is the Son of God comes from a deep wellspring of faith. A glorious salvation is promised to all who declare "Jesus is Lord."

Personal Application: What is your answer to the question Jesus asked in our Key Scripture? Who is Christ to you?

Group Application: Discuss the many ways in which our lesson suggests Jesus is God. Can you think of others?

Key Scripture: "For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost" (Luke 19:10). .

Key Word: Heresy

The expression “Son of Man" relates to the human side of Christ's nature. It is Jesus' own self-designation and is used 82 times in the Gospels. Son of Man essentially means "man" or “"the man." The phrase is found in several Old Testament books, particularly Ezekiel. Over 90 times God addressed Ezekiel as the "son of man." Jesus assumed this title then to emphasize His humanity.

Throughout the Gospels, the "Son of Man" terminology conveyed a certain mystery. Jesus baffled the crowds when He stated that the Son of Man must be lifted up and glorified (John 12:23, 34). The book of Daniel prophesied the coming of a last days (eschatological) figure, "like a son of man," who would receive an everlasting kingdom (7:13-14). Jesus unmistakably identified Himself as that person: "In the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven" (Matt. 26:64). Beyond such mystery, Jesus used the term to show solidarity with humanity. Voluntarily He became flesh. He desired to be totally identified with those for whom He came to die.

Let us note several aspects as we further probe the subject of Christ's humanity. As representative man, Jesus serves as an archetype for the human race. According to Paul, Jesus was the "last Adam," “"the second man" (1 Cor. 15: 45,47). Whereas Adam failed, Jesus succeeded. He is the bridge between the fallen man of sin and the reborn man of the Spirit. He walked in obedience to His Father and thus serves as a model for us. The Gospels never provide a physical description of Jesus. He is thus a universal man for all races and cultures. By transcending such artificial barriers, Jesus became the man for all peoples.

It is much easier to affirm Christ's divinity than His humanity. We struggle to believe that Jesus was a real man like us. The first heresy (heterodoxy or false teaching) to confront the early church denied Christ's human nature. In his second letter John described those "who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh" as deceivers and antichrists (v. 7). A second-century heresy suggested that Jesus only "seemed" to be in the flesh. His humanity was thus only an illusion. These heresies are further described in RT, footnotes 149 and 150 on page 333. For salvation to occur, however, a real man needed to die on a real cross. Liberal theologians often emphasize the humanity of Jesus, sometimes even denying His divine nature. Let us not react by overemphasizing His deity. Jesus was real man and real God.

Jesus was totally human. Let us note what we share in common. He had a human birth, experienced normal physical growth, and participated in such human activities as eating, drinking, sleeping, and working. He displayed human emotions. The shortest verse in the New Testament simply says, "Jesus wept" (John 11:35). He had normal mental development, growing in wisdom and knowledge. Most importantly, He was tempted like us. The writer of Hebrews said, "We have one who has been tempted in every way just as we are - yet was without sin" (4:15). The intensity of Satan's threefold temptation in the wilderness surpassed any temptation we shall ever face. Jesus' last temptation occurred in the Garden of Gethsemane when Satan sought to deter Him from the cross. Such temptation was very real. Yet Jesus persisted in obeying the will of His Father.

Jesus exemplified human perfection. The two great commandments - Iove of God and love of neighbor - were fulfilled by Jesus. He thus provided a pattern for Christian behavior. Humility characterized all His actions. But it was through suffering that Jesus came to perfection. His ongoing suffering constantly tested His obedience to the will of the Father. True perfection is sinlessness. Through His temptation and suffering, never once did Jesus sin. John unequivocally declared: "In him is no sin" (1 John 3:5). Jesus was not sinless because of His divinity. He overcame sin in His humanity by the power of the Holy Spirit. The same Spirit also perfects us through suffering and temptation.

The word "Christ" is identical to "Messiah," both meaning "Anointed One." Jesus was the Anointed Man. At His baptism Jesus was anointed by the Holy Spirit. He went forth in the power of the Spirit to heal the sick, work mighty miracles, and deliver the oppressed. Jesus did not perform such deeds as the Son of God. Rather, He did such wonders as the anointed Son of Man. As the Anointed Man, Jesus was the first "charismatic," ministering through the gifts of the Holy Spirit. His charismatic ministry is a model for all who have received a similar anointing from the Holy Spirit.

We close our discussion by noting three significant aspects of Jesus as the Son of Man. First, He reveals the true nature of humanity. He is as Adam was meant to be - holy, righteous, loving, and faithful. Next to Him, however, we see our sinfulness. We are intensely aware of the fallen Adam within us when our old nature rears up as pride, bitterness, and hatred. Second, He prepares the way of salvation. Only a human high priest could enter the Most Holy Place of God to offer sacrifice for sin. No animal sacrifice could take away sins. So the sacrifice of a perfect man was necessary to remove sin. Jesus the man bore our punishment and took the judgment meant for us upon Himself.

Finally, Jesus offers an example of Christian living. He desires to be the role model, which perhaps we never had. Jesus still speaks to us as His disciples: "Follow me." Israel cried out to the son of man Ezekiel, "Our offenses and sins weigh us down, and we are wasting away because of them. How then can we live?" (33:10). This is also our cry to the Son of Man, Jesus. He assures not only our salvation but ongoing perfection as we follow in His steps.

Personal Application: How will the knowledge that Jesus was tempted in all areas help during your next temptation? Will His presence be more real to you?

Group Application: Williams suggests that Christians tend to emphasize Christ's divinity over His humanity. Is this true with your group? Why do we feel uncomfortable with Jesus as a man?

Key Scripture: "But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law" (Gal. 4:4).

Key Words: Hypostatic Union.

We have established that Jesus is the Son of God and the Son of Man. How we understand this extraordinary paradox is the subject of our next study. Scripture affirms both truths. On the one hand, He is the Messiah, the Christ, the Chosen One. On the other, He is the Word made flesh, born of a woman. The Incarnation encompasses this divine-human tension.

Within this paradox we first affirm the two natures of Christ. Jesus is 100 percent God and 100 percent man. With the Incarnation, Jesus never ceased to be God. At no point in His life was Jesus' humanity elevated to a deified state. A fifth-century heresy taught that these two natures fused, with the human nature absorbed by the divine. A later heresy divided Jesus into two persons. He was not a spiritual schizophrenic, however. He did not think, "Today I will be God, or today I will be a man." The union of these two natures was achieved in His inner being. Jesus had two natures, yet He was one person.

For several centuries the best minds of the Christian church tried to define Christ's identity. Besieged by the "other Christs" of the heresies, they sought to "contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints" (Jude 3). These early church Fathers, led by the Holy Spirit, laid out parameters of belief in these difficult areas. The term hypostatic union resulted from their attempt to describe the union of Jesus' two natures in one person. Only upon departure from such guidelines of orthodoxy would the church declare a person a heretic.

Human understanding of this divine mystery is finally unsatisfying. We acknowledge these facts of nature and person with our minds. But how did Jesus express two natures in His one person? We touch upon something of this divine mystery when we look at our own spiritual lives. In Galatians 2:20 Paul speaks of God's grace operating in the believer's life: "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." Note the paradox expressed here. I have died and no longer live, but Christ lives in me. Yet I now live by faith in the Son of God. Which is it? The answer is "Both."

In Romans 6-8 Paul describes in detail the spiritual transformation that follows our rebirth. "We died to sin" (6:1) in order that we might be "alive to God in Christ Jesus" (6:11). Read these chapters carefully, allowing the Holy Spirit to illumine your mind concerning the truths Paul expresses here. Two natures now operate within the believer -- the divine and the human. Yet we remain one person. Obviously this paradox of grace cannot compare with the mystery of the Incarnation. Yet the analogy suggests that with God such a divine-human tension is possible.

In conclusion, let us examine the significance of Jesus being both the Son of God and the Son of Man. First, He reveals how God and humanity are to relate. His life was totally committed to the will of His Father. Whatever God told Him to do, He did. We are also to gladly follow the guidance of the Father. Jesus' life was wholly devoted to serving others. His servant role, epitomized by washing His disciples' feet, is an example to us. We are to love others as Christ loved the church.

Second, He reconciled God and humanity. The gulf of sin between the two was bridged. Redemption occurred, and salvation became possible. The primary purpose of the Incarnation, which was to bring about reconciliation, was accomplished. Finally, the kingdom of God was established. Jesus heralded the imminence of the kingdom throughout His ministry; it was "near" (Mark 1 :15). The kingdom was not a political one. He was not a Jewish messiah who would wrest power from Rome. His kingdom rules in the hearts and lives of those who submit to His Lordship. Christ's victory was over Satan and the forces of evil. At His return all power and authority will be given to Him. He will reign forever as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

We close this study with a reflection on the Incarnation by the early church, which Paul records in 1 Timothy 3:16:

No one would deny that this religion of ours is a tremendous mystery, resting as it does on the one who showed Himself as a human being, and met, as such, every demand of the Spirit in the sight of the angels. He has been proclaimed among the nations, believed in throughout the world, and received back into the glory of Heaven (PHILLIPS).

Personal Application: Christ now lives in you, because you have died to sin. Yet you live by faith. How does this divine paradox work out in your Christian life?

Group Application: Christ's divine-human union is a mystery of our faith. Suggest some ways to understand this paradox. More importantly, what consequences result from the Incarnation?

Key Scripture: "All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 'The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel' - which means, 'God with us"' (Matt. 1:22-23).

The Incarnation occurred through the marvel of the virgin birth of Jesus Christ. In this lesson we will study the scriptural accounts of His birth. These are found in Matthew 1:18-25 and Luke 1:26-35. Read these brief passages before continuing. The Apostles' Creed states the two primary facts of our study: "He was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary." Let us look at each in turn.

Jesus Christ had no human father. Joseph was betrothed to Mary, but the marriage was not yet consummated. His conception occurred when the Holy Spirit came upon Mary to “overshadow" her (Luke 1 :35). This creative act resembles the Spirit's activity at creation. As the energizer within the Godhead, the Holy Spirit created life in the womb of Mary. This divine intervention was necessary for two reasons. First, humanity is incapable of begetting the Son of God; only deity can beget deity. Second, since people are sinful, only the Holy Spirit can beget a holy Son. The Holy Spirit's activity assured the sanctification of Mary's human egg. She would bear “the holy one...…called the Son of God" (Luke 1 :35). Divine conception guaranteed a divine nature for Jesus Christ.

Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary. As stated earlier, Joseph was the legal father of Jesus, but not the paternal father. He never had sexual relations with Mary before Jesus' conception. In fact, upon learning she was pregnant, he sought to divorce her. Only when an angel informed him of the miraculous event transpiring did Joseph finally submit to God's will (Matt. 1:18-21). Mary's response to the angelic birth announcement was a model of obedience: “I am the Lord's servant. May it be to me as you have said" (Luke 1:38). The Magnificat, recorded in Luke 1:46-55, is her thanksgiving that God would fulfill His promises to Israel through the child she carried within her body. Read this beautiful passage in the Bible. Jesus, "born of a woman" (Gal. 4:4}, was fully human, thus truly the Son of Man, through His mother Mary.

Jesus' virgin birth is prophesied in Isaiah 7:14. This verse is quoted by Matthew in our Key Scripture. Matthew saw the events of Jesus' birth as the fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy. Jesus was the only human ever born of a virgin. Thus, His birth was uniquely miraculous. Luke's narrative also records the miraculous birth of John the Baptist. Mary's cousin Elizabeth was past childbearing age, and her barrenness was reversed by God. She conceived when she had sexual relations with her husband Zechariah. Jesus' birth, however, was of a higher order.

The nature of Christ's birth does not give special status to virginity. The church has often mistakenly drawn this conclusion. The account does not denigrate the role of sexual relations in marriage. The Virgin Birth was a once-for-all event of history. Sex in marriage is the normal method of reproduction that God established at creation. In fact, Scripture records that Mary and Joseph went on to have other children after the birth of Jesus (Mark 3:31).

The Virgin Birth is the means by which the Incarnation occurred. It tells us how the Word became flesh. The Virgin Birth is clearly attested in Scripture and is an important doctrine of our faith. Christ's deity was preserved through the overshadowing by the Holy Spirit, and His humanity ensured through the birth by Mary. What a glorious event the birth of Christ was - an event we joyously celebrate each year at Christmas!

Personal Application: Consider Mary's obedient role in the birth of Jesus. If God asked you to do a similarly difficult task, would you be as willing as Mary?

Group Application: Discuss the importance of the Virgin Birth to the Christian faith. Why was it necessary that Mary be a virgin?

Key Scripture: "God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished" (Rom. 3:25)

Key Words: Atonement, Vicarious, Expiation, Ransom, Redemption

The Incarnation occurred for one primary reason - to reconcile God and humanity This happened through Christ's atonement. The syllables of this old English word point to its meaning, "at-one-ment". It means to be, or cause to be, at one with someone. When a serious breakdown in a relationship has occurred, some amends must often be made to bring restoration. Because of its use in the King James Bible (1611), atonement usually means the reconciliation between God and humanity.

The Atonement relates to a basic twofold problem: who God is and what man has become. Let us review some aspects of God's character that we studied in an earlier lesson. Central to His nature is love and mercy. He also is a God of holiness and righteousness Finally, He is truth and faithfulness. These character qualities encompass the moral nature of God.

Man, on the other hand, is a sinner. We inherit a propensity to sin from our ancestor Adam, and our sin thus merits punishment. Adam and Eve were cursed for their disobedience. A similar curse of sin hangs over the human race. Physical and spiritual death are God's punishment for humanity's sin. Adam and Eve were forever banned from the garden. The Old Testament portrays a fallen humanity corrupted by immorality, idolatry, and power. Satan wields his authority over those in rebellion to the true God.

This then is the dilemma. God must always relate to humanity in ways consistent with His character of love, holiness, and truth. People are incapable of changing their sinful condition. They cannot free themselves from its bondage. Humanity's situation is utterly hopeless unless God provides an answer. This He does with the Atonement.

God's method of reconciliation was simple -- the death of Jesus Christ. His death was the focus of the gospel message preached by the apostles. The Son of God and the Son of Man made a perfect sacrifice for the sins of humanity. The Old Testament sacrificial system foreshadowed Christ's sacrifice. Year after year the high priest entered the Holy of Holies with a sacrifice to cover the people's sins on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur). But our great High Priest, according to the writer of Hebrews, "entered the Most Holy Place once for all" (9:12). Jesus' cry from the cross, "It is finished" (John 19:30), surely indicates the finality of His sacrifice.

Jesus as High Priest was not only the sacrificer, but the sacrifice too. Hebrews states: "He has appeared…to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself" (9:26). Thus, never again need animal sacrifices be offered to God. Only animals free of defects were offered by the high priest. The perfect man Jesus became the perfect sacrifice. He was "a lamb without blemish or defect" (1 Peter 1:19). The blood of goats and calves could never take away sin under the old covenant. "By his own blood...…(he) obtained eternal redemption" (Heb. 9: 12). Jesus Christ through His death made reconciliation possible.

Three elements make up the content of the Atonement: identification, subjection, and completion. We will look at each in turn. Throughout His public ministry Jesus identified with sinful humanity. He got down "in the trenches." In love He reached out to the sick and the oppressed. The Jewish religious leaders constantly criticized Him for associating with tax collectors and prostitutes. On the cross He hung between two thieves in ignominy and shame. Yet He still cried out, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing" (Luke 23:34). At His death, He voluntarily became our curse. Christ's sacrifice was vicarious: He became our substitute on the cross so we might be reconciled to God. Isaiah's magnificent prophecy of Christ's death eloquently portrayed His identification: "The LORD laid on him the iniquity of us all" (53:6).

Christ, in His subjection to God's will, also bore our punishment. Isaiah described this also: "Yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him" (53:4-5). God poured out His total wrath on the innocent Lamb. By such an act, the terribleness of sin was seen.

God, however, was not a bloodthirsty deity venting His pent-up rage. God the Judge required a satisfactory appeasement of the holy and righteous demands of divine law. Christ received the full penalty of our sins. He was forsaken, abandoned, and damned by God. His punishment brought us peace. The guilt of the past was forever gone. Paul triumphantly exclaimed: "There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" (Rom. 8:1). The divine action in the Atonement is summed up in the word expiation. Christ's death both extinguished the guilt of sin and pays its penalty. The divine sentence for our sins is permanently stamped PARDONED.

Jesus completed His work of atonement by taking away our sins. Jesus came "to give his life as a ransom for many" (Matt. 20:27). His sacrificial death was the ransom, the price paid to free humanity from its sins. Human bondage was twofold. It dominated the Adamic nature, the flesh. Furthermore, Satan had the world in his power. Only through the blood of Jesus Christ was freedom possible. Redemption is another term to express ransom. Ransom speaks of the price, redemption the release. We are redeemed from darkness into light. Christ's death gives us victory over Satan's dominion. "The Son of God appeared...…to destroy the devil's work" (1 John 3:8). Satan's ultimate weapon against humanity was the fear of death. Death no longer carries its sting because of Christ's vicarious death.

A contemporary heresy suggests that Christ's victory was not completed on the cross. Instead, His triumph over the devil transpired during His three days in the grave. Read footnote 30 on page 363 in RT for a discussion of this heresy. Finally, Christ's death has freed us from the demands of the law. The law was a curse because sinful humanity could never fulfill its requirements. "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us" (Gal. 3:13). The law as a demanding taskmaster is forever superseded by the amazing grace of the gospel. Through Christ's identification and subjection on the cross our deliverance is assured. This is true liberation theology.

Personal Application: How has Christ's atonement changed your relationship with the Father? Did you experience a new freedom from sin during the lesson?

Group Application: Study the scriptures in Isaiah 52:13- 53:12. Reflect on the portrait of the Atonement given here and identify its three elements.