Counterintuitively, it was the INJURED PARTY, God Himself (!), instead of the INJURING PARTY, Who PAID REPARATIONS to His own murdered Son.

If “the Lamb of God…WAS SLAIN BEFORE THE DISRUPTION (katabole) OF THE WORLD” (Revelation 13:8), yet not ACTUALLY/HISTORICALLY SLAIN until the Cross, then would it not seem possible, even plausible, that Jesus was “BEGOTTEN BEFORE ALL AGES” (Nicene Creed), yet not ACTUALLY/HISTORICALLY BEGOTTEN/BORN until his conception/birth from Mary?  Other Biblical considerations should be summoned as deciding factors in this case.  [10/21/10]

Q:  Why was it NECESSARY for Jesus to RISE AGAIN FROM THE DEAD?

A:  In order to SATISFY God’s JUSTICE!

Explanation:  The crucifixion of Jesus was a grave INJUSTICE, especially inasmuch as he was absolutely without sin, much less was he guilty of any capital crime.  But, moreover, because Jesus was the Son of God, divine justice itself intervened on his behalf, yet not to avenge his wrongful death upon his slayers, but rather to gloriously UNDO THE DEATH WITH OVERCOMPENSATING JUDICIAL RESTITUTION, ALTHOUGH NOT FROM THE OFFENDERS, WHO WERE TOTALLY POWERLESS, OF COURSE, TO MAKE REPARATIONS FOR THEIR CAPITAL CRIME, BUT RATHER FROM GOD HIMSELF, ONE OF THE INJURED PARTIES (!), IN HIS GRATUITOUS GRACIOUSNESS AND AS THE ULTIMATE PROOF OF IT!  [10/21/10;3/27/22]

The purpose and function of the climactic Messianic events of Israel’s inscripturated history was to GENERATE FAITH IN THE GRACIOUS FORGIVENESS/PARDON FROM ISRAEL’S GOD.  The CRUCIFIXION AND RESURRECTION of Jesus of Nazareth jointly demonstrated both his identity as God’s unique Son, along with his Anointing to be Israel’s King, and also God’s justice toward him in reversing his unjust death, as well as God’s graciousness toward his killers (plus anyone less guilty, without distinction) in pardoning their aggravated crime without exacting a penalty, provided they repented.  Apostolic testimony to these events and their divine interpretation from the lips of the resurrected Lord Jesus Christ supply corroborative force to create faith.  [10/21/10]  

Christ’s Resurrection was not ‘proof that the Cross had satisfied God’s punitive justice against sin’ but, much rather, was proof that God WAS EXTENDING PARDON to Christ’s murderers for what they did at the Cross, if they would accept it by faith.  In other words, the Resurrection was the miraculous confirmation of the free, ‘UNPAID‘ FORGIVENESS THAT WAS TRANSPIRING EVERY MOMENT THAT JESUS SUFFERED ON THAT CROSS.  For he might at any moment have pulled rank and called down Messianic protection and avenging, to which he had every right.  Instead, he let go of his rights and suffered the inevitable consequences of his costly forgiveness, in solid expectation that his Father would respond in similar graciousness and freely overcompensate his losses, even to the unprecedented length of raising him from the dead and exalting him beyond all measure!  [10/21/10; 3/27/22]

The fundamental purpose of Christ’s work was NOT TO MAKE SATISFACTION, but much rather, and most emphatically, TO RECEIVE SATISFACTION FOR THE INCOMPARABLE INJURY OF THE CROSS.  And this, of course, was rendered to him AT HIS RESURRECTION BY “THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD” (in Paul’s specific contexts—and in delightfully revealing contradiction of the tendentiously skewed yet ubiquitous Protestant rendering of dikaiosune as “righteousness” instead of “justice” in our King James or ‘authorized’ English version—inclined exclusively toward the premial function of EXERTING JUSTICE toward others), followed up by his due enthronement in Heaven, plus the SUPERABUNDANT BESTOWAL OF THE HOLY SPIRIT TO HIS NEW FRIENDS! Now let’s feast!  [10/24/10′ 3/27/22]

77 Questions about the Atonement (Q&A #62)

62.     “Why should I gain from His reward?”

Jesus had an ancient right as prophesied Messiah of Israel to have royal heirs to enjoy his inheritance along with him.  However, because he was viciously, although only temporarily, deprived of it by his horrible, premature death, God found it graciously fitting to do something extra special in order to show His power to overcome what was otherwise an impossible plight and thereby to give us expectancy that He will fulfill His promises to us as well.  Jesus’ right to have a family and heirs is our ticket to sonship so that he gets to see descendants and lengthen his days to enjoy his allotment from God along with us!  Because of his right to have children, we have a right to become daughters and sons on any condition he lays down, and he chose the unpretentious condition of simple faith—a natural faculty anyone created in the image of God can exercise, given sufficient proof, of course, which His Holy Spirit has happily supplied via the persuasive eyewitness testimonies within the pages of holy Scripture.  Accordingly, when we trust God’s Proclamation of His Kingdom therein recorded, we get born above as citizens of the New Jerusalem, where our names have gotten written in the Scroll of Life since the disruption of the world by sin.  God knows His real kids, who have amenably accepted His vital Seed and remain in that powerful Explanation of Life, sprouting lovely blossoms and abundant fruit of loving behaviors, along with works even greater than Christ’s own, till the very finish.  The Lord Jesus is now readying many abodes above as shares of his inheritance for family members in the Kingdom of justice, peace, and joy that his Father covenanted with him, awaiting the impending descent of the New Jerusalem as capital of the New Earth God is preparing for us, the populating seed of His New Creation!  Regarding persons from every family, tongue, land, and nation on earth, it shall be said, “This one was born (again!) there.”  Our deadly plight has been transmuted by the ‘Crossurrection’ into our divine right!  Got it?