B.--If death is the penalty for sin, has not mankind paid that penalty in full when dead? Might he not be released from death the moment after dying, yet fully meet the demand of justice?
A.--"The wages of sin is death,"--not dying, but "death" -- FOREVER.
As well say we might say that a man condemned to imprisonment for life, had received the full penalty in the act of going into prison, as that man received his penalty in the act of going into death.
It was not the penalty merely to go to prison, no the penalty was to stay there for life. Thus too it is not merely the process of going to death (the dying process), but death itself, forever.
By disobedience man fell into the hands of Justice, and, though God is merciful and loving, there can be no warfare between his attributes. Mercy and love must be exercised in harmony with justice. "God is just," and "will by no means clear the guilty."
Man was guilty, and must therefore be dealt with by justice. Justice cries, your life is forfeited, "dying thou shalt die." Man is cast into the great prison-house of death, and Justice, while locking him in, says: “You shall not by any means come out of this prison until you have fully paid the price.”
B.--Do I express the same idea by saying that man forfeited his right to life by his disobedience, and, consequently, God, in justice, recognizing and enforcing his own law, could not permit him to live again unless he could meet the claims of justice?
A.--The idea is the same. Man is the debtor, and unless he can pay the debt he cannot come out of the prison-house of death-- cannot have life. He cannot pay this debt, and consequently cannot release himself. But man's weakness and helplessness gives occasion for the display of God's mercy and love in Christ Jesus, for "When there was no eye to pity, and no arm to save," God devised a way by which he could be both JUST and MERCIFUL; and so, "while we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly."
C.--How for them? His death does not prevent men from dying.
A.--It does not prevent their dying, but it does prevent their continuance in the prison-house of death. He came to "open the prison doors and set at liberty the captives."
This he does, NOT BY OPPOSING GOD'S JUSTICE, but by recognizing it, and paying that which is due. He has a right to set those prisoners free. In his own death--the just for the unjust--he ransomed us, as it is written, "I will RANSOM (purchase) them from the power of the grave;" "I will REDEEM them from death;" "for ye were BOUGHT with a price, even the precious blood (life) of Christ."
C.--I understand you to mean, that as Jesus came into the world by a special creative act of God, he was free from the curse which rested upon the balance of the race, therefore not liable to death. As the second Adam he was tried, but came off conqueror. "He was obedient even unto death;" but his right to life not having been forfeited, either through Adam's sin or his own, death had no claim upon it. He, therefore, had an un-forfeited life to offer Justice as a ransom for the forfeited life of mankind.
A.--Yes, as he himself said, "My flesh I will give for the life of the world." (John 6:51) He must have a right to continuance of life; else he could not give it. He did not conquer nor overthrow Justice, but recognizing the justice of the law of God in the forfeit of the sinner's life, he purchased it back with his own, and thereby obtained the right to "destroy death,"—the enemy who for a time is used as the servant of Justice.
B.--Then Justice accepted the life of Christ as a substitute for the sinner's life. But it seems unjust to make the innocent suffer for the guilty.
A.--It would be unjust to make or compel such suffering, but "Christ gave himself for us." "He for the joy that was set before him endured the cross."
C. But how could the life of one purchase the life of many?
We shall see in our next post.
A.--"The wages of sin is death,"--not dying, but "death" -- FOREVER.
As well say we might say that a man condemned to imprisonment for life, had received the full penalty in the act of going into prison, as that man received his penalty in the act of going into death.
It was not the penalty merely to go to prison, no the penalty was to stay there for life. Thus too it is not merely the process of going to death (the dying process), but death itself, forever.
By disobedience man fell into the hands of Justice, and, though God is merciful and loving, there can be no warfare between his attributes. Mercy and love must be exercised in harmony with justice. "God is just," and "will by no means clear the guilty."
Man was guilty, and must therefore be dealt with by justice. Justice cries, your life is forfeited, "dying thou shalt die." Man is cast into the great prison-house of death, and Justice, while locking him in, says: “You shall not by any means come out of this prison until you have fully paid the price.”
B.--Do I express the same idea by saying that man forfeited his right to life by his disobedience, and, consequently, God, in justice, recognizing and enforcing his own law, could not permit him to live again unless he could meet the claims of justice?
A.--The idea is the same. Man is the debtor, and unless he can pay the debt he cannot come out of the prison-house of death-- cannot have life. He cannot pay this debt, and consequently cannot release himself. But man's weakness and helplessness gives occasion for the display of God's mercy and love in Christ Jesus, for "When there was no eye to pity, and no arm to save," God devised a way by which he could be both JUST and MERCIFUL; and so, "while we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly."
C.--How for them? His death does not prevent men from dying.
A.--It does not prevent their dying, but it does prevent their continuance in the prison-house of death. He came to "open the prison doors and set at liberty the captives."
This he does, NOT BY OPPOSING GOD'S JUSTICE, but by recognizing it, and paying that which is due. He has a right to set those prisoners free. In his own death--the just for the unjust--he ransomed us, as it is written, "I will RANSOM (purchase) them from the power of the grave;" "I will REDEEM them from death;" "for ye were BOUGHT with a price, even the precious blood (life) of Christ."
C.--I understand you to mean, that as Jesus came into the world by a special creative act of God, he was free from the curse which rested upon the balance of the race, therefore not liable to death. As the second Adam he was tried, but came off conqueror. "He was obedient even unto death;" but his right to life not having been forfeited, either through Adam's sin or his own, death had no claim upon it. He, therefore, had an un-forfeited life to offer Justice as a ransom for the forfeited life of mankind.
A.--Yes, as he himself said, "My flesh I will give for the life of the world." (John 6:51) He must have a right to continuance of life; else he could not give it. He did not conquer nor overthrow Justice, but recognizing the justice of the law of God in the forfeit of the sinner's life, he purchased it back with his own, and thereby obtained the right to "destroy death,"—the enemy who for a time is used as the servant of Justice.
B.--Then Justice accepted the life of Christ as a substitute for the sinner's life. But it seems unjust to make the innocent suffer for the guilty.
A.--It would be unjust to make or compel such suffering, but "Christ gave himself for us." "He for the joy that was set before him endured the cross."
C. But how could the life of one purchase the life of many?
We shall see in our next post.
