Arial
Active member
I think we often skip right over the core purpose of God in redemption. Maybe for many even actually recognizing what that is.
We tend to focus on what it does for us. Provides forgiveness of our sins and an escape from the wrath of God, the promise of the resurrection and future bliss. And all those things are given and great is the glory and praise of God in it.
But why is it necessary and why does God do that for us? Is maybe there even something larger from the viewpoint of God and not us that we should see and never forget?
Righteousness is at the core of it. A return to righteousness, the righteousness of God that mankind possessed when He was created. The righteousness of mankind that was lost when Adam first transgressed that righteousness. God lost no righteousness and we are still accountable to it. We were created to reflect in all our ways the righteousness of God. We were created for His glory and to show His glory just as His glory is evidenced in the natural creation. We were not created autonomous, that is, equal to God, but were created as creatures under His Kingship. Obedient, loved and loving, made in His image and likeness. Similar to Him in many ways, exactly like Him in no ways. He even put us in charge of the world He made for us, to care for it and have dominion over all that is in it. The crowning glory of His creation! But we were to do it in righteousness. Adam broke the law of God and as born in him, we all do, over and over again.
In redemption God is restoring righteousness to us. That is why the Son of God became one of us, born under the Law, to perform perfect righteousness for us, as it is impossible since the fall for us to ever perform perfect righteousness. That falls to pieces with sin number 1. In Jesus going to the cross to take upon Himself the penalty our sins deserve, He paid our sin debt to God, satisfied God's just decree against sin for us. In this He defeated the power of sin over us. In His resurrection to life He defeated death for us. And in this, our sins imputed to Him, His righteousness is imputed to those who trust in His person and work. Perfect righteousness. It is for the glory and praise of God that we are redeemed.
And though we will never in and of ourselves be perfectly righteous as long as we live in the realm of the desires of our flesh, the sinful world, and the activity of the devil, the restoration of righteousness is still the focus of redemption. The restoration of the created relationship between God and His creature. We are His. So in all our disagreements and arguments, the proper determining of our theologies, our everyday life in thought, attitude, and action, we should remember and seek after righteousness. Righteousness is the goal and heart of redemption and what a glorious thing righteousness is.
We tend to focus on what it does for us. Provides forgiveness of our sins and an escape from the wrath of God, the promise of the resurrection and future bliss. And all those things are given and great is the glory and praise of God in it.
But why is it necessary and why does God do that for us? Is maybe there even something larger from the viewpoint of God and not us that we should see and never forget?
Righteousness is at the core of it. A return to righteousness, the righteousness of God that mankind possessed when He was created. The righteousness of mankind that was lost when Adam first transgressed that righteousness. God lost no righteousness and we are still accountable to it. We were created to reflect in all our ways the righteousness of God. We were created for His glory and to show His glory just as His glory is evidenced in the natural creation. We were not created autonomous, that is, equal to God, but were created as creatures under His Kingship. Obedient, loved and loving, made in His image and likeness. Similar to Him in many ways, exactly like Him in no ways. He even put us in charge of the world He made for us, to care for it and have dominion over all that is in it. The crowning glory of His creation! But we were to do it in righteousness. Adam broke the law of God and as born in him, we all do, over and over again.
In redemption God is restoring righteousness to us. That is why the Son of God became one of us, born under the Law, to perform perfect righteousness for us, as it is impossible since the fall for us to ever perform perfect righteousness. That falls to pieces with sin number 1. In Jesus going to the cross to take upon Himself the penalty our sins deserve, He paid our sin debt to God, satisfied God's just decree against sin for us. In this He defeated the power of sin over us. In His resurrection to life He defeated death for us. And in this, our sins imputed to Him, His righteousness is imputed to those who trust in His person and work. Perfect righteousness. It is for the glory and praise of God that we are redeemed.
And though we will never in and of ourselves be perfectly righteous as long as we live in the realm of the desires of our flesh, the sinful world, and the activity of the devil, the restoration of righteousness is still the focus of redemption. The restoration of the created relationship between God and His creature. We are His. So in all our disagreements and arguments, the proper determining of our theologies, our everyday life in thought, attitude, and action, we should remember and seek after righteousness. Righteousness is the goal and heart of redemption and what a glorious thing righteousness is.
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