Important Theological Controversies - Edwards - XIII - Continue Chapter V

Required reading

Remarks on Important Theological Controversies in Vol 2 of the Works by Jonathan Edwards (Available from Amazon or free here) - Continue Chapter V 'Of satisfaction for sin' by reading up to the paragraph commencing '9. Christ suffered the wrath of God for men's sins in such a way as he was capable of....'

My summary

Today we continue seeing the reasonableness of the Christian doctrine of satisfaction for sin.  

We hear about:

(i) the transfer of merit from one to another;

(ii) the dignity of Christ;

(iii) God's acceptance of sacrifice ;

(iv) God's punishment of sin;

(v) God's punishment of sin in Scripture;

(vi) the needfulness of a mediator.

What grabbed me

I enjoyed Edwards' teaching on Christ as our mediator:

'It was needful, that he that was a Mediator between two parties, that are distant and alienated one from the other, to be the middle person to unite them together, should himself be united to both. Otherwise he could not, by coming between them, be a bond of union between them. And if he be a Mediator between God and guilty men, it was necessary that he should unite himself to them, or assume them as it were to himself. But if he unites himself to guilty creatures, he of necessity brings their guilt on himself. If he unites himself to them that are in debt, he brings their debt on himself. He cannot properly unite himself to a rebel against God, and one that is obnoxious to God’s wrath, and is condemned to condign punishment, to be a Mediator to bring God to be at peace with him, without voluntarily taking his sufferings on himself; because otherwise his undertaking for such a one, and uniting himself to such a one, will appear like countenancing his offence and rebellion. But if at the same time that he unites himself to him, he takes it upon himself to bear his penalty, it quite takes off all such appearance. He shows, that though he loves the rebel that has affronted the Divine Majesty, yet he at the same time has the greatest possible abhorrence of the injury to God’s majesty, and dishonour to his name, in that he regards the honour of God’s majesty so much as to be willing to endure so extreme sufferings, that the divine glory and majesty may not be injured, but fully maintained.'

There is certainly only one mediator between God and man.

Next week's reading

Conclude Chapter V 'Of satisfaction for sin'.

Now it's your turn

Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.