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Christology & Soteriology CHRISTOLOGY & SOTERIOLOGY The Biblical teaching concerning the Redeemer and Redemption by Roland Kleger Kreuzlingen, July 2015 Copyright © Roland Kleger, Doctor of Theology, CH-8280 Kreuzlingen (Switzerland) Christology.Soteriology.engl.7.2015 © Roland Kleger 1 I. Introduction Christology is the biblical teaching concerning Christ, the Saviour and Soteriology the teaching regarding salvation (redemption) and its personal appropriation.1 5 First of all we must ask ourselves why redemption is necessary. If there is a Redeemer, then there must also be someone who needs redemption. Biblical Anthropology teaches us that mankind, since the fall of Adam and Eve, is completely depraved (corrupt, sinful; cf. Rom 3:10.23; 5:12; Eph 2:1-3; Psa 51:7). Sin leads to death (Rom 6:23). God, in his love, does not want man to be lost (cf. Eze 18:23), but rather that he repents (2Pe 3:9) and finds salvation 10 (1Ti 2:3-4). The result of the fall of man is sin, death and judgement, and therefore the need for redemption. The following sketch makes this clear: The fall of man and the way of salvation can be portrayed in the following way: 15 The will of God the will of Satan man in relationship Through emancipation man separates with God himself from God and so becomes a slave of Satan 20 The atoning death of Jesus Christ 25 THE CROSS 30 man delivered from The door that leads man in the will/ slavery through the back to God power of Satan 35 blood of Christ 40 From this we conclude: Since the fall, man is by nature separated from God, bound to Satan and spiritually dead: cf. Psa 51:7; Isa 59:2; Eph 2:1.3. In this brochure we will concentrate on the following three topics: 1 Christology: the Greek title Cristo.j means Christ, i.e. the Anointed One, and lo,goj (lógos) means in this context teaching. Soteriology: the Greek title swth,r (sōtēr) means Saviour and the noun swthri,a (sōtēría) salvation. Hence, in Christology we speak about the Saviour and in Soteriology about salvation and its appropriation. Christology.Soteriology.engl.7.2015 © Roland Kleger 2 1. The person of the Redeemer 2. The work and the threefold office of the Redeemer 3. Redemption and its appropriation 5 Here are three key New Testament texts to introduce our study of Christology and Soteriology: And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Saviour of the world. 10 (1Jo 4:14) Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved! (Act 4:12) 15 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved – you and your household!” (Act 16:31) Christology.Soteriology.engl.7.2015 © Roland Kleger 3 II. God’s plan of salvation A. God’s plan of salvation is realised in Jesus Christ Included in the word “salvation” is everything that God has done to save fallen mankind from sin. This salvation or deliverance embraces all that God has done to achieve for mankind the 5 plan of salvation which he prepared before the foundation of the world (Eph 1:4; 1Pe 1:20). The eternal and omniscient God knew in advance that man would sin. That however does not mean that God wanted it to be this way and that he is therefore responsible for it. No of course not, man misused his moral freedom just as Satan did before him along with the angels who 10 followed him in his rebellion against God (cf. Rev 12:2-3; Isa 14:9ff; Eze 28:11ff; 2Pe 2:4 and Jud 6). That does not change the fact that God is and will always remain sovereign over the whole universe which he created through his Son Jesus Christ (cf. Joh 1:3ff; Col 1:15; Heb 1:2-3). God also knew in advance that he would send his Son into this world to save mankind from sin (cf. 1Pe 1:20) and who would accept his offer of grace in Jesus Christ (cf. 15 Rom 8:29-39; Psa 139:14-16). God’s complete plan of salvation existed before the foundation of the world... if this were not so, then God would not really be God, or at least not the eternal, almighty and omniscient God of whom the Bible speaks. This full and complete salvation which through Jesus Christ must: 20 be pleasing and acceptable to God, so that the fellowship between him and mankind can be restored. be effective to blot out sin, because as a consequence of this man was separated from God. 25 be effective in executing judgement over sin, because the Word of God must be fulfilled (cf. Gen 2:16-17; Rom 6:23; Eze 18:4; Num 23:19). be effective in disarming Satan, the murderer and old liar (Joh 8:44), because he was and is the originator of sin (cf. Joh 8:44; Heb 2:14-16; 1Jo 3:8). 30 Modern humanism assumes that man’s inner equilibrium is simply disturbed along with his relationship to his neighbours and surroundings. Therefore man seeks a way to save himself, e. g. through meditation or psychotherapy. That is the old attempt of man trying to save himself, just as he did at the beginning of human history: 35 Gen 3:7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realised that they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. The Bible clearly rejects every attempt at self redemption: 40 Christology.Soteriology.engl.7.2015 © Roland Kleger 4 Jer 13:23 Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard its spots? Neither can you do good who are accustomed to doing evil. Psa 49:7ff No man can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for him 5 – the ransom for a life is costly, no payment is ever enough – that he should live on forever and not see decay! There is only one way of salvation and that is the way offered to us in Jesus Christ (cf. Joh 14:6; 1Jo 5:12-13; Act 4:12). 10 Rom 4:5 However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness. Man cannot save himself by any effort of his own even if all religions maintain this. It is 15 solely the Biblical Christian faith that says that man is saved by grace alone. In the final analysis, Satan is the creator of all religions. He exploits the emptiness in the hearts of (sinful) men by offering each individual a religion that just suits him. Therefore everyone, rich or poor, educated or uneducated, sophisticated or unsophisticated finds the religion that appeals to him. All religions are in fact a lie or and illusionary deception of Satan. 20 Joh 8:44 …for he is a liar and the father of lies. When considering redemption, we can and must only trust the revelation of God through his word: Jesus Christ is the “Word” made flesh (Greek: lo,goj [lógos]; cf. Joh 1:1.14.18). If we 25 want to consider what salvation or redemption is, then we must first consider the Redeemer who is the author of redemption (cf. Joh 4:22.42). The study of the person of Jesus Christ can be divided into three chapters (parts): 30 1. Christ pre-existent 2. Christ incarnate 3. Christ exalted oPräexistenz Christi What took place on the cross is in fact the central event in world and salvation history. We can thus understand why God gave Adam the promise of salvation before he punished him. 35 Gen 3:15 And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel. God’s promise here is called the “Proto-Gospel”. It can be compared with a bud which grows 40 and finally becomes a wonderful flower or fruit. “The seed” or “the descendant” of the woman signifies a descendant who will overcome the devil (the serpent). In the New Testament, we see that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, fulfils this promise (cf. Gal 3:16.19; 4:4- 6). This theme can be traced throughout the whole Old Testament. The coming of the redeeming offspring is announced in the Old Testament by means of symbolic types and 45 prophesies. Here are some well known examples: Christology.Soteriology.engl.7.2015 © Roland Kleger 5 Gen 49:10: “The sceptre will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he (hl{yvi [Šīloh] = owner) comes to whom it belongs and the obedience of the nations is his.” Exo 12: the Passover lamb (cf. Joh 1:29; 1Co 5:7-8) 5 Leviticus: The high priest (cf. Heb 4:14-16; 8:1ff) Num 24:17-19: “I see him, but not now, I behold him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob; a sceptre will rise out of Israel. He will crush the foreheads of Moab, the skulls of all the sons of Sheth.” (cf. Rev 22:16) Deu 18:15ff: “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me 10 from among your own brothers. You must listen to him.” (cf. Joh 4:25-26; Act 3:21ff) 2Sa 7:12-13.27: “When your days are over and you rest with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, who will come from your own body and I will establish his kingdom.
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