When Satan introduced sin into the Garden of Eden, humanity would be forever changed (Gen 3). Though their existence had been one of life, joy and innocence the first family had failed their test of faith and in doing so were worthy only of death and separation from God (Gen 2:16-17; Isa 59:1-2). Though God’s just character demanded retribution, His equally pressing sense of kindness demanded reconciliation. Rather than striking down Adam and Eve as they justly deserved, He promised instead a sacrifice for their sins. He warned Satan that He would “put enmity between [him] and the woman, and between [his] seed and her seed: [and that this Seed would] bruise [Satan’s] head, [though Satan would] bruise his heel” (Gen 3:15).
How, though, would God reconcile His justice on one hand with His kindness on the other (Psa 89:14)? Man could not die physically for his sins and yet live eternally with God in perfection but there is also no forgiveness of sins without shedding of blood (Heb 9:22). A representative sacrifice could be made for humanity but whose death would meet the demand of utter perfection (Lev 1:10)? And how then could God’s justice be fulfilled if an innocent man were punished for the sins of others (Exo 21:23-25)? God knew this debt was one that humanity could never pay and still be reconciled to Him, “For the wages of sin is death” (Rom 6:23). Only if God Himself willingly became human, lived perfectly and died in the place of humanity could they then be saved; self-sacrifice was the only answer to the question of salvation.
It was this suffering Divine-Human Servant that God spoke of centuries later through the prophet Isaiah, “Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows; yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and Jehovah hath laid on him the iniquity of us all” (Isa 53:4-6). And yet “he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth” (Isa 53:9).
When God became flesh (Joh 1:14) His purpose was just this, that He might “suffer, and rise again from the dead the third day” in order to provide the means for both “repentance and remission of sins” (Luk 24:46-47). This mission was one Jesus knew quite well since He willingly submitted to His Father’s will, emptied Himself of His divine privileges, became human, died on the cross as the sacrifice for man’s sins (Php 2:5-8) and accentuated this point in the presence of His disciples (Mat 16:21).
Man’s sin and God’s perfection would remain irreconcilable had it not been for God’s willingness to sacrifice Himself for the sins of man and by doing so be both “just, and the justifier of him that hath faith in Jesus” (Rom 3:26). This was the firm belief of both John the Immerser as well as the apostles of Jesus Himself, as is well attested to by their own spoken testimony (Joh 1:29; Act 3:18). And so set your faith and hope in God, “knowing that ye were redeemed, not with corruptible things, with silver or gold, from your vain manner of life handed down from your fathers; but with precious blood, as of a lamb without spot, even the blood of Christ: who was foreknown indeed before the foundation of the world, but was manifested at the end of times for your sake” (1Pe 1:18-21).
