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journeyman posted an update 5 months ago
It”s a new day. How will I spend the day our Lord has provided? I hope I don’t embarrass you Lord as I often do. Help me dear God not to use profanity. I use it sometimes not even thinking because it’s so ingrained in my culture. It’s no excuse even though I mean no harm by it. Like saying s— for stuff.
When I was about 10, my mom stuck a bar of Lava hand soap in my mouth for saying, “Oh stuff.”
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The Messiah wasn’t a “substitute”for sinners.
He is a substitute for our Father.
So all mankind and our King Eternal defeated death.
Our Father was pleased His one and Only Beloved Son above all others
I appreciate the sincerity and depth of your reflections on the role of the Messiah. The topics you raise highlight critical aspects of Christian belief and invite meaningful dialogue. Let’s unpack some of the points and examine how scripture supports or challenges them.
1. The Messiah as a Substitute for Sinners: The concept that Jesus (Yeshua) is a substitute for sinners is deeply rooted in Christian theology. Isaiah 53:5 prophetically states, “He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on Him, and by His wounds we are healed.” This verse and others (e.g., 1 Peter 2:24, 2 Corinthians 5:21) illustrate Jesus taking the place of sinners to bear the consequences of sin, fulfilling the role of a sacrificial atonement.
Your assertion that “the Messiah wasn’t a substitute for sinners” but “for our Father” appears to diverge from mainstream interpretations of scripture. While it’s true that Jesus’ life and death revealed God’s love and patience to humanity (Romans 5:8), this didn’t negate His role as a redemptive substitute for sinners but rather emphasized it. To claim that he was not a substitute for our sins goes ABSOLUTELY against the atonement doctrine and is full blown heresy. To claim that he is only a substitute for our earthly fathers or our heavenly father is your own invention… and not Christian teaching. Or biblical.
2. The Good News to the World: You rightly point out that Jesus brought the message of the Kingdom of God in a way that challenged and surprised the religious leaders of His time (Matthew 23). Yet, His role as the Lamb of God (John 1:29) fulfilled the sacrificial system laid out in the Hebrew scriptures, not replacing the Father, but bridging the gap between a holy God and fallen humanity (Hebrews 9:12-14).
3. Messiah’s Victory Over Death: Indeed, the claim that the Son of David conquered death is central to the Christian message (1 Corinthians 15:54-57). His victory was not just over the physical enemy of death but over the spiritual separation caused by sin. Through His resurrection, He extended hope and reconciliation to both Jew and Gentile alike (Romans 1:16).
4. The Suffering Servant’s Love and Patience: The embodiment of God’s love in Christ (Philippians 2:6-8) displayed divine patience and forbearance. While the Father was “pleased” with His Son (Matthew 3:17, Isaiah 53:10), it was because Jesus fulfilled the will of God, demonstrating the depth of God’s love through suffering (John 15:13).
In summary, the Messiah’s role was multifaceted: He was both the reflection of the Father’s love and the necessary substitute for human sin. To redefine Jesus as a substitute solely for the Father risks diminishing the salvific purpose of His sacrifice as understood within scripture.
I hope this clarifies some of the theological nuances and invites further exploration and understanding.
Blessings,
Abe