- Summary and Conclusion
- The first representative of the human race sold himself and
his posterity to another, who then claimed the representative
role of mankind. However, the Godhead previously planned for
man's recovery should he surrender his headship. There were
certain legal requirements involved in the recovery of mankind
from sin and its consequent penalty. Established in the councils
of heaven, those obligations demanded legitimate procedures. The
response to those legal stipulations were fulfilled for the race
in the person of Christ, who, in taking Adam's place did battle
with, and overcame, the usurper.
- Christ lived righteously, by faith, in behalf of the fallen
race. This meant living by every word that proceeded from the
mouth of God, including obedience unto the death of the cross.
That righteous act of Christ has a double relation: (1) the
relation of a legal justification which was adequate and more
than an exactly proportional price for the penalty of sin, and
(2) it also has within it the relationship of a merit over and
beyond the legal demands of the law. Consequently, in His role
as representative and head of the human race He legally
reconciled and acquitted or justified "all" by His
righteous act. When that fact is believed the heart of the
believer is changed. This is called justification by faith.
- However, faith cannot create or produce anything that does
not already exist. Faith makes the real existence of
Christ's justifying death verifiable in the believer. Faith
does not create justification. Justification has existence
apart from faith. It resides in the person Christ. Christ
created justification through His merit. Faith reaches back
to the cross and makes the justifying death of Christ real
to the sinner when (s)he believes. Faith makes Christ's
justification personal. It is not faith that justifies, but
Christ's obedience even unto death.
- The whole body of humanity was legally "in" Christ
as its legitimate Head while He lived and died on earth. Man has
the privilege to refuse this Headship and be eternally lost, but
that refusal does not invalidate the fact that the corporate
solidarity of the human race was and is secured "in"
Christ, the Second Adam.
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