The Obedience of Christ

Introduction

  • Overview of today's discussion topics regarding the work of Christ.

    • Focus on obedience (passive and active).

    • Emphasis on divine agency in salvation.

    • Exploration of the texture of salvation and Christ's impact.

Prayer

  • Request for blessings and clarity in understanding the gospel message.

  • Acknowledgment of Christ's role in salvation and our relationship with God.

The Obedience of Christ

  • Key Concept: The entirety of Christ's life is a work of obedience.

    • The work does not begin at his passion.

    • Faithful submission to the law throughout Christ's life contributes to humanity's forgiveness and acceptance before God.

    • Both obedience and suffering are crucial.

Importance of Understanding Christ's Atonement

  • The synopsis periodis highlights that Christ's actions were not motivated by necessity but by goodwill for human salvation.

  • Reference to Isaiah 53:10; divine pleasure in Christ’s suffering as an offering for sin.

  • Philippians 2 discusses Christ's nature and obedience:

    • Christ emptied himself, not losing divinity but taking on human form and becoming obedient unto death on the cross.

Key Takeaways from This Section

  • Christ’s actions stem from freedom, not divine need.

  • Obedience begins with Christ's incarnation.

  • There is an interconnectedness of the divine wills of the Father and the Son concerning salvation, mitigating concerns regarding the portrayal of divine child abuse.

Two Forms of Christ’s Obedience

Passive Obedience

  • Defined as obedience associated with suffering (from the Latin word "passio").

  • Instances include trials, mockings, and ultimately, death on the cross.

  • Passivity denotes the reception of actions inflicted upon him by others.

Active Obedience

  • Relates to Christ's actions in positively fulfilling divine law.

    • Examples include acts that accrue divine favor.

  • Both forms of obedience are essential; without active obedience, Christ's role would only be as a penalty-bearer, lacking in fulfilling obligations before God.

  • Christ’s actions can be seen as fulfilling the original intent for humanity’s obedience (e.g., Adam and Eve’s covenant fidelity).

Questions and Clarifications

  • Clarification sought regarding resurrection as a reward for obedience rather than an act of obedience itself.

  • Inquiry into human actions against Christ's suffering and maintaining Christ's divine qualities.

    • Response: The nature of Christ’s incarnation allows for human inflictions upon him without compromising his divinity.

Divine Agency in Salvation

Overview of Calvin’s Argument

  • Calvin asserts that salvation is entirely God-originated.

    • Emphasizes the gracious character of divine action as wholly a gift with no human contribution.

    • Acknowledges that the gospel exists within the Church of Rome, despite differing views on justification.

Aristotelian Causality

  • Aristotle’s four causes are foundational in understanding causality:

    1. Material Cause: The physical matter from which something is made (e.g., wood for furniture).

    2. Formal Cause: The form or essence of a thing that defines its nature (e.g., the design of a chair).

    3. Efficient Cause: The agent that brings something into being (e.g., the carpenter).

    4. Final Cause: The purpose or goal of something (e.g., a chair is for sitting).

Applying Aristotelian Causality to Salvation

  • The nature of salvation rooted in God's actions, maintaining distinct roles for each cause:

    • Efficient Cause: Salvation originates from the Father’s love and mercy.

    • Material Cause: Christ's obedience results in righteousness for humanity.

    • Formal Cause: Faith shapes the material of Christ's obedience into a means of salvation.

    • Final Cause: Demonstrates divine justice and praise for God's goodness.

The Integration of Philosophy and Theology

  • Clarification that Calvin draws on philosophical traditions for theological insights.

    • Emphasizes that philosophy is not inherently antagonistic to theology and can enrich understanding.

Summary of Redemption Benefits as per Petrus Van Maastricht

  • Essential themes discussed:

    • Justification, reconciliation to God, adoption, reception of the Holy Spirit.

    • Contrast with less frequently discussed concepts such as boldness before God.

    • Clarification of terms such as propitiation (pacifying God's anger) and expiation (removal of guilt).

Conclusion

  • Encouragement for further questioning and dialogue regarding the work of Christ.

  • Emphasis on understanding complex theological concepts in relation to divine grace and human agency.