God the Son, Student Workbook, SW10

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G O D T H E S O N

c. Eph. 2.4-5

B. The case against the Moral Influence view:

1. It pretends that God’s holiness and justice expresses no wrath.

2. It tends to be overly sentimental: “if people only knew how much God loved them, they would all run to him with open arms!”

3. It inflates the meaning of God’s love at the expense of his holiness.

C. What truth can we glean from this view?

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1. Jesus’ death is a remarkable demonstration of God’s love for us, John 3.16.

2. Jesus’ death is simultaneously a demonstration of God’s wrath against sin, 1 John 2.2.

When our Lord arose from the place of the dead, and trampled death under foot, and bound the strong one, and set man free, then the whole creation saw clearly that for man’s sake the Judge was condemned.

3. The love of God demonstrated on the cross should move us to seek him, and not allow us to think we can go scot free if we ignore his offer, Rom. 2.3-5.

III. View Three: Jesus’ Death as a Demonstration of Divine Justice ( Governmental Theory )

A. Authors and arguments of those who hold Governmental view:

~ Melito (c. 170), 8.756. Ibid. p. 42.