16. The Role of the Mediator (Christ)
16.1 Fulfilment of the Law
Jesus Christ stands at the centre of redemption because He fulfilled what the Law demanded but humanity could not accomplish. He declared, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish but to fulfil” (Matthew 5:17 NRSV). In His sinless life He perfectly embodied divine righteousness (Hebrews 4:15), satisfying the Law’s moral and ceremonial requirements. Augustine (1998) described Christ as finis legis—“the end of the Law”—not its destruction but its completion. Thus, the Law that once condemned now finds its fulfilment in the obedience of the Son (Romans 8:3–4).
16.2 Substitutionary Atonement and Propitiation
At the Cross, Christ bore the consequence of sin in humanity’s place. Paul explains that “God made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us” (2 Corinthians 5:21). This act constitutes substitutionary atonement: the innocent suffers for the guilty so that justice and mercy may coexist. The term propitiation (Greek hilastērion, Romans 3:25) expresses the removal of divine wrath through sacrificial love. Barth (1956) interpreted the Cross as “the divine self-judgement in which God Himself bears what only man deserved.” Redemption therefore restores fellowship without compromising holiness; justice is satisfied, and grace is magnified.
16.3 Liberation from the Power of Sin
Through resurrection, Christ broke sin’s dominion: “Sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace” (Romans 6:14). The resurrection signifies not only forgiveness but liberation—a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). Luther (1520) termed this exchange the joyous miracle: Christ takes our guilt, and we receive His righteousness. The believer thus lives under a new authority, empowered by the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:2). Salvation is therefore both forensic (declared righteous) and transformative (made righteous).
17. Repentance and Grace
17.1 Conversion and Regeneration
Deliverance from sin begins with repentance (metanoia)—a turning of mind and will toward God. Jesus’ first proclamation was, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near” (Matthew 4:17). Repentance is not mere remorse but a moral and spiritual reorientation (Calvin, 1559). Regeneration follows repentance as divine renewal: “Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God” (John 3:5). Through the Spirit’s work, the sinner becomes a new creature, participating in the divine life (Titus 3:5).
17.2 Justification by Faith
Paul’s doctrine of justification teaches that righteousness is imputed, not earned. “We hold that a person is justified by faith apart from works prescribed by the law” (Romans 3:28). Luther (1520) called this the articulus stantis et cadentis ecclesiae—the article by which the Church stands or falls. Faith is not human achievement but trust in Christ’s finished work. In justification, the believer’s status changes from condemned to accepted; guilt is pardoned, and divine favour restored (Romans 5:1).
17.3 Sanctification and Progressive Victory over Sin
Following justification, believers enter sanctification—the lifelong process of moral and spiritual transformation. The Holy Spirit enables obedience and cultivates virtues that reflect the divine image (Galatians 5:22–23). Wesley (1765) described sanctification as “holiness of heart and life,” a continual aligning of the human will with God’s. While justification removes sin’s penalty, sanctification diminishes its power, preparing the believer for final glorification (Philippians 1:6).
Deliverance therefore unfolds in three dimensions:
- From the guilt of sin – by justification;
- From the power of sin – by sanctification;
- From the presence of sin – by glorification in eternity.
Together these constitute the full scope of redemption accomplished through the Mediator.
References
- Augustine (1998) Confessions, trans. H. Chadwick. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- Barth, K. (1956) Church Dogmatics IV/1: The Doctrine of Reconciliation. Edinburgh: T & T Clark.
- Calvin, J. (1559) Institutes of the Christian Religion. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1989 edn.
- Luther, M. (1520) Works, Vol. 31. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1960 edn.
- The Holy Bible (NRSV, 2011). London: HarperCollins.
- Wesley, J. (1765) Plain Account of Christian Perfection. London: Epworth Press, 1952 edn.