Redeemer (Christianity)

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Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The statue is an iconic image of Jesus Christ with his arms outstretched, representing his message of love and redemption for all people. Rio de Janeiro - Cristo Redentor 01.jpg
Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The statue is an iconic image of Jesus Christ with his arms outstretched, representing his message of love and redemption for all people.

Christian theology sometimes refers to Jesus using the title Redeemer or Saviour (alternatively, Savior). This references the salvation he accomplished, and is based on the metaphor of redemption, or "buying back". In the New Testament, redemption can refer both to deliverance from sin and to freedom from captivity. [1]

Contents

Although the gospels do not use the title "Redeemer", the idea of redemption occurs in several of Paul's epistles. Leon Morris says that "Paul uses the concept of redemption primarily to speak of the saving significance of the death of Christ." [2]

Universality


The New Testament speaks of Christ as the one saviour for all people. [3] The First Epistle of John says that Jesus is "the propitiation for our sins and not for ours only but also for the sins of the world" (1 John 2:2). Adherents of unlimited atonement interpret this to mean that Jesus' redemptive role is for all people without exception, while adherents of limited atonement interpret it as being available to all yet would work itself out in only the elect. [4]

Early Christian communities also came to recognize Jesus' redemptive role to be unique (without parallel), complete (as one who conveys the fullness of salvation), and definitive (beyond any possibility of being equaled, let alone surpassed, in his salvific function). Central to this belief was the idea that through Jesus, the powers of evil were overcome, sin was forgiven, spiritual and moral corruption was cleansed, and a new way of life became possible. This new life was described as a restored relationship with God, often understood as being adopted as God's children. [5] This understanding is reflected in early Christian texts. In the Old Testament, the title "saviour" is sometimes applied to human figures such as military leaders (e.g., Judges 3: 9, 15, and 31). In contrast, the New Testament applies the title only to God, eight times, and to Christ, sixteen times. [5]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Demarest, The Cross and Salvation, 177.
  2. ↑ Leon Morris, 'Redemption' Dictionary of Oxford and his Letters (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1993): 784.
  3. ↑ On Christ's role as universal Saviour, cf. Gerald O'Collins, Salvation for All: God's Other Peoples, OUP (2008).
  4. ↑ Zemek, George J. (19 September 2005). A Biblical Theology of the Doctrines of Sovereign Grace: Exegetical Considerations of Key Anthropological, Hamartiological, and Soteriological Terms and Motifs. Wipf and Stock Publishers. pp. 138–141. ISBN   978-1-59752-379-0.
  5. 1 2 For this section, and its respective themes and positions, compare Gerald O'Collins, Christology: A Biblical, Historical, and Systematic Study of Jesus , OUP (2009), pp. 297–333. Cf. also O'Collins, Salvation for All: God's Other Peoples, cit.; id., Jesus: A Portrait , Darton, Longman & Todd (2008), Chs 11–12; id., Incarnation, Continuum (2002), pp. 36–42; J.A. Fitzmyer, The Gospel According to Luke I–IX, Doubleday (1981), pp. 79–82; Karl Rahner, Foundations of Christian Faith, trans. W.V. Dych, Darton, Longman & Todd (1978), pp. 193–195, 204–206, 279–280, 316–321.

Bibliography

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