Man was created in order that God might assume man's nature, cover all the faults and defects of that nature, pay the penalty for all the sins and bear all the sorrows of that nature, that man's nature, thus redeemed, might rise from its humiliation and mortality, to share eternally the blessedness and glory of God's own nature. -- H. E. Jacobs, *Elements* p. 65.
Will,
ReplyDeleteI have a problem with this quote. Yes, God knew in advance that man would sin. God laid out the plan for our redemption before creation. Man was created because God is love and for His glory. The first line says God created man so He could save us, true, but not the big reason. What am I missing?
Thanks.
I think in view here is the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world - thus even when God created mankind it was ultimately with the purpose that God would himself assume humanity in divine love to lift his creation to the joys of participating in His divine life. Said another way around, Adam was made in the image of our Lord Jesus Christ. But what I recommend is reading the whole chapter in Jacobs, because this is his capstone, if you will, and he's laid out his thought all along the way.
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