PONDERING... Who is the Redeemer?

NOTE: This is part of a catechism study we are doing on Sunday mornings.

Who is the Redeemer?

The only Redeemer is the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, in whom God became man and bore the penalty for sin Himself.

• 1 Timothy 2:5 ESV - "5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,"
• John 1:14 ESV - "14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth."
• 1 Timothy 3:16 ESV - "16 Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory."
• Colossians 2:9 ESV - "9 For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily,"

The only Redeemer is the Lord Jesus Christ,

Good to keep this in mind. One redeemer: Jesus. The Lord: He who rules. The Christ: the Messiah, He who saves.

the eternal Son of God,

Eternal is key here. The title Son of God is frequently misunderstood. Jesus is not God's son in the natural or biological sense. Rather, He has been with God from the beginning (John 1:1/The Trinity). In ancient times, the eldest son represented the father. He would inherit the father's station, title...etc. Therefore, even while the father was living, the eldest son would be taken as this representation. Jesus is the Son of God because He, being God, represented God perfectly to us in human form.

in whom God became man

See above. This is called the incarnation. Jesus was 100% God and 100% man. Yes, allow your mind to be blown. Paradox? Sure. Contradiction? No. He is God.

and bore the penalty for sin Himself.

Here's a point that I think many of us, even those of us who have long been Christians, overlook. We often speak of Jesus, who is God, dying for our sins and rising again. Yet, I think sometimes we, or at least I did for a long time, overlook what was actually happening on the cross. What is the punishment for sin? Not just physical death, but Hell. So, if Jesus bore our punishment, took our penalty, He endured Hell--eternity of the full wrath of God--for us. That is why only Jesus could be our sacrifice. Who else could do this and rise again?