Of Christ the Mediator
The Lord Jesus, by His perfect obedience, and sacrifice of Himself…has fully satisfied the justice of His Father.
We are reconciled to God through the atoning death of Jesus Christ. Just how Christ’s death achieves this reconciliation has been and will ever be the source of much pious reflection.
Borrowing from an article written by John McCusker, a Benedictine monk in St.Louis, I believe “it was not the physical suffering and death of Christ which was pleasing to God, but the love and obedience which inspired His passion.”
The Reformed understanding of the atoning work of Christ can be presented in a way that is excessively juridical. A more balanced approach would also value the thoughts of a Thomas Aquinas, “whose understanding of the Passion as atonement, or satisfaction, is not primarily understood as Christ’s substituting himself in suffering the demands of punishment for sin according to the rigors of divine justice, but with reference to the love and obedience Christ offered on our behalf.” In Aquinas’ own words, “by suffering out of love and obedience, Christ gave more to God than was required to compensate for the offense of the whole human race.”
All this being said, this chapter of the confession is beautifully written, and well articulates the glorious gospel of our Lord and Savior.
