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The Manifold Wisdom of God” The Wisdom of God in Choosing Christ to be Our Redeemer
“Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.” (Isaiah 42:1)
The wisdom of God in choosing Christ to be our Redeemer is evident in many ways. We rejoice in the love, mercy, and grace of God. But it was the wisdom of God which found a way for a holy God to embrace fallen, sinful men and women in love, mercy, and grace. How we ought to admire the wisdom of God in providing such a Redeemer!
Fit Person Christ is in every way a fit and proper person to be our Redeemer. He who undertakes to redeem sinners, satisfy justice, make reconciliation for transgressors, and atone for sin must be a divine person. None but God could be equal to the great work of redemption. The Redeemer must be one who is infinitely holy. None could take away the infinite evil of sin, but one who is infinitely pure. None can make satisfaction, except him who is of infinite worth and merit. He must also be a person of infinite ability. The work of redemption is a great and mighty work, requiring both wisdom and power belonging only to God. And our Redeemer must be a person infinitely dear to God. In order for God to place infinite value upon the Redeemer’s work, the Redeemer himself must be infinitely dear to God, the Beloved One of his heart, the Apple of his eye, the Darling of his affections (John 3:16; Romans 5:8; 1 John 4:9-10).
Right to Redeem Our Redeemer must also be a person who has an absolute right to redeem. He must be one who is free of all personal obligation and responsibility. If he is a servant, or a subject, he has no right to redeem. He cannot merit anything. A servant has nothing of his own, no price to offer, and no merit before his Master. — Though Christ freely became Jehovah’s Servant to do his will in redeeming us, he is not in any way God’s subject. He is God’s equal, for Christ is God! He has the right to redeem. And the Redeemer had to be a person of infinite love and grace. No one else would undertake a work so costly for a creature so worthless as man. — Behold, how he loved us! Once more, the one chosen to be our Redeemer must be a person of infinite truth and faithfulness. He must be immutably true and unalterably faithful. Otherwise, he could not be trusted to carry on the great work to the horrible, ignominious death of the cross.
Only One God the Father found in his Son a fit person to be our Redeemer and trusted the whole affair of redemption to him (Ephesians 1:12-13). The Lord Jesus Christ is the only one who could honor and magnify the law, the only one who could glorify the triune God and save guilty sinners by the sacrifice of himself. And he did it! This is great wisdom. God found a Redeemer for sinners in the Person of his dear Son. Be sure you understand this. The only fit person to be our Redeemer is the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Not only was there no other way for a holy God to save fallen man, but by the redemption that is in Christ, there is no other person who could be our Redeemer but Christ. The whole work must be on his shoulders alone! No man could make atonement, because all are guilty. No angel could redeem, because all are finite. God the Father could not redeem us, because in the divine economy he is the One whose justice must be satisfied. God the Spirit could not redeem us, because he is the One by whom the blessings of redemption are conveyed to us, pleading the merits of the Redeemer. Who but God, infinitely wise, could have thought to make Christ our Redeemer? Had God asked the heavenly angels, or the sons of Adam, whom he would create, where can a ransom be found? None could ever have found the Redeemer we must have. But, thank God, he found a Ransom! And the Ransom, the Redeemer he found is his own dear Son, the Lord Jesus Christ!
Don Fortner
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Pastor Fortner’s
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