February 5 – LD 6, Day 1: The Mediator must be a Righteous Man
by Rev J. Kortering
Isaiah 53:11, “He
shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied; by his knowledge
shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.”
The catechism re-iterates
here that if someone is going to take the place of sinful man, he has to be not
only a man, but even more than a man; he has to be a sinless or righteous man.
The catechism says, “the justice of God requires that the same human nature which
hath sinned should likewise make satisfaction for sin.”
What does it mean that
the same human nature must bear the consequences of sin?
Adam’s sin was a willful
act on his part. God did not force Adam to sin or trick him into sin. When Eve
came to Adam with the fruit of the forbidden tree, it was desirable and
something they both wanted. Hence when they disobeyed God, they did it freely,
they chose to do this, knowing full well it was against God’s clear instruction.
“The day thou eatest thereof, thou shalt die.”
If sinful man is going to
make payment for this act of disobedience, the sinner in his own human nature
must do so as an act of obedience. He must freely desire to do this and take
the consequence of his sin willingly. The price for sin is everlasting
separation from God’s favor and instead of that, doomed to the torments of His
hellish wrath. To make atonement, man has to say to God, you are right. I
deserve this punishment. Now as an act of love I will bear this punishment
because I want to return to your fellowship and favor.
Nowhere in the human race
is there a man qualified to do this for himself or for
other sinners. No one WANTS to bear God’s hellish wrath, much less be able. The
reason for this is that fallen man is not righteous before God. His will is
captured by the power of sin. He is content to revel in his sin, make excuses
for them, and even blame God for everything that goes wrong in his life.
The good news of the
gospel is that there is a RIGHTEOUS man. Isaiah calls Him, “my righteous
servant”. That is Jesus, “He shall justify many and bear their iniquities.”
Blessed be God Who provides a Righteous Man for us.