Question 22: Why must the Redeemer be truly human?

Answer 22: That in human nature he might on our behalf perfectly obey the whole law and suffer the punishment for human sin; and also that he might sympathize with our weaknesses.

The incarnation really is at the center of our Christian faith. The truth that God became man; the truth that God entered into his creation in time. When Mary gave birth to Christ, the baby born was not just God in the appearance of a human being. It truly was God in the flesh. The Word that was from the beginning with God, became flesh. And so we say that Jesus Christ, is the God man - truly human and truly God. 

The question before us is why must our Redeemer be truly human (we will look at truly God next week). Why must Christ be truly human? There are three parts to the answer. The first part says “that in human nature he might on our behalf perfectly obey the whole law…” There is the language of substitute. Christ as a man on our behalf obeyed the whole law. The law was given to men to obey. God is the Lawgiver. We are required to keep it. Of course, we have all fallen short, we fail miserably. And so Christ in his human nature, on our behalf kept the entire law. He did not fail at one point. Hebrews makes it clear that Christ was made like us in every way except for one very important way - He never sinned! Jesus did what we could never do, namely perfectly obeyed God’s law - and he did it on our behalf. 

The second part of the answer says that he also on our behalf suffered the punishment for human sin. Because we are sinners and lawbreakers, we deserve to die. We deserve not only death, but eternal wrath at the hands of God who is holy. The scriptures say “the soul that sins shall die”. Our biggest problem is the goodness of God. If God is good and we are not, that is a problem. A good judge meets justice in a righteous way. He does not let rapists and murderers and vandals go without punishment. Well, God is good and therefore there must be justice for sin. Well, praise the Lord, the eternal Son of God, became man and suffered and died as our substitute or in our place. He took the punishment that my sins deserve. He took the righteous punishment for the sins of all who would trust in him. 

Finally the part of the answer to the question “why must the Redeemer be truly human?” is “and also that he might sympathize with our weaknesses.” Christ became like us in every way in order that he might be a sympathetic, merciful Redeemer. I think it was John Stott who said something like, “I could never believe in a God who was distant and aloof from human suffering, pain, and weakness. Through the incarnation of Christ, we know that the God of the bible is not distant and aloof from us.” 

Hebrews 2:17 - Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.