Question 21: What sort of Redeemer is needed to bring us back to God?

Answer: One who is truly human and also truly God.

Kids Answer: One who is truly human and also truly God.

Key Scripture: Isaiah 9:6

Additional Scripture: 1 John 1:1; John 1:14; Colossians 2:9

The great impossibility of the redemption is that you or I could not possibly perform it. The great offense of our sin is such that we could only pay our price individually and not for another. But neither could an angelic being perform it–and such a small sacrifice it would be among a legion of angels–though untainted by sin, he could not possibly give us any merit, having none of his own. Nor could a purely divine being accomplish the work. His perfection would be entirely self-contained and could not spill over to cleanse our hearts. Only some combination of perfect divinity and full humanity could both fully satisfy the righteous requirements of the law and also pay the due penalty for our sin. Only Jesus, the Son of God in human flesh, can fulfill this requirement.

Questions to ask: (To help process the truth we learned. Ask yourself, a friend, your group, or your family questions to talk through it together)

• Why is it that you or I could not serve as a redeemer for another?

• Could an incredibly saintly individual live so righteously as to merit grace for another?

• Why must our redeemer be both God and man?