Q&A 12 According to God's righteous judgment we deserve punishment both in this world and forever after: how then can we escape this punishment and return to God's favor? 

God requires that his justice be satisfied.¹

Therefore the claims of his justice

must be paid in full,

either by ourselves or another.²

 

¹ Ex. 23:7; Rom. 2:1-11

² Isa. 53:11; Rom. 8:3-4

 

 

Q&A 13 Can we pay this debt ourselves?

  

Certainly not.

Actually, we increase our guilt every day.¹

 

¹ Matt. 6:12; Rom. 2:4-5

Q&A 14 Can another creature--any at all-- pay this debt for us? 

No.

To begin with,

God will not punish another creature

for man's guilt.¹

Besides,

no mere creature can bear the weight

of God's eternal anger against sin

and release others from it.²

 

¹ Ezek. 18:4, 20; Heb. 2:14-18

² Ps. 49:7-9; 130:3

 

Q&A 15 What kind of mediator and deliverer should we look for then?

 

One who is truly human¹ and truly righteous,²

yet more powerful than all creatures,

that is, he must also be true God.³

 

¹ Rom. 1:3; 1 Cor. 15:21; Heb. 2:17

² Isa. 53:9; 2 Cor. 5:21; Heb. 7:26

³ Isa. 7:14; 9:6; Jer. 23:6; John 1:1

 

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