Recapitulation Theory of Atonement

[mcarans]

A Theory of Atonement that is less well known in western Christianity:

Recapitulation Theory of Atonement : cruciformity

 

[Pavel Mosko]

Yes many actually see penal substitution as the only theory of the Bible and Christianity unfortunately.

Actually in some ways I would see this as God "making all things new" Rev 21:5, apocastasis (in the sense of restoration and not the heresy of Universalism)of some early fathers like Origen, and Athanasius.

 

[Rubiks]

Definitely would agree that Jesus undoing the effects of Adam is the best understanding of the atonement in Paul's letters, particularly Romans 5-6.

For Paul, Christs resurrection is proof that he conquered death and being united with him allows us to receive his righteousness and receive glorified resurrection bodies.

 

[com7fy8]

[Christ] was in these last days, according to the time appointed by the Father, united to His own workmanship,

Well, if "united to His own workmanship" means Jesus was joined to sinners, no. Jesus on the cross started all which is right, that we may be joined to Him, by being "baptized into His death" (Romans 6:3).

united to His own workmanship, inasmuch as He became a man liable to suffering ...

Hebrews 2:14-15 does say >

"Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage." (Hebrews 2:14-15)

So, in case you mean Jesus was united to humans who were fallen . . . no > Jesus came in His own flesh and blood body, not united with evil people, but He did share in flesh and blood, not at all sharing with us in our sin.

And He did this so we could become united with Him >

"But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him." (1 Corinthians 6:17)

So, Jesus did not become united with us in our sin, but in trusting in Christ > Ephesians 1:12 > a person becomes "one spirit with Him."

Taking on a physical body did not make Jesus spiritually united with us.

He commenced afresh (Latin: summed up in Himself) the long line of human beings, and furnished us, in a brief, comprehensive manner, with salvation; so that what we had lost in Adam—namely, to be according to the image and likeness of God—that we might recover in Christ Jesus...

Yes, but not by becoming united with His fallen creation. But we needed to be changed so we are now united with Jesus in His death that we may also share with Him in His resurrection.

both waging war against our enemy, and crushing him who had at the beginning led us away captives in Adam

This can fit with Hebrews 2:14-15. Note how "fear of death" is slavery to Satan, in any case.

The theory is focuses on reversal of evil. Christ as the new Adam reverses the evil brought about by the Fall in each stage of His life from child to adult.

Mary rectifies the disobedience of Eve.

The Bible does not say this, does it????

Also, our Apostle Paul clearly says, how

"by one Man's obedience many will be made righteous," in Romans 5:19.

So, why is Mary being brought into this, please? Jesus is the One who has saved us. Jesus has made atonement for both men and women. So, what are you saying that Mary has to do with women, if you are saying this?

Adam and Eve were tempted and defeated by Satan, but Jesus and Mary did not succumb and conquered the Devil.

I do not find such in the Bible, that Mary was somehow connected with Jesus . . . like to Eve being connected to Adam; Adam and Mary were equal, but Jesus and Mary were not equal. So, my opinion is that a Christian church father would not have said this, and so in case there really did exist a Christian named Irenaeus, he would not have written this, but perhaps someone counterfeited this, in order to piggy-back on the credibility of him.

the Son of God leapt down from heaven and wrapped himself in our plummeting human nature. Because he was human, he participated fully in our perilous slide toward nothingness.

I do not see this in the Bible. Hebrews 4:15 clearly says Jesus went through all that He did, "yet without sin." So, He was free from our sin, in all He did. So, He could not have joined to our sinful human nature.

But because he was divine, he was able to arrest our downward movement and to reverse it, initiating an upward movement toward the life, love, and reality of God. In the movement of that one human life, the life of Christ, the whole of human nature has undergone death and resurrection.

In case you mean all humanity is now in the process of being restored to God, this is not correct >

"But evil men and impostors shall grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived." (2 Timothy 3:13)

We who are in Christ are more and more growing in how Jesus is, but not all humans are in this process. So, saying "the whole of human nature" is being restored is not Biblical, in case this is what he means.

I think these quotes are not clear, maybe. And we could do much better by giving our attention to what the Bible actually does say.

Possibly, you yourself could state exactly what you understand, in much more clear language so we can discuss what you really mean and intend, here, in case these quotes don't mean what they look to me like they could mean.

 

[mcarans]

Well, if "united to His own workmanship" means Jesus was joined to sinners, no. Jesus on the cross started all which is right, that we may be joined to Him, by being "baptized into His death" (Romans 6:3).



Hebrews 2:14-15 does say >

"Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage." (Hebrews 2:14-15)

So, in case you mean Jesus was united to humans who were fallen . . . no > Jesus came in His own flesh and blood body, not united with evil people, but He did share in flesh and blood, not at all sharing with us in our sin.

And He did this so we could become united with Him >

"But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him." (1 Corinthians 6:17)

So, Jesus did not become united with us in our sin, but in trusting in Christ > Ephesians 1:12 > a person becomes "one spirit with Him."

Taking on a physical body did not make Jesus spiritually united with us.

Yes, but not by becoming united with His fallen creation. But we needed to be changed so we are now united with Jesus in His death that we may also share with Him in His resurrection.

This can fit with Hebrews 2:14-15. Note how "fear of death" is slavery to Satan, in any case.

The Bible does not say this, does it????

Also, our Apostle Paul clearly says, how

"by one Man's obedience many will be made righteous," in Romans 5:19.

So, why is Mary being brought into this, please? Jesus is the One who has saved us. Jesus has made atonement for both men and women. So, what are you saying that Mary has to do with women, if you are saying this?I do not find such in the Bible, that Mary was somehow connected with Jesus . . . like to Eve being connected to Adam. So, my opinion is that a Christian church father would not have said this, and so in case there really did exist a Christian named Irenaeus, he would not have written this, but perhaps someone counterfeited this, in order to piggy-back on the credibility of him.

I do not see this in the Bible. Hebrews 4:15 clearly says Jesus went though all that He did, "yet without sin." So, He was free from our sin, in all He did. So, He could not have joined to our sinful human nature.

In case you mean all humanity is now in the process of being restored to God, this is not correct >

"But evil men and impostors shall grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived." (2 Timothy 3:13)

We who are in Christ are more and more growing in how Jesus is, but not all humans are in this process. So, saying "the whole of human nature" is being restored is not Biblical, in case this is what he means.

I think these quotes are not clear, maybe. And we could do much better by giving our attention to what the Bible actually does say.

Possibly, you yourself could state exactly what you understand, in much more clear language so we can discuss what you really mean and intend, here, in case these quotes don't mean what the look to me like they could mean.

You can read more about Church Father Irenaeus here: Irenaeus - Wikipedia in particular the section "The Unity of Salvation History".

 

[com7fy8]

You can read more about Church Father Irenaeus here: Irenaeus - Wikipedia in particular the section "The Unity of Salvation History".

You are welcome to share here what you really understand. Already, I am not clear what I have read; I do not need to go looking at what else might not be clear.

I think the Bible is better. But in case you would please to share right here what you really mean, I would be glad to see what you mean, speaking for yourself.

 

[mcarans]

You are welcome to share here what you really understand. Already, I am not clear what I have read; I do not need to go looking at what else might not be clear.

I think the Bible is better. But in case you would please to share right here what you really mean, I would be glad to see what you mean, speaking for yourself.

I am writing a series on all the different theories of atonement. This isn't about what my view is although I do intend to post about that in future. I have tried to write a summary of what Church Father Irenaeus thought. If you would like to find out more about what his view of atonement and you find what I have written unclear, then you can find other articles on the web if you search for "recapitulation theory of atonement".

 

[bling]

A Theory of Atonement that is less well known in western Christianity:

Recapitulation Theory of Atonement : cruciformity

It appears there were lots of Christians believing in a heavenly war in the first few centuries, with satan taking captives, like in a war.

Satan is winning up until Christ becomes human and turns the tide.

Everyone likes to “blame” Adam, Christians then and Christians today, even having Christ go to the cross because of Adam, but where are the Biblical sermons pointing out the Christ’s crucifixion the atonement sacrifice was due to Adam?

How are we made in the image of God is the first question, because Irenaeus and Justin Martyr seem to say: Adam caused us to quit being in the image of God and Christ reestablished our image???

The Bible seems to say will after Adam’s sin we are in the image of God: Genesis 9:6 “Whoever sheds human blood, by humans shall their blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made mankind.

Writers also like to include the death and resurrection in the atonement process, but Christ said something was finished prior to his death and well before His resurrection so what was finished?

Is the resurrection part of the atonement process?

Where is this downward spiral talked about in scripture and where is this upward spiral talked about?

The Bible does not refer to Adam’s sin being a “fall”, so would you call your child’s first sin a “falling away”?

 

[mcarans]

It appears there were lots of Christians believing in a heavenly war in the first few centuries, with satan taking captives, like in a war.

Satan is winning up until Christ becomes human and turns the tide.

Everyone likes to “blame” Adam, Christians then and Christians today, even having Christ go to the cross because of Adam, but where are the Biblical sermons pointing out the Christ’s crucifixion the atonement sacrifice was due to Adam?

How are we made in the image of God is the first question, because Irenaeus and Justin Martyr seem to say: Adam caused us to quit being in the image of God and Christ reestablished our image???

The Bible seems to say will after Adam’s sin we are in the image of God: Genesis 9:6 “Whoever sheds human blood, by humans shall their blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made mankind.

Writers also like to include the death and resurrection in the atonement process, but Christ said something was finished prior to his death and well before His resurrection so what was finished?

Is the resurrection part of the atonement process?

Where is this downward spiral talked about in scripture and where is this upward spiral talked about?

The Bible does not refer to Adam’s sin being a “fall”, so would you call your child’s first sin a “falling away”?

If one day you get round to writing up your ransom-based atonement theory somewhere, I will link to it from the subreddit I run (Cruciformity: the cross is where God is most clearly seen) as I think people there would be interested. You could even post it there directly if you'd like.

 

[bling]

If one day you get round to writing up your ransom-based atonement theory somewhere, I will link to it from the subreddit I run (Cruciformity: the cross is where God is most clearly seen) as I think people there would be interested. You could even post it there directly if you'd like.

I do not consider my understanding to be "Ransom Base", but more Disciplining Based more like taking the Atonement process of Lev.5 and extrapolating up to the atonement process for intentional sins. The ransom scenario works initially for the nonbeliever's part, but it is deeper.

 

[com7fy8]

I looked around the Net, a little bit. It seems people think Irenaeus says Jesus went through all stages of human life and redeemed each stage, including the child stage, the man stage, and death . . . something like this. And he says Jesus joined in our sin nature, so He could then win against sin.

But Hebrews 4:15 says Jesus went through all we go through, "yet without sin."

And the Bible doesn't say Jesus did a redemptive thing, by going through all stages of human life. But Jesus on the cross died for us.

Our Apostle Paul says,

"For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life." (Romans 5:10)

So, Paul says we are reconciled to God "through the death of His Son".

Then came the resurrection and the life of His resurrection, which I think Paul means will save us. He does not mean Jesus Christ's historical life on this earth before He died for us.

So, the cross gets us started. Then we need to submit to how our Father corrects us, so we can be changed into the image of Jesus > Romans 8:29.

So, we do not need a humanity-centered redeeming of human forms in this life, but we need conformity-centered correction and transformation so we are perfected in God's love, so we are ready to spend eternity with our Father and Jesus and one another >

"Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world." (1 John 4:17)

Therefore, a Biblical atonement idea will focus on how Jesus on the cross made atonement for us. And this would only begin our process of all which comes through the resurrection of Christ from the dead.