Since God’s righteous judgement means that we deserve punishment now and eternally, how can we escape that punishment and be received into His favour again?
God will have His justice satisfied, and therefore we must make this full satisfaction either by ourselves or by another.
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Can we ourselves then make this satisfaction?
By no means. On the contrary, we increase our debt every day.
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Can any mere creature make satisfaction for us?
No. First, God will not punish another creature for the sin that humanity has committed. Further, no mere creature can bear the burden of God’s eternal wrath against sin and deliver others from it.
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What sort of mediator and deliverer then must we seek?
One who is truly human and perfectly righteous, and yet more powerful than all creatures, that is, one who is also truly God.