Sunday, 15 November 2009 00:00 Written by Dr. Robert Zweitzig

The Latin phrase above is the title of the second volume of St. Anselm's theory of the atonement. It means "Why the Godman?" Since we are asking a series of "Why" questions in these articles from Faith Theological Seminary, we propose that this is the most important question. No matter what queries we make about life, our problems, death and even eternity itself, the preeminently pivotal quest of Anselm (A.D. 1033 – 1109) overshadows all the pursuits of men and nations. This overarching inquiry uniquely answers every longing in the human heart, puts to shame every rebellious challenge against God and allays every gnawing fear arising from the dilemma of our sin. Though Anselm's theory (as every other theory of the atonement) falls short of explaining how Jesus Christ accomplished a complete and eternal redemption for us in His sin-bearing death, it nevertheless addresses the central theme of the entire Word of God—Genesis through Revelation.

Why did our entrapment in sin and separation from God require the intervention of God Himself coming in the flesh to rescue us? Anselm held that Christ's death gained full satisfaction for our sins and that His merit was more than equal to any obligation which man could ever accumulate toward God (R. Zweitzig, unpublished notes for the course in Christology and Soteriology, 103). He believed that our sin has taken from God the honor due to Him. Man must continually render his life to God. If he does not, there ensues a debt toward God. Man ought to give back to God more than he took away because of the contempt involved in disobeying God's will (Cur Deus Homo?, Book I, ch. 11, 203). Anselm said, "Here we must observe that as man in sinning takes away what belongs to God so God in punishing gets in return what pertains to man…" (Cur Deus Homo?, Book I, 207). Anselm felt that God knew that the punishment of man was not the better solution. It is impossible for sinful man to "pay" God back the honor owed to Him. The smallest of sins is a breach of God's honor and is so great that it cannot be accounted for by this world or an infinity of worlds (Zweitzig, 104). "By man God suffered loss, by man, also, He may recover His loss…but a sinful man can by no means do this, for a sinner cannot justify a sinner" (Book I, chpt. 13, 232). Thus we have the logical necessity that no one can do this work except God Himself. On the other hand, none but man ought to make satisfaction, since he (man) has offended the honor of God (Book II, chpt. 6, 244-245). Therefore, it is necessary that the Godman should make this atonement. Christ is God and man united into one person, otherwise it would be impossible for this person to be very God and very man (Book II, chpt. 7, 246). Christ's death was voluntary. Christ gave to God what He did not owe. It was necessary that the Father reward the Son, but it was impossible to bestow anything on Him that was not already His. The reward, therefore, was given to man. The remittance of man's debt by the death of Christ "has earned a reward greater than all debt" and is bestowed upon those who accept Christ (Book II, chpt. 20, 286).

Anselm views what Christ did as a matter of infinite numerical payback for our sins which robbed God of His honor. While no one can ultimately take anything away from the very nature and glory of God, mankind was lost to God because of sin. The answer for our helpless and hopeless estrangement from God had to come from God Himself. If we were to be saved, God would have to come into this world in the person of His only begotten Son to rescue us from our condemnation (John 3:16). God's motive is limitless sacrificial love and the bestowment of His grace (unmerited favor) upon us based upon His Son's once-for-all sin-bearing work on Calvary. Anselm's "commercial" or "satisfaction" theory does not answer how God achieved redemption for us. This will be studied by the saved for all eternity, but we will never plummet the depth and breadth of God's redeeming work.

Anselm also misses fundamental truths in the Bible about redemption, propitiatory sacrifice, reconciliation, mediation and being joined to Christ (G. Foley, Anselm's Theory of Atonement, 120). This eleventh century theologian, however, asked the right question to which the Bible alone gives God's saving response. The Bible is God's infallible Word and this is where Faith Theological Seminary stands.

The "long and short" of Anselm's question "Why the Godman?" points to the severity of our sin and lost condition and the need of God the Son's incarnation to come and save us (John 1:1, 12-14 and 14:6). Man's self-made predicament in sin was answered by God in the sacrificial death of His eternal Son.

Our safety for eternity rests in the Godman. For seventy two years my wife's brother remained outside of Jesus Christ and His salvation. Through the faithful witness of some of his family, he finally received the Lord into His life—two weeks before he died of cancer. On the edge of eternity, he found that the Godman alone could save him from his sins. Only Jesus Christ could remove sin and He has!