Carson Bledsoe Theology Response

1.The New Testament gives us many ways to understand the significance of Jesus’ death and resurrection. Choose one model of the atonement that you have not used before. Summarize how you could share the gospel on campus using that model.

The satisfaction model of atonement advocated by Anselm I believe is useful in helping ourselves and others to see why we as humans are so far removed from His righteousness. By this I mean the satisfaction model centers around Jesus death paying the debt we owe God due to our dishonoring him through our sins. On campus this can be used to help students better understand the depth and seriousness of our sin and why it matters that we recognize and thank Jesus for his sacrifice. The satisfaction model, while not perfect, also helps explain why Jesus and not any random person had to die for our sins, because he was the only one who lived a perfect life.

2. Is it possible to overemphasize the deity of Christ at the expense of his humanity?

I believe that it is possible to overemphasize the deity of Christ because this can distract us from his humanity. Christ’s deity is incredibly important, if He was simply human He couldn’t have lived a perfect life and died for my sins. But, His humanity is just as important because it gives us hope that because Jesus lived a perfect life free from sin, if we are in Him, we too can live a life free from sin. Christ’s humanity makes it possible for Jesus to be an example to us as humans and Christians. The humanity of Jesus also makes His sacrifice meaningful. If Jesus is more God-like than human-like, His suffering on the Cross is diminished because He’s God, He’s supernatural and maybe invincible. But if He is just as human as we are, we know and can empathize with His torment and death on the Cross.

Carson Bledsoe wrote:1.The New Testament gives us many ways to understand the significance of Jesus’ death and resurrection. Choose one model of the atonement that you have not used before. Summarize how you could share the gospel on campus using that model.

The satisfaction model of atonement advocated by Anselm I believe is useful in helping ourselves and others to see why we as humans are so far removed from His righteousness. By this I mean the satisfaction model centers around Jesus death paying the debt we owe God due to our dishonoring him through our sins. On campus this can be used to help students better understand the depth and seriousness of our sin and why it matters that we recognize and thank Jesus for his sacrifice. The satisfaction model, while not perfect, also helps explain why Jesus and not any random person had to die for our sins, because he was the only one who lived a perfect life.

I agree with you that the satisfaction model can be useful for helping others see their need for a savior. If we don’t understand the gravity of our sins and how utterly helpless we are in bringing correction then we won’t recognize the need we have for an external source of salvation. That external source can only come from somebody or something greater than ourselves, because in our failings we have been reduced. It’s like we have dug ourselves into a pit and the only tool we have to try and get out with is a shovel. We try digging but despite our best efforts we only find ourselves in a larger and deeper hole. Our only hope is for somebody above who to be willing to reach down and lift us out of our deadly trap. For us this salvation is found in the mercy of God through Christ Jesus.

Carson Bledsoe wrote:1.The New Testament gives us many ways to understand the significance of Jesus’ death and resurrection. Choose one model of the atonement that you have not used before. Summarize how you could share the gospel on campus using that model.

The satisfaction model of atonement advocated by Anselm I believe is useful in helping ourselves and others to see why we as humans are so far removed from His righteousness. By this I mean the satisfaction model centers around Jesus death paying the debt we owe God due to our dishonoring him through our sins. On campus this can be used to help students better understand the depth and seriousness of our sin and why it matters that we recognize and thank Jesus for his sacrifice. The satisfaction model, while not perfect, also helps explain why Jesus and not any random person had to die for our sins, because he was the only one who lived a perfect life.

2. Is it possible to overemphasize the deity of Christ at the expense of his humanity?

I believe that it is possible to overemphasize the deity of Christ because this can distract us from his humanity. Christ’s deity is incredibly important, if He was simply human He couldn’t have lived a perfect life and died for my sins. But, His humanity is just as important because it gives us hope that because Jesus lived a perfect life free from sin, if we are in Him, we too can live a life free from sin. Christ’s humanity makes it possible for Jesus to be an example to us as humans and Christians. The humanity of Jesus also makes His sacrifice meaningful. If Jesus is more God-like than human-like, His suffering on the Cross is diminished because He’s God, He’s supernatural and maybe invincible. But if He is just as human as we are, we know and can empathize with His torment and death on the Cross.

Hey Carson! I also wrote about the satisfaction model, and feel similar vibes. To me, it illustrates well how important sin is to God, and how there is no way that we could repay that honor to God ourselves. Those are important spiritual truths, and this model that I have never heard of specifically took care of it well! I look forward to sharing it with people in the future. However, I do think that it has some weaknesses, that being that is ignores Satan. I think that the satisfaction and penal substitution models pair well with the Christus Victor model to explain what the significance and purpose of the cross. Because Jesus was victorious over Satan, evil forces, and death, but at the same time satisfied God's justice and paid for our sin.

I liked your response to the second question as well. I think I tend to de-emphasize Christ's humanity. Maybe I just don't think of the hardships he had to go through or about the bitter situations he went through like the rejection of his hometown, the death of his cousin, the betrayal of his 12 closest friends, and more as actually affecting him. I tend to think of him in a more superman-like self, that this doesn't affect him. I totally agree, if Jesus is more god-like than humanlike, his suffering on the cross is diminished. He's an invincible superman whose kryptonite is the cross. He's fully human and fully divine, and knows what we have all gone through because he has faced some of the worst. I love that about Jesus, and have been trying to think about that/implement that more.