Studies in the Person And Work of Jesus Christ: Intro

Introduction:

Impeccability vs. Peccability

IMPEC'CANCY, n. [See Impeccable.] The quality of not being liable to sin; exemption from sin, error or offense.
IMPEC'CABLE, a. [L. pecco, to err, to sin.] Not liable to sin; not subject to sin; exempt from the possibility of sinning. No mere man is impeccable.

PEC'CABLE, a. [from L. pecco.] Liable to sin; subject to transgress the divine law.PECCABIL'ITY, n. [from peccable.] State of being subject to sin; capacity of sinning.
Q1:  Why does Best begin this study with the impeccability of Christ?  Why is this important?  To what important attribute of God is it tied? (intro pg 3)
R & D1:  (Read and Discuss 1)
Athenasius Creed:
Whoever wills to be in a state of salvation, before all things it is necessary that he hold the catholic [apostolic/universal] faith, which except everyone shall have kept whole and undefiled without doubt he will perish eternally.
Now the catholic faith is that we worship One God in Trinity and Trinity in Unity, neither confounding the Persons nor dividing the substance. For there is one Person of the Father, another of the Son, another of the Holy Spirit. But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, is One, the Glory equal, the Majesty coeternal. Such as the Father is, such is the Son, and such is the Holy Spirit; the Father uncreated, the Son uncreated, and the Holy Spirit uncreated; the father infinite, the Son infinite, and the Holy Spirit infinite; the Father eternal, the Son eternal, and the Holy Spirit eternal. And yet not three eternals but one eternal, as also not three infinites, nor three uncreated, but one uncreated, and one infinite. So, likewise, the Father is almighty, the Son almighty, and the Holy Spirit almighty; and yet not three almighties but one almighty. So the Father is God, the Son God, and the Holy Spirit God; and yet not three Gods but one God. So the Father is Lord, the Son Lord, and the Holy Spirit Lord; and yet not three Lords but one Lord. For like as we are compelled by Christian truth to acknowledge every Person by Himself to be both God and Lord; so are we forbidden by the catholic religion to say, there be three Gods or three Lords. The Father is made of none, neither created nor begotten. The Son is of the Father alone, not made nor created but begotten. The Holy Spirit is of the Father and the Son, not made nor created nor begotten but proceeding. So there is one Father not three Fathers, one Son not three Sons, and one Holy Spirit not three Holy Spirits. And in this Trinity there is nothing before or after, nothing greater or less, but the whole three Persons are coeternal together and coequal. So that in all things, as is aforesaid, the Trinity in Unity and the Unity in Trinity is to be worshipped. He therefore who wills to be in a state of salvation, let him think thus of the Trinity.
But it is necessary to eternal salvation that he also believe faithfully the Incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ. The right faith therefore is that we believe and confess that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is God and Man. He is God of the substance of the Father begotten before the worlds, and He is man of the substance of His mother born in the world; perfect God, perfect man subsisting of a reasoning soul and human flesh; equal to the Father as touching His Godhead, inferior to the Father as touching His Manhood. Who although He be God and Man yet He is not two but one Christ; one however not by conversion of the Godhead in the flesh, but by taking of the Manhood in God; one altogether not by confusion of substance but by unity of Person. For as the reasoning soul and flesh is one man, so God and Man is one Christ. Who suffered for our salvation, descended into hell, rose again from the dead, ascended into heaven, sits at the right hand of the Father, from whence He shall come to judge the living and the dead. At whose coming all men shall rise again with their bodies and shall give account for their own works. And they that have done good shall go into life eternal, and they who indeed have done evil into eternal fire.
This is the catholic faith, which except a man shall have believed faithfully and firmly he cannot be in a state of salvation.
WSC  Questions 4-6 re: God
Q4:  What is God? A4:  God is a Spirit,[1] infinite,[2] eternal,[3] and unchangeable,[4] in his being,[5] wisdom,[6] power,[7] holiness,[8] justice, goodness, and truth.[9]
1.  John 4:24
2.  Job 11:7
3.  Psa. 90:2
4.  James 1:17
5.  Exod. 3:14
6.  Psa. 147:5
7.  Rev. 4:8
8.  Rev. 15:4
9.  Exod. 34:6
 
Q5:  Are there more Gods than one? A5:  There is but one only,[1] the living and true God.[2]
1.  Deut. 6:4
2.  Jer. 10:10
 Q6:  How many persons are there in the Godhead? A6:  There are three persons in the Godhead; the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost;[1] and these three are one God, the same in substance, equal in power and  glory.[2]   
1.  Matt. 28:19
2.  I John 5:7
D2 (Discuss 2)  One Indivisible Person
“His Deity may be contemplated apart from His human nature because it existed from eternity.  But His Human nature is inseparable from His Deity and cannot be thus contemplated.
Q2:  Why can’t the Son of God be contemplated apart from His Deity?
The Two Natures of Christ are so united that if His human nature were able to sin, God could have sinned.

In His Divine Nature
Eternal
Infinite
Omniscient
Omnipresent

In His Human Nature
Not eternal (had a beginning; Jesus was born into time and space)
Finite
Impotent
Earth bound

Christ was both infinite and finite—unlimited and limited—but never impeccable and peccable.

R2  IF He had a nature that was capable of sinning:
1-10 (pg 6-7 intro)

R & D3 First full paragraph pg 7 intro.
Q3  How can Christ’s temptations be real if He couldn’t give in to them?

A3:      As a man He was tempted but temptability down not imply susceptibility.
    He did not have a fallen nature
    His will was always subordinate to the Father’s

R & D4  Discuss the terms infinite and finite

(Man is bounded, limited, measurable, and searchable because he is finite.  God is unbounded, unlimited, immeasurable, and unsearchable because He is infinite.

Summary Statement (introduction)

If one finite person sins against another finite person, the finite judge shall judge him; but if a finite person sins against the infinite God, who shall entreat for him?  Finite man cannot entreat for the sinner, but the infinite Savior can entreat for him.  The doctrine of peccability stabs the very heart of Christ and His redemptive work.