The man Christ Jesus provided his perfect human life as a ransom or corresponding price for Father Adam. Because a perfect man [Adam] sinned, it would take the life of a perfect man to take Adam’s place under the penalty of death and hence, provide mankind with an opportunity for salvation. Because all of Adam’s descendants were under his condemnation, “No man can by any means redeem his brother Or give to God a ransom for him.” (Psa. 49:7 NASB) Therefore, someone from outside the fallen was needed to pay the redemption price.
However, in his pre-human existence as the Logos or the angel Michael, our Lord could not provide for man’s salvation. Instead, as the apostle Paul writes in Heb. 2:9 (NASB): “But we do see Him who was made for a little while lower than the angels, namely, Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone.”
It was “the man Christ Jesus, (6) who gave Himself as a ransom for all.” (1 Tim. 2:5,6 NASB) The apostle Paul explains it further in 1 Cor. 15:21-23 (NASB): “For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. (22) For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. (23) But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at His coming.” Christ provides salvation for all mankind – first for his followers [the first-fruits] and then for all mankind, [those who are Christ’s at His coming or return].
Since Jesus’ earthly life took Adam’s place under the penalty of death, it requires that Jesus be resurrected not as a man but as spirit being where he can apply the value of sacrifice to divine justice and then help mankind gain everlasting life in his earthly kingdom. Paul writes in Heb. 9:11-12 (NASB): “But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things to come, He entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle [heaven], not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation; (12) and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.”
He adds in Heb. 5:9-10 (Philips) that because of his faithfulness unto death, Jesus was raised as a great spiritual priest to bring life to mankind. “Then, when he had been proved the perfect Son, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who should obey him, being now recognised by God himself as High Priest ‘after the order of Melchizedek.'”
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