A Trinitarian Theology of the Cross/Atonement

[rlvaughn]

In a post in the Baptist History forum, Jerome mentioned a possible past controversy in the Southern Baptist Convention concerning binitarianism (a Christian theology of two persons, personas, or aspects in the one substance of God, as opposed to unitarianism and trinitarianism)

While searching for information on the subject, I ran across an intriguing section in Rustin Umstattd’s book, The Spirit and the Lake of Fire: Pneumatology and Judgment. In “From a Binitarian to a Trinitarian Crucifixion,” Umstattd asserts, “The Spirit is absent in the event of the cross in most theologies” (p. 131). I think he has a point. On p. 139 he writes,

As the Son suffered physically upon the cross, the Spirit sustained his life until the time he uttered that it was finished and he died…From his conception to his crucifixion the Spirit was with him, moving him forward from baptism to temptation, from temptation to his ministry of proclamation and healing, and from proclamation to his encounter with the religious authorities and ultimately to his death. In the Spirit’s power, Jesus preached liberty to the captives, a liberty that could only be gained by way of the cross. There is no indication in Scripture that the Spirit, in some gnostic-like manner, departed Jesus before the crucifixion. He was with him throughout the physical torment he underwent. There is also no indication in Scripture that physical suffering is the Spirit’s work. Jesus’ physical death, however, is directly related to the withdrawal of the Spirit’s life-giving function. In order for Jesus to die physically, the Spirit’s sustaining and preserving power must have been removed from his body.

What do you think? Have we generally left off presenting the involvement of the third person of the Trinity in the atonement? Is the common presentation binitarian, whether or not deliberately so? What do you think is the role of the Holy Spirit in the crucifixion and atonement?

 

[Reformed]

What do you think is the role of the Holy Spirit in the crucifixion and atonement?

Burk Parsons wrote, "God is one in His essence, and an important ramification of this is that whenever He acts in relation to things outside Himself (ad extra), each of the three persons acts inseparably with the others. This manner of working is not akin to the work of a committee, wherein different members each contribute their different gifts and talents to a cooperative endeavor, for the oneness of God means that the attributes of the three persons are identical. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit all have the same will, wisdom, power, holiness, and so forth. Yet, this manner of inseparable operations is also not a monochrome activity wherein you cannot distinguish the three persons of the Trinity. Each person exercises the same divine attributes, but each does so in a manner that is peculiar to His person.

This is difficult to conceptualize, but it is somewhat easier to conceive when we look at the work of atonement. Although it is the incarnate Son, touching His human nature, who atones for our sin, all three persons work inseparably to effect the atonement that secures our salvation. Both Father and Son offer up the Son for our redemption, the Father as the subject who offers and the Son as both the subject who offers and the object who, touching His human nature, is offered (Rom. 8:31–32; Heb. 9:13–14). And when the Father and Son offer up the Son, They do so in the Spirit, who by His “efficacious power” makes Christ’s death as a man under divine wrath saving for us (Calvin; see Heb. 9:13–14). Atonement is from the Father through the Son who is offered in the Spirit for our salvation. It is a work of holy love by all three persons of the Trinity."

The Holy Spirit is a sin qua non of the Atonement which is made clear in Hebrews 9:13-14:

"13 For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh, 14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?" (emphasis mine)

 

[church mouse guy]

Wow, you like hot potato topics, don't you? If I stay quiet, maybe you will mistake it for wisdom, huh?

 

[37818]

". . . the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, . . ." -- Hebrews 9:14.

 

[Van]

Let me nit-pick the OP just a little. All three persons of the Trinity are "spirit" thus when the OP says the "Spirit" was with Him from conception, this refers to the Second Person of the Trinity, but additionally, Jesus was "annointed" with the Holy Spirit (Third Person of the Trinity) at His water baptism. By what power did Jesus work miracles? When was the Third Person withdrawn from Jesus? When Jesus gave up His "Spirit" was it not the second Person, Logos?

 

[rlvaughn]

Let me nit-pick the OP just a little. All three persons of the Trinity are "spirit" thus when the OP says the "Spirit" was with Him from conception, this refers to the Second Person of the Trinity...

The person who wrote "From his conception to his crucifixion the Spirit was with him" was Rustin Umstattd, author of The Spirit and the Lake of Fire: Pneumatology and Judgment. If you read those words in their immediate context and his book as a whole, he means the Third Person of the Trinity -- the Holy Spirit. You are free to disagree with him, assert & prove he is wrong, etc., but you are not free to just change what he means and say he means something else.

 

[agedman]

I am a bit different when presenting the crucifixion. So, when I read of those who present God’s wrath was satisfied by pouring it out upon the Son, i do consider such a bit differently.

God’s wrath for believers was certainly satisfied, appeased, mollified, but not because it was emptied as pictured by the terms poured out upon. For the wrath remains upon the unbeliever.

Rather, as the Hebrews passage given above, previously the sacrifice became defiled ceremonially, but the Christ did not. Sin did not defile, rather the trinity working in concert achieved that victory that humankind could not.

Therefore, though wrath remains for the unbeliever, God is reconciled to those who believe by the work of the trinity who also work in concert that the believer does believe. For it is nothing less that the complete work of God in authority, power, and prescience in Redemption.

Enough of this rabbit trail.

This is a great thread!

 

[Van]

The person who wrote "From his conception to his crucifixion the Spirit was with him" was Rustin Umstattd, author of The Spirit and the Lake of Fire: Pneumatology and Judgment. If you read those words in their immediate context and his book as a whole, he means the Third Person of the Trinity -- the Holy Spirit. You are free to disagree with him, assert & prove he is wrong, etc., but you are not free to just change what he means and say he means something else.

And I am not free to grasp what was not presented in the post. I did not know what was meant, and I still do not. How was the third Person of the Trinity with Him from conception to His anointing?

By what power did Jesus work miracles?
When was the Third Person withdrawn from Jesus?
When Jesus gave up His "Spirit" was it not the second Person, Logos?

 

[rsr]

Robert, I believe that one reason that the Spirit often is given short shrift in the working out of atonement is the relative paucity in the biblical record of the Spirit's participation. As compared to references to the Father and the Son, verses mentioning the Spirit are much less frequent. The atonement, from a scriptural standpoint, is focused on the Father and Son, and this is especially true of Penal Substitutionary Atonement, which has historically been the primary understanding of the atonement among Baptists.

This does not mean there is no scriptural basis for the actions of the Spirit in Atonement, but takes more effort to build the case.(David Allen has compiled a synthesis at MY EVANGELICAL THEOLOGICAL SOCIETY 2018 PAPER – “The Role of the Holy Spirit in the Atonement and its Application”.)

I suspect another factor has been Baptists for the most part distancing themselves from emphasis on the Spirit to avoid the perils of charismatic sects that sometimes seem (to Baptists) to emphasize the work of the Spirit almost as if it is divorced from the rest of the Godhead and venture into gnosticism.

 

[church mouse guy]

Robert, I believe that one reason that the Spirit often is given short shrift in the working out of atonement is the relative paucity in the biblical record of the Spirit's participation. As compared to references to the Father and the Son, verses mentioning the Spirit are much less frequent. The atonement, from a scriptural standpoint, is focused on the Father and Son, and this is especially true of Penal Substitutionary Atonement, which has historically been the primary understanding of the atonement among Baptists.

This does not mean there is no scriptural basis for the actions of the Spirit in Atonement, but takes more effort to build the case.(David Allen has compiled a synthesis at MY EVANGELICAL THEOLOGICAL SOCIETY 2018 PAPER – “The Role of the Holy Spirit in the Atonement and its Application”.)

I suspect another factor has been Baptists for the most part distancing themselves from emphasis on the Spirit to avoid the perils of charismatic sects that sometimes seem (to Baptists) to emphasize the work of the Spirit almost as if it is divorced from the rest of the Godhead and venture into gnosticism.

That's the hot potato. I agree 100% with the SBC BF&M but there are some minor points when one must decide to be quiet.

 

[Van]

There is no indication in Scripture that the Spirit, in some gnostic-like manner, departed Jesus before the crucifixion.

Once again, "before the crucifixion" does not answer the question, what about before Christ died? Why do some believe the Holy Spirit (third Person of the Trinity) did depart Jesus before He died. Why, because Jesus gave up "my spirit" and not "my spirits."

 

[agedman]

Once again, "before the crucifixion" does not answer the question, what about before Christ died? Why do some believe the Holy Spirit (third Person of the Trinity) did depart Jesus before He died. Why, because Jesus gave up "my spirit" and not "my spirits."

Is there more than one Spirit?

 

[37818]

Is there more than one Spirit?

Well, the Spirit of God, and the Spirit of Chirst and the Holy Spirit Himself, are the three Persons who are the One Spriit who is God alone, Romans 8:9; Romans 8:16; John 4:24.

 

[agedman]

Well, the Spirit of God, and the Spirit of Chirst and the Holy Spirit Himself, are the three Persons who are the One Spriit who is God alone, Romans 8:9; Romans 8:16; John 4:24.

Four places (if I recall) Revelations refers to the seven Spirits of God.

When the Lord said, “I will send another comforter...” we consider it the Holy Spirit.

And well it should be held in that foundation, for the “seven” spirits represent the finished, completed work of God. Not that God is seven spirits.

 

[Van]

Is there more than one Spirit?

Rather than answer any question, we get another question. Is the Helper, Comforter, Indwelt Holy Spirit the same as the Father (who is spirit) or the Spirit of Christ? I am flesh and blood, a human, and so are you, so while there is only one humankind, we are able to act independently or together as one.

 

[37818]

. . . Revelation refers to the seven Spirits of God.

Yes. By interpetation those seven (six in pairs) are identified as ". . . the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and strength, the spirit of knowledge and godliness shall fill him; the spirit of the fear of God. . . ." -- Isaiah 11:2-3. LXX. Proverds speaks of them, Proverbs 8:11-22, ". . . I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions. The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate. Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I have strength. . . . The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old. . . ." The LORD being the preincarnate Christ, John 1:3.

 

[rlvaughn]

Robert, I believe that one reason that the Spirit often is given short shrift in the working out of atonement is the relative paucity in the biblical record of the Spirit's participation...

I think so. When it is more implicit than explicit it is harder to find and point it.

 

[Van]

What do you think is the role of the Holy Spirit in the crucifixion and atonement?

We have three key terms here:
1) The Holy Spirit refers to the third Person of the Trinity, and not to the Spirits of the Father and the Son.
2) The crucifixion refers to the predetermined plan to sacrifice the Lamb of God, culminating in Jesus dying on the cross.
3) The "atonement" is defined in several ways. A simple and straightforward view is to drop the term and refer to the substitutionary sacrifice of Christ on the cross. This provided the means of saving the lost, but saved no one. Subsequently, a person must receive the reconciliation provided by Christ's sacrifice through faith in the truth. When and if God credits a person's faith as righteousness, God transfers the person spiritually into Christ. This transfer is accomplished by the Holy Spirit acting as the agent of Christ. It is referred to as the sanctification by the Spirit (2 Thessalonians 2:13) and the sanctifying work of the Spirit (1 Peter 1:2) This action results with the person being "at one with Christ."