The Contenders

I’m taking Exegesis of Ephesians with Dr. Felix this semester. I’ll be posting some Harold Hoehner quotes from time to time just for devotional material. Here is the first one.

Concerning Ephesians 1:7, Harold Hoehner says,

“However, this verse shows that as a result of redemption in Christ through his blood, God has cancelled or forgiven sins and the necessary punishment that goes with them. Redemption is the cause and forgiveness is the effect. God is not lenient with sin because sin had to be paid in order for the sinner to be set free. The effect of this payment is the cancellation of or release from all the obligations caused by sin. Christ in his sacrificial death has taken the punishment for us. The supreme sacrifice of Christ clearly shows that God does not take sin lightly.

In conclusion, sin is a violation of God’s holiness and righteousness and the violater must be punished. God sacrificed his Son, Christ, whereby he provided the payment for sins committed and set the sinner free from sin’s punishment. The effect of this was the cancellation of sin’s obligation resulting in the permanent release from the guilt and punishment of sin. All this was accomplished according to the standard of God’s wealth and grace.” (Hoehner, Ephesians, p. 208).