16- God alone is The Savior and the Redeemer

With Respect to Him Being the Savior and the Redeemer

This proof involves four main points:

A. God alone redeems and saves the human race

B. The theological basis of this fact

C. Christ alone is the Redeemer and Savior of the world

D. Conclusion: Christ is God.

(A) God Alone Redeems and Saves the Human Race

The Holy Bible explicitly testifies to this. It is written in the Book of Psalms: "None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him...

But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave" (Ps. 49:7,15). David the Prophet repeats the same meaning when he says: "Bless the Lord, 0 my soul, bless His holy name!.. who forgives all your iniquities... who redeems your life from destruction" (Ps. 103:1-4). And the Book of Isaiah the Prophet confirms this matter in more than one testimony. It is written: "Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: 'I am the First and I am the Last; besides Me there is no God " (Is. 44:6), and we have discussed this issue before here on st-takla.org in other pages. Therefore the Redeemer is This One God who is the Lord of hosts who is the First and the Last. Isaiah the Prophet repeats the same thing and says: "As for our Redeemer, the Lord of hosts is His name, the Holy One of Israel" (Is. 47:4) and: "Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel 'I am the Lord your God"' (Is. 48:17). And God says: "For I, the Lord your God, will hold your right hand..' says the LORD and your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel" (Is. 41:13,14).

The Virgin Mary attributed salvation to God and said: "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior" (Lk. 1:46). St. Paul the Apostle said: "God our Savior" (Titus 2: 10), and: "The kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared' (Titus 3:4). And Jude the Apostle concludes his Epistle with the same testimony, saying: "Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, to God our Savior who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen" (Jude 24,25).

Salvation is attributed to God alone, as is explicitly stated by God Himself. "And you shall know no God but Me, for there is no Savior besides me" (Hos. 13:4); "Have not I, the Lord? And there is no other God besides Me, a just God and a Savior, there is none besides Me" (Is. 45:2 1), and: "I, the Lord, am your Savior, and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob" (Is. 49:26); (Is. 60:16).

Belief in Christ

Divinity of Christ Books by H. H. Pope Shenouda III

The Theological Basis of Salvation and Redemption