The Arrington View, Essay Example

French Arrington, a professor of New Testament Greek Exegesis at the Church of God Theological Seminary, argues in the “Doctrine of Salvation,” that Salvation is achieved through Jesus Christ who is the Son of God manifested in a human vessel. Jesus Christ is one third of a trinity that serves as God the Father, God the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  Arrington explains that the believers in God were not receiving the salvation that was sought within the Old Testament standard practice of animal sacrifice.  Arrington further explains that Jesus is God manifested with all the frailties and temptations of man.  Jesus life has a dual purpose of serving as an example of righteous living according to the Word of God, and to wager his life as a human sacrifice to carry the weight of sin for all mankind.  Arrington states that Jesus is the ultimate sacrifice as a sinless man carrying the weight of all sin.  He refers to Jesus as the unblemished sacrifice.  Arrington brings to light the bible passages where Christ is referred to as the substitution or ransom as a consequence of the sins of man.  Jesus is said to have died in place of all the sinners of the world, so that all of mankind could be born again and a new covenant to replace the old covenant of the Old Testament was born in this transaction.  Arrington firmly asserts that the crucifixion held the weight of this new covenant, and that God gave his only begotten son as a representation of his infinite compassion and love for his creation.  He makes a contention in his writing that Jesus as a sacrifice to human kind was the next evolution in the Passover significance, which is meant to commemorate the time of the imposed slaughter of the first born and how the lamb was sacrificed to protect the faithful.  Arrington further explains that the crucifixion had other powerful influences as well.  He tells how the devil often tempted Christ and sent others to steer him from his path.   Christ’s time on earth was a definite threat to the devil’s plan and the crucifixion of Christ would seriously undermine his dominion on earth.

The crucifixion as described in the Doctrine.  Contrary to some biblical Scholars that Believe God is a stern judge that delights in sentencing sinners to hell, Arrington views the sacrifice of God’s Son to die for us as the ultimate act of love.  The salvation as presented in his paper is only achieved through the power of the trinity of God the father who gave his son as a sacrifice for sin and God the Son who is the way and the light through which redemption is possible, and the Holy Spirit which encompasses the doctrine of salvation.  It is the Spirit that serves as the guide and strength to live as Jesus and faith is the vehicle by which believers attain the ultimate salvation to stand ready to meet God upon his return to human kind. Arrington outlines that it is through the Holy spirit that mankind is regenerated and sanctified to become born again in preparation for adoption of the reborn spirit and glorification,  Arrington’s view has Jesus Christ firmly positioned as the way to salvation as positioned by God the Father with the Holy Spirit as the guide.  He defines ultimate salvation as heavily relying on the power of the triune.

Arrington is said to express the Pentecostal perspective, but for most Christians such as myself; this is a shared view.  In reading through his assertions, I found them very much so aligned with my own beliefs. It is believed by many that the wraith that Jesus was subjected to on the cross is a part of the price that Jesus had to pay as wage for the sin of all mankind.  In varying religions the identity of Jesus’ differs, but at the very least he is seen as a respected prophet and his life is held as an example of righteous living for all of mankind to model.  In the Christian belief it is said that the blood of Jesus washed away our sins and it is through him by which humankind is able to achieve salvation.  I am a Christian, said to be born again, and I found his argument logical with keen comparisons, but I did not find his suppositions very provocative.  I do attest to the fact that the trinity is very interesting and would be provocative reading to someone less versed in this concept.  I did find the doctrine informative in the outlining of the steps, if you will, to ultimate salvation.  Regeneration as likened to rebirth or being born again concurrent with justification that leads to adoption.  I have been exposed to the born again concept, but I did not realize how this aspect is intrinsically linked to the sacrifice on the crucifixion and that it is part and parcel of the ultimate salvation which will not be achieved until God walks amongst us. The way Arrington explains the texts of the bible is succinct in that we are inexplicable linked to the Jesus experience.  Jesus is said to be born again on the third day just as humankind is said to be born again with the slate wiped clean of sin and then through our faith we are regenerated and are said to become as babies in the word of God. Arrington presented a clear path to salvation that I had no knowledge of before and it made sense in its simplicity. It is interesting to know that in the trinity that God is represented as a unified whole of three distinct identities and roles.  God the father is the creator and the source, and God the Son is the redeemer through which salvation was given, and the Holy Spirit who regenerates, cleanses, and empowers.  It is this binding of the power of three with origins in one which lends itself to a better understanding and support system for mankind which is a further testament to the compassion that God has afforded his children.

Arrington was very detailed in the support of his beliefs and very informative on many aspects of the nature of the trinity and its formation to aid in mankind’s salvation.  His explanations were clear and easy to follow.  There is much to learn from his teachings no matter what belief system an individual employs.

Works Cited

Arrington, French. “Doctrine of Salvation.” MediaFire. http://www.mediafire.com/?trywftwomji