The wrong understandings of Adam started very long time ago. The Protestant theologians still refer to the writings of Anselm of Canterbury. This man has been criticized by some because of his Nestorian ideas and rejection of the substitutionary atonement. I believe Anselm’s ideas can also be found in Aquinas.

I will briefly talk about the heresy of Nestorianism. Most of us are not theologians. And I think it is better to stay that way. But I’d like you to be aware of the error of Nestorianism because it has convinced many Christians. The orthodox teaching is that Christ has two natures, one human and the other divine in one person. Nestorians believe that Christ has two separate persons. The orthodox understanding of the two natures is written in Article 19 of the Belgic Confession and the Athanasian Creed.

Nestorianism started because Nestorius rejected to see Maria as a mother of God. I think Nestorius tried to explain why Mary was not divine. The Roman Catholic church still believes that Mary had what they call “immaculate conception”, meaning she was free from the original sin, which is not true. I assume Nestorius came up with a heretical idea while trying to explain that Mary was a mere human. However, what Nestorius did was to separate Christ’s two natures. So, he claimed that Christ has two different persons in one body. The orthodox understanding is that Christ’s two natures are distinguished and yet, undivided/inseparable. The two natures are not mixed. And yet, they are in perfect harmony and unity. It is easy to think that His human nature contradicts to His divine nature. But, as I mentioned previously, the sinless Son of Man with the Holy Spirit and the Son of God are in harmony. This may be the reason why God made human in His image. Theologians use this to justify salvation of all mankind saying God loves all people. But we know that not all people will enter the kingdom. We are made in God’s image in relation to Christ’s work on the cross and the kingdom of God. Christ’s two natures are important and vital to understand because the saints and God are united through Him as John 17 explains.  In Christ, both human and God dwell in harmony. Indeed, Christ is the new temple.

Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” (John 2:19)

I believe that not only the Protestant theologians in the 17^th century, but also early Reformed theologians also had immature ideas about the two natures of Christ. Christ is the Son of God and the Son of Man. We cannot say that Christ used only one nature at specific occasions. We must not say that Christ used only the human nature during the temptation period or at the cross. Christ was and is truly human and truly God. His human nature did not need righteousness other than the righteousness He already had because only God is righteous.

I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly. (Galatians 2:21)

Truly righteous God came to redeem His people so that we could become the children of God. Now having the Son’s knowledge, faith, and love for God and His people by uniting with Him, we are righteous as the Son is righteous. This righteousness comes by faith in God who has perfected and will perfect us at the end.

For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, THAT HE WILL INSTRUCT HIM? But we have the mind of Christ. (1 Corinthians 2:16)

Although the Protestant theologians like John Owen changed the AOC and said Christ did not need to keep the law but did it for the church, this error has not really disappeared. This is what Louis Berkhof wrote:

“… if Christ had not rendered active obedience, the human nature of Christ itself would have fallen short of the just demands of God, and He would not have been able to atone for others.” (https://www.monergism.com/christ%E2%80%99s-active-and-passive-obedience)

Even though the Protestant theologians changed Anselm’s AOC, the Nestorian idea is still there. True righteousness requires being united with God. It is closely related to having the mind and the knowledge of God. If the church’s righteousness (or eternal life) depends on the law, that righteousness can be taken away when disobedience happens. Besides, her righteousness exists as long as the law (written code) exists. There is no more law that condemns us because Christ has perfected it. Instead, there is the law of liberty, love.

If indeed what God wants from us is only to obey all His commands, the Son’s obedience to the law is only for His benefit because we are sinners if we break a single law. I believe that Anselm’s theory has some logic although we can only conclude that he believed in the imaginary god he invented. Owen’s AOC lacks logic and can only lead to the original AOC as we read in Berkhof’s writings. The Son’s perfect keeping of the law does not benefit us if God wants individual saints to keep the law perfectly. If Christ’s righteousness depends on keeping the written code, He is not the Son. Instead, He is only a man. Therefore, this is a Nestorian idea. Our righteousness must come from the Son who is one with the Father and died and resurrected for us. The reason why the Lord’s Supper happened before His death is because the church must die and resurrect with Him. The church is one with God. The church is the adopted children of God through the Son. And the Son’s righteousness is the church’s righteousness. There is no more deaths in the kingdom.

And he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb, in the middle of its street. On either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. There will no longer be any curse; and the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and His bond-servants will serve Him; they will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads. And there will no longer be any night; and they will not have need of the light of a lamp nor the light of the sun, because the Lord God will illuminate them; and they will reign forever and ever. (Revelation 22:1-5)

I do not want you to just believe what I wrote. I hope you are like the Bereans who examined everything using the words of God.

Now these people were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so. (Acts 17:11)