## Lord’s Day 5

### 12. Q. According to God’s righteous judgment we deserve punishment both now and in eternity: how then can we escape this punishment and return to God’s favor?

**A**. God requires that his justice be satisfied.<sup>1</sup> Therefore the claims of this justice must be paid in full, either by ourselves or by another.<sup>2</sup>

<sup>1</sup> [Ex. 23:7](/References/Bible/02%20-%20Exodus/Exodus23.md#7); [Rom. 2:1–11](/References/Bible/45%20-%20Romans/Romans2.md)
<sup>2</sup> [Isa.  53:11](/References/Bible/23%20-%20Isaiah/Isaiah53.md#11); [Rom. 8:3–4](/References/Bible/45%20-%20Romans8.md#3)

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### 13. Q.Can we make this payment ourselves?

**A**. Certainly not. Actually, we increase our debt every day.<sup>1</sup>

<sup>1</sup> [Matt. 6:12](/References/Bible/40%20-%20Matthew/Matthew6.md#12); [Rom. 2:4–5](/References/Bible/45%20-%20Romans/Romans2.md#4)

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### 14. Q.Can another creature—any at all—pay this debt for us?

**A**. No. To begin with, God will not punish any other creature for what a human is guilty of.<sup>1</sup> Furthermore, no mere creature can bear the weight of God’s eternal wrath against sin and deliver others from it.<sup>2</sup>

<sup>1</sup> [Ezek. 18:4, 20](/References/Bible/26%20-%20Ezekiel/Ezekiel18.md#4); [Heb. 2:14–18](/References/Bible/57%20-%20Hebrews/Hebrews2.md#14)
<sup>2</sup> [Ps. 49:7–9](/References/Bible/19%20-%20Psalms/Psalms49.md#7); [130:3](/References/Bible/19%20-%20Psalms/Psalms130.md#3)

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### 15. Q.What kind of mediator and deliverer should we look for  then?

**A**. One who is a true<sup>1</sup> and righteous<sup>2</sup> man, yet more powerful than all creatures, that is, one who is also true God.<sup>3</sup>

<sup>1</sup> [Rom. 1:3](/References/Bible/45%20-%20Romans/Romans1.md#3); [1 Cor. 15:21](/References/Bible/46%20-%201Corinthians/1Corinthians15.md#21); [Heb. 2:17](/References/Bible/58%20-%20Hebrews/Hebrews2.md#17)
<sup>2</sup> [Isa. 53:9](/References/Bible/23%20-%20Isaiah/Isaiah53.md#9); [2 Cor. 5:21](/References/Bible/47%20-%202Corinthians/2Corinthians5.md#21); [Heb. 7:26](/References/Bible/58%20-%20Hebrews/Hebrews7.md#26)
<sup>3</sup> [Isa. 7:14](/References/Bible/23%20-%20Isaiah/Isaiah7.md#14); [9:6](/References/Bible/58%20-%20Isaiah/Isaiah9.md#6); [Jer. 23:6](/References/Bible/24%20-%20Jeremiah/Jeremiah23.md#6); [John 1:1](/References/Bible/43%20-%20John/John1.md)