Victory Motif in Irenaeus

For Irenaeus, the key to his theology is the answer to this question. For what purpose did Christ come down from heaven? Answer: “That He might destroy sin, death, and give life to man.” Thus according to Aulen on Irenaeus, “the work of Christ is first and foremost a victory over the powers which held mankind in bondage: sin, death and death.” Significantly, Irenaeus asserts that “the Word of God was made flesh in order that He might destroy death and bring man to life; for we were bound in sin, we were born in sin and live under the dominion of sin.” Irenaeus teaches that God Himself entered into the world of sin and death. The Divine victory accomplished in Christ stands at the center of the thought process of Irenaeus.

I plan to return to this theme.

Copyrighted 2006

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Gospel of Luke