The Legality of Salvation (A lawyer's perspective on the cross)

By Azeke Ikeke

This is the story of stories. The story that every one has heard and come across whether in person, by books or by experience. The story of the cross and the Man, Jesus Christ who died on it and rose again. It has provoked commentary from men of wit, wisdom and intellectual might from all walks of life. From philosophers to physicians, from scientists to statesmen. These have all aired their views on either this Man or His story. We have been privileged to have heard from men of these disciplines and have learnt from their faith or skepticism. But in this book lies a totally different perspective; that of the lawyer.

The book focuses on the legal implications of every element in the story leading up to salvation from Adam's transgression to Jesus' crucifixion. Could it be that there is something about the story of salvation as written in scriptures that the lawyer, with his understanding of the law and how it works, could help us clarify? Could it be that there are legal implications of this story and that there are equally legal implications of believing or failing to believe it? Could it be that even the devil lost not only a spiritual battle but a legal one as well? Could the cross be the most legal way God could have effected salvation?

The mind of the lawyer as regards these questions and a lot more lies within the pages of this book. His mind and his training are brought to bear in his analysis of Christ and the cross or "Jesus Christ and Him crucified" as the Apostle Paul puts it. It is the classic case of the law meeting the scriptures and the lawyer has shown that when all has been said and done, both can collide and each stand firm. If that intrigues you, then this is a must read!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Azeke Ikeke
• Release date: Oct 17, 2019
• ISBN: 9780463534854

Book preview

THE LEGALITY OF SALVATION

(A LAWYER’S PERSPECTIVE ON THE CROSS)

BY

Azeke Ikeke

Copyright 2019 Azeke Ikeke

Smashwords Edition

This e-book remains the copyrighted property of the author and may not be resold or distributed for commercial purposes.

DEDICATION

This book is dedicated to Pastor Remi Samuel whose description of Jesus’ death on the cross as God being vicariously liable for the sin of mankind during one of his sermons gave birth to the idea for this book

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

PART ONE: CONTRACT

CHAPTER ONE: THE NATURE OF THE CONTRACT: GOD’S COMMANDMENT

CHAPTER TWO: THE BREACH: ADAM’S TRANSGRESSION

CHAPTER THREE: THE PRINCIPLE OF VICARIOUS LIABILITY: THE DEMAND OF UNIVERSAL JUSTICE

PART TWO: INSURANCE

CHAPTER FOUR: THE POLICY: THE LAMB SLAIN FROM THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD

CHAPTER FIVE: THE PREMIUM: THE LAST ADAM

PART THREE: EQUITY

CHAPTER SIX: EQUITY FOLLOWS THE LAW: THE NEED TO BE JUST

CHAPTER SEVEN: THE PRINCIPLE OF NOVATION: HEAVEN’S SYNECDOCHE

PART FOUR: THE BELIEVER’S DEFENCE

CHAPTER EIGHT: PREROGATIVE OF MERCY: GOD’S OFFER OF PARDON

CHAPTER NINE: AUTRE FOIS CONVICT: CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST

CHAPTER TEN: NO CASE SUBMISSION: ABSENCE OF EVIDENCE

EPILOGUE: HOW SATAN DESTROYED HIS CASE AGAINST THE BELIEVER:

INTRODUCTION

Scripture is clear that one infallible proof of God’s existence and glory is creation. This is the only physical evidence God provides for His existence. As it is written,

"The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows his handiwork

Day unto day utters speech and night unto night reveals knowledge.

There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard

Their line has gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world"

(Psalms 19:1-4)

And again,

"because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them

For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse."

(Romans 1:19-20)

From both portions of scripture, particularly the latter, everything ever created is for the purpose of revealing a dimension of God and His glory.

Building on that thought, it can also be said that every discipline or field of study known to man also reflects a dimension of God. Medicine unveils the dimension of God as a healer, Engineering unveils the inventive and creative dimensions of God, Architecture unveils the dimension of God who builds all things as the writer of Hebrews says (Hebrews 3:4), the discipline of law, however, reveals God’s fairness and justice.

We see a glimpse of God’s brilliant and perfect legal system in all the laws and commandments He gave the Jews through Moses as embodied in the Jewish Torah. Far deeper and more meticulous than even that, is the intelligence of the principles of justice and fairness God follows in effecting salvation for mankind. A dispassionate examination of the legal integrity of God’s salvation plan is the subject matter of this book.

The book compartmentalizes all separate events culminating in salvation into legal principles and examines the legal implications of each. The law meets the scriptures in one seamless blend all with a view to determining the legality of God’s salvation plan.

It is important to note that the legal principles discussed in this book are far wider in scope. Discussions are very precisely tailored and narrowed down to cover only those elements of the legal principles that are captured in the events leading to salvation.

Is salvation legal? Just how legal is salvation? Let’s find out!

PART ONE:

CONTRACT

The term contract has been used indifferently to refer to…series of operative acts by the parties resulting in new legal relations

-Black’s Law dictionary 8th Edition (at pg. 341)

A contract may be demonstrated by the conduct of parties as well as by their words and deeds…

-Obayuwana v Ede (1998) 1 NWLR (Pt 535) 670

For the formation of any contract, there must be a definite offer capable of being accepted. This is the general principle; but there are certain cases in which the court can make a finding that there is a contract even though it is difficult to analyse the transaction in terms of offer and acceptance

-Clarke v Earl Dunraven (1897) AC 59

CHAPTER ONE

THE NATURE OF THE CONTRACT: GOD’S COMMANDMENT

What is a contract for our purposes?

A contract is defined as an agreement which the law will enforce or recognize as affecting the legal rights and duties of the parties

-Trietel, The Law of Contract (5th ed., 1979) p.1

Two questions arise in the context of this definition. What is the agreement? And what law enforces it?

Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.

(Genesis 1:28)

The moment God uttered these words to man, He by implication placed a law over all earthly creation that man would be its overlord. His first recorded interaction with Adam, the first man, earth’s overlord is reproduced:

"And the LORD commanded the man saying, ‘of every tree of the garden you may freely eat

But of the tree