C. A Brief Analysis of Heppenstall's Christology
Before moving to the evaluation and critique of Heppenstall's contribution, we
wish to give a brief analysis of Heppenstall's Christology after having sought
to describe it.
Heppenstall's Christology is based on the concept of Christ being fully God
and fully man. His deity ensures that the One who came to rescue man is no one
other than God. This gives inestimable worth to the sinless life and atoning
death of Christ. Moreover, His genuine humanity means that Jesus Christ has
truly met man on common ground, can face the reality of temptation and can
genuinely qualify to become man's merciful High Priest.
Heppenstall's insistence on the sinless human nature of Christ has helped to
maintain the uniqueness of Christ. Even though Heppenstall has Christ using
His human attributes, having surrendered His divine attributes to the control
of His Father, Christ stands out above all other men who have ever lived. His
sinlessness guarantees His qualifications to be a complete Saviour. Although
Heppenstall holds up Christ's manner of victory as possible for all men, his
stand on Christ's sinlessness, in nature and act, has prevented him from using
Christ's perfection for soteriological ends.
From the firm base of Christ's person, Heppenstall moves to the centrality and
importance of the cross of Calvary where Jesus Christ made a complete
atonement for sin. In the work of the cross, Heppenstall maintains the
historical reality of an objective atonement that was made once-for-all, never
to be repeated. Despite this finality, he has given much prominence to
Christ's continued work of redemption and judgment in the heavenly sanctuary.
Only when this work is accomplished will the finished work of Calvary be
translated into living reality throughout God's universe.
