Cur Deus Homo

Good 'Advent' Reading

Why did God become a man? Anselm's book (Cur Deus Homo: "Why God Became Man") gave the answer that many Christians might give: God became a man to repair the damage done by sin ... or 'for us and for our salvation' as the Nicene Creed puts it. But that is not all. There is something deeper and more wonderful to say in answer to the question Cur Deus Homo? 

(according to Goodwin) the principal reason that the Son of God became man was not that sinners might be saved by his meritorious work, though of course that was also a reason. Rather, in Goodwin’s view, the benefits procured by Christ ‘are all far inferior to the gift of his person unto us, and much more the glory of the person itself. his person is of infinite more worth than they all can be of.’ 

Therefore, God’s chief end was not to bring Christ into the world for us, but us for Christ .... and God contrived all things that do fall out, and even redemption itself, for the setting forth of Christ’s glory, more than our salvation’.

God speaks of his children as those who are ‘called by [his] name, whom [he] created for [his] glory, whom [he] formed and made’ Isaiah 43:7 
(p3-4 A Christian's Pocket Guide to Jesus Christ)