The Divine Dilemma
“It was therefore right not to permit human beings to be carried away by corruption, because this would be improper to and unworthy of the goodness of God. … Being the Word of the Father and above all, he (Jesus) alone consequently was both able to recreate the universe and was worthy to suffer on behalf of all and to intercede for all before the Father.”
– Athanasius of Alexandria
Athanasius’ On the Incarnation is a foundational Christian text in which he explores why God became human in the person of Jesus Christ. Athanasius was present at the pivotal Council of Nicaea in 325 AD, but most of his life was spent serving the church of Alexandria, Egypt, through the mid-300s. As believers today, we are in debt to pastors and theologians like Athanasius, who not only guarded against early heretical teachings but gave us rich and sound theological writings that endure in our present age. This is the final instalment of this multipart series.
Athanasius introduces a profound concept known as the “divine dilemma,” a theological problem that arises from two seemingly contradictory truths about God: His justice and His goodness. How can God remain just—punishing sin as it deserves—while also being good and merciful, desiring the salvation of rebellious humanity? This dilemma becomes the central question that the incarnation (God becoming flesh) answers.
The issue begins with creation itself. God created humanity in His own image, giving them the gift of life and the capacity for communion with Him. Yet, God also warned that disobedience would result in death. When humans sinned, they incurred this penalty—not just physical death, but spiritual corruption and estrangement from God. Athanasius insists that God cannot lie; if death is the consequence of sin, then justice demands that this consequence be fulfilled. At the same time, God’s goodness means He cannot and would not simply abandon His creation.
So God faces a dilemma: if He simply forgives without dealing with sin, He violates His justice. But if He upholds justice without mercy, He violates His goodness. The solution, according to Athanasius, is the incarnation. By becoming human, the divine Word can take the punishment upon Himself, fulfilling the demands of justice. Yet because this act is motivated by love and leads to the restoration of humanity, it also fulfills divine goodness.
The beauty of the incarnation, for Athanasius, lies in its harmony with both divine attributes (justice and mercy). God does not sidestep the consequences of sin; He enters into them. Justice is not denied but satisfied—yet in a way that brings healing rather than destruction. God Himself willingly becomes the atoning sacrifice, bearing what humanity could not bear and achieving what humanity could not achieve.
This resolution of the divine dilemma also speaks to the logic and elegance of God’s plan. Athanasius often appeals to the rationality of the incarnation, suggesting that it is not only theologically sound but also philosophically compelling. The cross is not a contradiction of divine nature but a perfect expression. Through it, God’s justice and mercy are displayed in their fullest and most glorious forms.
Ultimately, Athanasius’ divine dilemma underscores the necessity and the profound depth of the incarnation. It shows that the Christian message is not arbitrary or sentimental but deeply rooted in the character of God. The incarnation is not just a historical event but the solution to the most fundamental problem of existence: how a good and just God can redeem a fallen world without compromising Himself.
“My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation (payment) for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.”
– The Apostle John: 1 John 2:1-2