The next word we’re considering in this series is “Atonement”, an essential doctrine and megatheme of the Bible. As always we start with a definition:
To The Point
Atonement is the covering over and forgiveness of sin and subsequent reconciliation between God and man accomplished by the sufferings and death of Jesus Christ in place of all those who exercise faith in him.
Once again, for a correct understanding and perspective we must go back to Genesis, the book of beginnings.
The fall of man in Genesis chapter three caused a heap of problems not the least of which was to effect a rift between God and man. Since then we have been disconnected from him, out of fellowship, slaves to sin, and deserving of the wrath of God.
Bottom line – sin seperates.
To restore a people to himself God instituted a system of substitutionary sacrifice, teaching them that the penalty for their sin is death (see Romans 6:23) and that only by blood is sin forgiven:
“For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it for you on the altar to make atonement for your souls, for it is the blood that makes atonement by the life.” (Leviticus 17:11)
“…without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.”(Hebrews 9:22)
The sacrificial system described in the first five books of the bible, the Torah, and specifically outlined in the book of Leviticus, further underlines this point and emphasises the need for a perfect, spotless, substitionary sacrifice. In the Levitical system, a pure, spotless, lamb was most often used.
But these sacrifices were not entirely sufficent in that it was necessary to repeat them regularly to keep God’s people in right relationship with him.
What was needed, was a once for all, eternal sacrifice.
So God sent his son, Jesus of Nazereth, fully God and fully man, to earth to live as a man and to live a perfect, sinless life so as to qualify as our sacrifice and to once and for all restore a people to God for all eternity. (see Hebrews 9:26)
He became our spotless lamb (see John 1:29), becoming sin and suffering and dying, absorbing the full force of God’s wrath against sin and dying in our place for our sin, paying our debt of death. Furthermore, God raised him from the dead three days later, vindicating the sufficency of the sacrifice.
It is through believing and trusting in this death, burial, and resurection – this atonement - that we are regenerated and given a new heart and new life, united with Christ and reconciled and restored to relationship with God to dwell in his presence as his people for eternity.
Recommended Reading
- The Book of Hebrews
- The Book of Leviticus
- The Sufficency of Christ – John MacArthur
- The Cross of Christ – John Stott
Last 5 posts by Steve
- What Is Grace? - January 31st, 2010
- What Does Regeneration Mean? - November 10th, 2009
- Celtic Christian Worship - October 26th, 2009
- What Does Trinity Mean? - October 19th, 2009
- Guard Thy Heart - October 15th, 2009
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