The Atonement

Today, I would like to begin a series of post, over the next weeks, on the doctrine of the atonement. The atonement is a doctrine that we do not think much about. The atonement is a doctrine that we do not read much about. The atonement is sadly, a doctrine that when taught clearly from the Bible, comes under fire. The doctrine of the atonement, as clearly taught from Scripture, has been called; “cosmic child abuse”, a “heinous crime”, and “totally misunderstood”. Sadly, most Christian today either reject the doctrine of the atonement, do not understand it, or get squeamish and hide from it. Thinking through the doctrine of the atonement and its implications, is an important action to do.

First, the word “atone” or an atoning action is “to make amends”.  Webster’s dictionary defines the word atonement as, “the reconciliation of God and man through the death of Jesus Christ; reparation for an offense”. The word atonement is scattered all over the Bible, both in pictures/illustrations and in defining what it is. The verb to “atone” for someone is used throughout the Bible. The adjective, “atoned” is used multiple times in the Bible to describe a person. The noun “atonement” is used both in the Old Testament and pointed to in the New Testament, both by the Gospel writers and the Apostle Paul. The Bible is very clear on the definition of the once for all atonement in, “God killed His perfect Son to save hate-filled rebels from the wrath they deserved from Him”.

Think through that definition of the atonement again. God killed His perfect Son to save hate-filled rebels from the wrath they deserved from Him. This definition of the atonement gives all the pieces of the atonement I want to think through in the these posts. The atonement is necessary to save hate-filled rebels. The atonement was an act where Jesus propitiated the Father’s wrath. The atonement was an act where Jesus redeemed His enemies. The atonement was an act where God was able to justify sinners. The atonement was an act where Jesus reconciled hate-filled rebels back to the Father. The atonement was an act where Jesus substituted Himself in the place of sinners and for the punishment for sin. The atonement is the very heart of the Gospel.

Yet through all these amazing things declared in the doctrine of the atonement, we as Christians run from it as much as we can. There have been many false and heretical teachings of the atonement. Many people believe the atonement was a “ransom act where Jesus bought sinners from Satan”. There is a heretical view that the atonement of Christ was only a morally influencing act where Jesus did not have to die for sin but changed the heart of the Father when He gave His life. The most common heretical view of the atonement is the example teaching, where Jesus died to give His followers an example to follow. The final and newest theory of the atonement, that is clearly wrong, is the governmental theory, where God did not require an atonement for sin, but Jesus was killed anyway, and God used it to forgive sin. All these views and teachings on the atonement of Jesus are wrong and refuted by Scripture, yet Christian's run (rejected, hide) from the clear teaching that God satisfied His wrath for sin, on His Son.

The atonement is foundational to the Christian life. To believe in Jesus, one must believe in His mission to satisfy the wrath of the Father for sin. To believe in God, one must believe that God sent His Son as a payment for sin. To call ourselves Christian, we must believe the truth of the atonement that God did not spare His Son but gave Him up as our Substitute. To delight in God, we must understand the greatest gift He ever gave, the gift of the life of His son, on our behalf. To worship Jesus, we must understand the greatest reason we worship, the truth of the penal substitutionary atonement.

Think through it one more time, the atonement is; “God killed His perfect Son to save hate-filled rebels from the wrath they deserved from Him”. If the doctrine of the atonement does not lead us to study it more, love God greater, and worship Jesus better, we have truly not understood it, rejected it, or hid from it. To rightly know the doctrine of the atonement, it must lead us to love God greater, worship Jesus better, and learn more about the act where God saved His enemies through the giving of His perfect Son on the Cross.