These last few weeks we have considered the various strands running through the biblical doctrine of the Atonement. In the course we have considered in just a wee bit of detail
1.) Reconciliation
2.) Redemption
3.) Ransom
4.) Propitiation
5.) Expiation
6.) Justification
7.) Sacrifice
8.) Blood
9.) Substitution
10.) Satisfaction
So we understand when we speak about the Atonement we are talking about a grand and glorious doctrine that encompasses many mighty themes.
The Ohio, Missouri, and Colorado rivers flow into the Mississippi River. As do the Crow Wing River, Gull Lake River, Rum River, St. Croix River, Blue Earth River, Root River, Minnesota River, Red Cedar River, Chippewa River, Black River, Kickapoo River, Wisconsin River, Turkey River, Upper Iowa River, Maquoketa River, Wapsipinicon River, Cedar River, Iowa River, Skunk River.
And that is only in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa.
The Atonement similarly has all the doctrines that we mentioned emptying into it to make it the mighty doctrinal river that it is.
We have looked at the various tributaries. This morning we spend some time considering the whole glorious river.
Inevitably this means that some of this will sound familiar because when one speaks about the whole having considered the parts there is going to be repetition.
It is interesting that the English word “atonement” does not correspond etymologically with any particular Hebrew or Greek word. Therefore no mere word study can determine the biblical teaching of the atonement. This is just to say that by looking at one word in the Hebrew or Greek is not going to give you the total idea of the Atonement. Even the Greek and the Hebrew words here do not correspond to one another exactly.
As we look at the total testimony of Scripture we can get some beginning definitions
“Atonement means ‘a making at one’ and points to a process of bringing those who are estranged into a unity… its use in theology is to denote the work of Christ in dealing with the problem posed by the sin of man, and in bringing sinners into right relation w/ God.” (Leon Morris)
“Atonement refers to the event of the saving death of Christ in its whole range of results.” (Grounds)
We see the genesis of the doctrine as early as Genesis 3 where God covers the sinful Adam and Eve with coverings made of skin
One aspect of Atonement that we see immediately in Genesis is that of covering.
Gen. 3:21 Also for Adam and his wife the Lord God made tunics of skin, and clothed them.
The Hebrew words Kaphar and Kipper are not used here but the idea of covering which meaning those words give us for atonement are clearly present in the idea of the phrase “clothed them.”
Here we see our first parents must have immediately upon the fall been taught that w/o the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sin. We see here also the beginning of the idea that God will accept sacrifice wherein one creature stands in for another.
Matthew Henry has to say here;
The beasts, from whose skins they were clothed, it is supposed were slain, not for man’s food, but for sacrifice, to typify Christ, the great Sacrifice. Adam and Eve made for themselves aprons of fig-leaves, a covering too narrow for them to wrap themselves in, Isa 28:20. Such are all the rags of our own righteousness. But God made them coats of skin, large, strong, durable, and fit for them: such is the righteousness of Christ; therefore put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ.
This idea of covering found in the Hebrew words Kaphar and Kipper are used to describe the effect of the sacrifices at the consecration of the high priest and the altar and the annual sacrifices especially on the day of Atonement.
What we see in the garden in seed form we later learn in revelation becomes explicit with the sacrificial system.
Exodus 30:10 And Aaron shall make atonement (kipper) upon its horns once a year with the blood of the sin offering of atonement; once a year he shall make atonement upon it throughout your generations. It is most holy to the Lord.”
Lev. 17:11 For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul.’
Here we find in this sacrificial system more than just a covering but also propitiation (turning away of wrath), reconciliation, to atone for.”
And it was the sacrificial system that reminded the Hebrews that one was coming who could take away the sins that the blood of bulls and goats could never take away. One was coming who would provide a once for all atonement.
As we come to the NT we find this idea of atonement covering the pages. These passages that were read this morning are but two examples.
Romans 3:24 being justified [b]freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God set forth as a [c]propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, 26 to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
Many of your translations offer “sacrifice of atonement” where we find the word “propitiation.”
We see in this passage the heart of the meaning of atonement. There is a restoring of a broken relationship that up until the atonement is characterized by hostility of each party towards the other.
In this Romans passage we see many of the ideas that we have looked in the mighty word “atonement.” We see here propitiation, substitution, penalty, blood, reconciliation, redemption, etc.
Note in the Romans passage that God is both Just and Justifier. God is just because the penalty that sin always required is finally met in Christ. God is justifier because with the penalty being met nothing can bar the way from God visiting the publication of His justification upon the elect. This bespeaks of the necessity of Christ being set forth as an offering for sins.
Sit back now and be washed with just some of the other passages that contain this great theme of atonement. Listen for the themes we have covered these past few weeks and remember that they all are contained in the idea of atonement;
I Peter 1:18 knowing that you were not redeemed with [g]corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.
Rev. 1:5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who [b]loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood,
As we consider the Atonement we are reminded again that it is God who provided the Atonement. God is the original and efficacious cause of the Atonement.It was God who gave the animal skins as covering to Adam and Eve. It was God who gave the sacrificial system to picture Christ. It was God who provided the animals used on the day of atonement. It was God who sent His only begotten son out of eternal love for His people.
We must keep before us that atonement finds its ultimate explanation in an unfathomable urge in God towards elect sinners wandering out in the far country. God, in the atonement, was eternally pleased for reasons known only to Himself, to set His love upon those who had heretofore had only violated His great love.
Because God is gracious he provides atonement and because God is just He requires atonement.
In the atonement we see the truth that God’s love and justice kiss. Out of Love for Himself and for His people God provides Christ so that His eternal justice can have its due. No love, no justice. No justice, no love.
Away then with your sloppy luv gods who have no justice. Away with your statements that “my loving god wouldn’t do that.” Away with your refusal of hell and damnation because God is a God of luv. You refusal of the reality of Hell is a refusal of the atonement. It is a statement that God didn’t really need to demonstrate His love in the cross work of Jesus Christ because your lousy god wouldn’t do that. The love of that god is the love of a harlot.
Give me the God of the Bible. Give me the God who provides an atonement wherein both His love and His Justice are put on grand display in the pivotal point of all human history. Give me the God of the Bible who quenches His own justice in his own love and who does not compromise His own justice by surrendering His deity to squishy and ugly notions of love.
Not only did God provide the Atonement but we also note of the atonement that it is objective
We have noted this through this series but since we live in a church age that is awash in the subjective we note it again. The atonement makes its primary impression on the person to whom it is made. It is made to the Father… the atonement serves to propitiate and reconcile the Father.
Romans 3 teaches that also. Note in that passage that it is God who displayed Jesus publicly as a propitiation in His blood. In that we see a definite god-ward reference in the atonement.
This objective character of the Atonement distinguishes the biblical concept of the Atonement from all other theories. We have not gone into competing theories of the Atonement that have walked in the Church over the centuries but if we were to do that we would see that all other theories explain an atonement that is primarily subjective … that is primarly manward in its effect. To own such an atonement moves us in the direction of humanism, where man is the center of our theology. God’s problem is not an angry man. Man’s problem is an angry God. Only an Atonement that is primarily objective can deal with that problem.
This is one reason why the Reformed Church needs to continue to exist. We are one of the very few who have a doctrine where the atonement is objective and if you do not have an objective atonement you are without God and without hope. Unless atonement is God-ward in its primary effect you remain lost in your sins. Historically, the Reformed Church has been perhaps not the only but certainly one of the few places where you can find that. The world thus needs the Reformed church because it needs the biblical doctrine of the atonement.
Yet, as we have said once we talk about that God the effect of the atonement is that God is propitiated and reconciled to the sinner we can then gladly speak of the sinner being reconciled to God.
“For if while we were still enemies, we were reconciled to God, through the death of His Son.” (Romans 5:10)
II Cor. 5:19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not [a]imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. 20 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.
So we see that there is both an objective and subjective movement of the Atonement.
Well, there is more to be said here but we will end with a quote from one of the greatest minds ever produced by America
“This issue is cardinal. As the Churches of all ages has understood the Scriptures, the whole plan of gospel redemption rests upon this substitution of Christ as its corner-stone. He who overthrows the corner-stone overthrows the building. The system which he rears without this foundation may be named Christianity by him, but it will be another building, his own handiwork, not that of God — another gospel.”
R. L. Dabney