The Goodness of Good Friday - Reflections From Romans 5

 

Introduction:

    Today is what Christians the world-over call "Good Friday". Why call a day "Good" when the most evil act perpetrated by men - the crucifixion of Jesus Christ - took place? The ultimate cause behind the crucifixion was God Himself (Acts 2:23-24; Acts 4:26-28).

    God the Father sent the Son to become the incarnate Jesus of Nazareth. The Divine Son would live a perfect human life as "The Word made flesh" (John 1:14), to qualify as the "perfect Lamb of God", to die once and for all for sin (1 Peter 1:17-18; 3:18). The goodness achieved that day far outweighed the evil. 

    As we consider this Good Friday, we will look at one of the clearest passages in the Bible on the atoning death of Christ - Romans 5:6-21. What we will discover is the goodness of Good Friday.

1. The Goodness of salvation accomplished.   Romans 5:6-8 (WHAT HAPPENED FOR ME)

Paul writes in Romans 5:6-8 "For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." 

John Murray, past Professor of Systematic Theology at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, wrote a classic book in 1975 on the atoning work of Jesus Christ entitled: “Redemption Accomplished And Applied”. I’ve always found the terms he used in that title helpful in wrapping my arms around the Biblical doctrine of Christ's substitutionary atonement. 

The idea of “salvation accomplished” means the historic event of the cross, along with His resurrection from the dead. This is what Jesus Christ did for me or what we could also call "what happened for me". 

    The cross is where sin’s debt was paid; and the empty tomb is where the payment was approved. Murray’s book discusses at length how necessary Christ’s death was on the cross to accomplish salvation. There were no other methods or ways God could had set forth His saving work. 

    For Murray, the plan of God required an absolute effort from Himself to bring His overall saving work to its completion. As it concerns Jesus’ work on the cross, Murray writes: 

“Without it, we lack the elements necessary to make intelligible the meaning of Calvary and the marvel of its supreme love to men.”

Remember, in salvation accomplished, I’m talking about what Christ did for me. This is what had to happen for me, on my behalf. It would require all four Gospels to present what Jesus accomplished "for me" in a span of six hours. Let me mention two verses from the Gospels of Mark and Luke that highlight "salvation accomplished".

A. He bought me from my sin. 

 Mark 10:45 “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” 

    The term “ransom” concerns the price paid to emancipate a slave. In His humanity, Jesus lived a perfect life of 33 years, fulfilling what was required by God’s Law. He offered up a perfect life through His active obedience. 

    For Him to be qualified to accomplish redemption at the cross, He had to live a perfect life prior to it. It was His perfect humanity that provided valid payment for my sins, and it was His deity that provided infinite value in payment for my sins.   

B. He sought me despite my sin. 

Luke 19:10 "For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” 

    Now we have the act of death on the cross. The perfect life offered up in being the ransom for sinners qualified Him to be our Savior leading to the cross. It is here that what He accomplished paid for salvation at the cross. Remember, we have not only a perfect humanity, but the undiminished deity of the Divine Son of God. He paid the ransom to God as man and acted salvation as God. The title “Son of Man” speaks both to His deity and humanity. As man, Jesus Christ sought after Zachaeus. As God, He knew where to find this wee little man. 

    So, we see that the first good of Good Friday was that "salvation was accomplished by Christ", defining what needed to happen for me". But now notice secondly....

2. The Goodness of salvation applied.   Romans 5:9-11 (WHAT HAPPENED TO ME, IN SAVING FAITH)

In salvation accomplished, I understand that something had to happen for me. I could not bring it about. But now in salvation applied, upon the work of saving grace in saving faith, I understand something happens to me. That which “happened for me” is a historical, physical event, acted forth by God, for God, for sinners such as myself. Now what is needed is a connecting heavenly work, done by the Holy Spirit to apply that accomplished work to me. The cross-work of Christ is validated by His resurrection from the dead. It is on that basis that the Holy Spirit takes what Jesus achieved and applies it to those who believe. 

    The historical event becomes the heavenly reality granted "to me" at saving faith. We don’t have time to expound on all the graces that the Holy Spirit works forth in the sinner’s salvation. We know that those whom He calls on the inside of the heart by the Word of God (Romans 10:17), He brings forth that miracle of the New Birth, saving faith, and repentance. John 1:12-13 spells this out, as well as 2 Timothy 2:25. What happens to sinners so drawn, called, and converted by the Spirit through faith in salvation applied?

A. My legal problems with God ended in justification.  Romans 5:9

    Paul writes in Romans 5:9 "Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him." 

    Why God's wrath? Why did the settled opposition of the Divine Father need directed at the Divine incarnate Son on the cross. We read in Deuteronomy 27:26 "Cursed is he who does not confirm the words of this law by doing them.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’" 

    The Law of God was violated originally in the Garden of Eden. When God made man, He placed within his heart the law of God in the form of the human conscience (Romans 2:14-15). 

    This form of God's Law was broken in the treachery of our original parents. Millennia later, that same Law, given to Moses and Israel in inscripturated form, came with a curse for any who violated it. The Apostle Paul comments in Galatians 3:10 "For as many as are of the works of the Law are under a curse; for it is written, 'Cursed is everyone who does not abide by all things written in the book of the law, to perform them.” Gal 3:24 "Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith." 

    Unless Christ bore the curse, I and all descended from Adam would have legal problems with God. Because Christ bore the curse as the New Adam, that meant His perfect life of righteousness could be "imputed" or credited to my otherwise bankrupt spiritual account at saving faith. This is what the Bible calls " justification by faith". But notice also...

B. My spiritual plight with God ended in reconciliation.  Romans 5:10

    We read further in Romans 5:10 "For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life" (see also Romans 3:23). We are spiritually separated from God from conception and birth (Psalm 51). What is needed is reconciliation. 

    Paul explains how bad off we all are in Ephesians 2:12 "remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world."

     When a sinner, so drawn by the Spirit in saving faith, trusts in all that Christ is and has accomplished, the grace of reconciliation is applied. 

C. My relational pain with God ended in adoption. Romans 5:11

    We read on in Romans 5:11 "And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation." How can a reconciled, justified sinner have confidence to exalt in God lest they are also considered as adopted sons and daughters? Paul writes in  Galatians 4:6-7 "Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, 'Abba! Father!'  7 Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God." 

    We then read in Ephesians 2:18 "for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father." The argument of Romans 5 follows through into Romans 8, where Paul brings forth the truth of the believer's adoption by God (Romans 8:14-16). 

    These three truths of justification, reconciliation, and adoption comprise the three-braided rope of "salvation applied" at saving faith - a rope that cannot be broken. Then, what we find in Romans 5:12-21 is an introduction to what will be the overall argument that follows in Romans chapters 6,7,8, what I am calling "salvation experienced". 

    We saw in "salvation accomplished" that something happened for me. We observed in "salvation applied" that something happens to me in saving faith. But the Christian life doesn't stop there. Notice....

3. The Goodness of salvation experienced.  Romans 5:12-21 (WHAT IS HAPPENING IN ME, SANCTIFICATION)

As mentioned, Paul is introducing what He will expound upon in Romans 6, namely the experiential union the Christian has with Jesus Christ. To introduce this truth, Paul places side-by-side the first Adam, original Adam, and then of course Jesus Christ, whom Paul calls elsewhere the "New Adam" (see 1 Corinthians 15:45-47). 

    Adrian Rogers has noted that we gain more in Christ than we lost in Adam. The Scriptures bear out that our overall experience and identity is defined by whomever we have union. As I cite the remainder of Romans 5:12-21, I'll insert headings in parenthesis that expound what we can call "the badness of sin experienced in Adam" and "the goodness of what is experienced in Jesus Christ".

A. The badness of sin experienced in Adam.   Romans 5:12-14 

    Romans 5:12-13 (Sin’s consequences) Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned— 13 (sin’s condemnation) for until the Law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. 

     Romans 5:14 (sin’s corruption) Nevertheless death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over those who had not sinned in the likeness of the offense of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come.

B. The goodness of salvation experienced in Jesus.  Romans 5:15-21

    Romans 5:15-21  (imparation of the Son’s consequences) But the free gift is not like the transgression. For if by the transgression of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many. 16 The gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned; for on the one hand the judgment arose from one transgression resulting in condemnation, but on the other hand the free gift arose from many transgressions resulting in justification. 

    Romans 5:17 (the imputation of the Son’s credited righteousness) For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.

    Romans 5:18 (the inwardness of the Son’s completed work) So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men. 19 For as through the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous. 20 The Law came in so that the transgression would increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, 21 so that, as sin reigned in death, even so grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

    The above gives us a taste of the goodness accomplished on the cross, applied in saving faith, and experienced in sanctification.  

    For any reading this post today, let me ask you: have you received by faith all that Jesus accomplished for you? If not, wherever you are at, simply pray and ask God to forgive you of your sins and ask the Lord Jesus Christ to become your Savior, Lord and Treasure. Acknowledge that you trust in His finished work on the cross and that you believe He raised from the dead. You too can then have applied the goodness of Good Friday, and from this day forward experience the goodness of Good Friday worked forth in you by the Holy Spirit. 

How Jesus Christ works in the conversion of sinners

1 Timothy 4:10 "For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers."

When we consider the work of redemption that Jesus achieved in His substitutionary death, resurrection and ascension - such achievements are once and for all, never-to-be-repeated. The cross will ever be the anchoring point of redemption, with the resurrection demonstrating that what Jesus achieved overcame the otherwise infinite gulf between God and human beings. We could term this as referring to "redemption accomplished".

The Scriptures reveal that God is One God, existing in three Persons and with each Person in turn being fully and truly God. In the work of salvation, the Father is described as drawing sinners unto Himself whom He set his love and affection (Ephesians 1:4; John 6:44). Moreover, the Holy Spirit is the Chief Agent in the work of conversion, seeking after sinners and bringing unto them the finished work of Christ so that they can respond, believe and be saved (John 16:8-12). The Holy Spirit's efforts in applying salvation are done through the words of scripture, which are the Word of God (Hebrews 4:12; James 1:18). This aspect of Biblical redemption could be classified as "redemption applied".

When it comes to the work of the Son in the conversion of sinners (i.e the application of redemption), does Jesus play an active role? Scripture is firm that His work of salvation is a once-and-for-all done work. Yet scripture also indicates that by sharing equally in the Divine nature with the Father and Spirit, Jesus the Son operates in somehow in the reception of Him in saving faith. Today's post aims to grasp what the New Testament has to say about how Jesus works in the conversion of sinners:

1). The Son works forth salvation via the sending of the Spirit in His name. John 16:7; Acts 2:38. 

2). The Son is described as directly involved in our salvation by His activity and calling by the scriptures. John 5:24-25; Acts 3:20-21; Col 3:15

3). Jesus the Son works by way of the authority of His blood. This once-for-all accomplished work has continuing ongoing results in the current moment upon all who respond to His call based upon the blood which He shed. Acts 4:12; 10:43; Ro 3:19-26; 4:25; Eph 1:7; Heb 9:14. 

4). The Son bestows salvation by virtue of His exalted position in heaven at the right hand of the Father. The authority which the Son exercises over the church and the world is what theologians call "His Sessions". Classically Bible teachers have considered Christ's current activity or "session" as occupying three offices: "prophet", "priest" and "king". In theese three capacities, the Son works in the salvation of sinners. Rom 10:12; 2 Cor 4:6; John 1:17; 2Thess 2:6; 1 Ti 2:5; 4:10; Heb 2:14-18; 5:9; 7:25; 1 Jn 2:2; 4:10. This final point demonstrates how the Son is involves in the salvation of sinners. His session is also responsible for the other three observations made in the prior remarks.

Jesus works in the conversion of sinners with the Agency of the Holy Spirit and the active will of the Father. All Three Persons are One God.  Truly how Jesus works in the conversion of sinners is an amazing thing to think about. 

A thumbnail sketch of the atonement in the Bible

1 John 2:2 He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.

Today I want to lay down a basic outline of one of the greatest and most central teachings of sacred scripture - the atonement. This post is not meant to be exhaustive nor comprehensive, but rather represents a thumbnail sketch of the atonement's main features.

A helpful definition of this term can be seen in the word itself: At - One - Ment. When we talk about the meaning of the term "atonement", it refers to God's saving work whereby He provides the grounds for the sinner to be At-One with Him. Other meanings of this word include the ideas of removal of God's wrath (called by Bible teachers "propitiation") and removal of the sinner's guilt before God (called "expiation"). 

For now we will restrict ourselves to the term "atonement", since it covers so much ground and is a summary word for all that was accomplished and effected by Christ's life and work on the cross (chiefly His crucifixion, but made possible by His resurrection). 
 

A Basic outline of the key thoughts making up the Atonement in the Bible

In the Old Testament, the idea of cleansing away of sinful guilt was of chief importance in the minds of the Old Testament writers. One text for example illustrates perfectly the biblical picture of the atonement: Job 37:21-22 “Now men do not see the light which is bright in the skies; But the wind has passed and cleared them. “Out of the north comes golden splendor; Around God is awesome majesty."

Notice how we see the key Biblical themes of atonement and the Gospel in this passage:

1. Lost in darkness. 

Picture men who are in darkness, unable to see the light. Ephesians 2:1-2 and 2 Corinthians 4:1-4 characterizes unbelieving man like the men here in Job 37:21.

2. Light of God's Glory. 

The light is in the sky, but inaccessible. The clouds of judgment veil the face of God. Unbelieving man faces judgment due to His rejection of Holy God. (Romans 1:18-31; John 3:17-19)

3. The Cleansing away of darkness. 

This is what takes place when the atonement achieved by Christ on the cross is applied to the believer by grace through faith. The darkness of judgment is swept away by the blood, and behold the sinner is declared a saint and can now walk under an open heaven with God. (1 John 1:6-9)


Two major themes of "achievement" and "application" dominate any discussion on the subject of atonement.  Christ achieved the atoning work in the events of the cross/resurrection and the Spirit applies such at saving faith.

4. The Glory of God. 

This is what the sinner had fallen short of, but now the glory of God is central. What was formerly frightening is now delightful. Atonement reconciles us to the majesty of God. The blood of Jesus cleanses, reconciles and restores. 

May you dear reader be blessed as you contemplate the atoning work of Christ.

The removing of God's wrath = propitiation

Romans 3:25 whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed;

Yesterday we considered what must be removed in order for the atonement to work in the life of the one who by grace, through faith believes on Christ - namely sin's offense.  We noted a term used by theologians to describe that effect - "expiation".  Expiation means "to remove or take away the offense of sin" (ex=away from and piare=to appease, to satisfy).

Why must my sin's offense be removed?
When we share the Gospel, we often ask the question: "are you saved"?  This of course begs the question: "saved from what"?  In quoting Romans 5:9, we discover that the sinner's problem is that they are under the "wrath of God".  God's wrath is not anger out of control.  If anything, the "wrath of God" tells me simply what God does not love.  If God loved everything, that would include things like "evil and sin".  Wrath is related very closely to both His love and holiness.  We could say that wrath is a form of holy love.  In order for God to be the Eternally Good God, wrath must be included in the list of attributes assigned to Him by scripture.

Certainly the sinner must be saved from their sins, however it is the wrath of God on their sins that has them in their predicament.  In order for God to have a real relationship with human beings, his just wrath against sinners must be pacified, appeased and satisfied. 

Propitiation = the satisfaction of God's wrath
In some sixteen places in Leviticus 16 and 17 and in almost half a dozen passages in the New Testament do we find reference to the term "propitiation" (pro-pich-ee-aish-shun).  This term originated from the lid on top of the Ark of the Covenant where the High Priest would sprinkle the blood of a Bull and Goat in the Most Holy Place in the High Holy day in Israel called "The Day of Atonement".  That lid, called "the mercy seat", quite literally could be translated "propitiation" or "the place of satisfaction" or simply "atonement".  In the original setting of this idea, God had revealed the means by which the accumulated wrath against the accumulated sins of the people and the sanctuary could be satisfied. 

The term "propitiation" comes from the same Latin root of the term "expiation" which we looked at yesterday. When we take the prefix "pro" (meaning on behalf of) and the root "piare" (meaning to appease, to satisfy), we have the meaning: "to make satisfaction on behalf, or to appease".  

The word "propitiation in the New Testament
Thus when we come to the New Testament, English versions like the NASB, KJV, NKJV and the more literal versions use this term propitiate:

1. Romans 3:25 Which we saw quoted above, uses "propitate" to describe what Jesus came to accomplish on the cross.  The NIV uses the term "atonement".  Paul shows that not only did Christ's work on the cross effect forgiveness of sins for believer's into the future, but also appeased God's wrath for the sake of Old Testament Believer's too. 

2. Hebrews 2:17 states: "Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people." 

3. 1 John 2:2 reveals: "and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world."

4. 1 John 4:10 explains: "In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins."

Why propitiation is vital to our understanding of the Gospel
For the believer in Jesus Christ, God's declaration of the sinner's innocence at saving faith (called "justification" or "just-as-if-I-never-sinned") is based upon Christ's work of propitiation.  When the Father credits you with Christ's righteousness at saving faith (justification), He is declaring legally what is the case actually - that His wrath on you has been removed.  How does this work?

1. The Spirit comes to you, revealing God's desire to save you
When God sent His Spirit to convict you of your sin, He was excercising His desire to save you from His wrath.  Unless He intervened by working Grace in your heart, His wrath would remain. (John 1:12-13; 3:16; 16:7-16; 1 John 4:10,19)

2. The Spirit convinces you to come to The Son, the Savior
However when the Spirit of God does His work, your eyes are opened to your plight, and you flee to Christ by faith.  (Ephesians 2:8-9; 2 Timothy 2:25; Romans 10:8-10)

3. The Father clears you of wrath based upon the Son's propitiation
At the moment of faith and repentance, the wrath of God is lifted, based upon the Father's will as it was accomplished in Christ's work of propitiation.  God looks at what the Son did on your behalf, and is "satisfied, pleased" to "lift away" the dark clouds of His Justice and shine into your life the bright sun of His mercy (Ephesians 1:7; 2:1-8)
By His Grace, through faith, you are now in the position to receive such mercy.  Truly salvation is God's working on your behalf! (Romans 5:8)

4. The Father communicates your innocence in His sight by means of your reception of Christ's work by faith
Now through means of saving faith, the Father declares to you that He is not mad at you anymore - thus the link between propitiation and justification. (Romans 3:25-26; 4:3,9; 2 Corinthians 5:15-21)  The accomplishment of the Son (propitiation) is why the Father is pleased to apply through the Spirit's work His declaration of your justification in His sight by means of faith and repentance. 

When the sinner is told that they are under God's wrath, and that there is only one away that wrath can be removed - we are getting to the heart of the Gospel.  The phrase that we so often use - "saved", is shown once again to be truly powerful!  When anyone believes on Jesus Christ by grace through faith, all that we spoke of above occurs instantly.  Salvation is truly a miracle!

What must be removed for the atonement to work

1 John 3:5 You know that He appeared in order to take away sins; and in Him there is no sin.

The Atonement was positively established on two realities
Truly Christ's work of atonement is rooted in what was present: The Perfect representation by the Perfect Mediator Jesus Christ. (1 Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 5:14, 7:25-26)  Also too, the precious blood of Christ from His perfect humanity crucified on the cross ensures the purchase of the believer from the dominion and enslavement to sin. (1 Peter 1:18).  These two truths state in positive terms what had to be present in order to establish the necessary grounds for the Atonement - or God's saving work. 

The Atonement's application requires the removal of two realities
The two ways the Old and New Testaments communicate both the picture of atonement (i.e the Old Testament sacrifical system) and its fulfillment (i.e Christ's work on the cross) are both positive and negative.  We started out by noting positively what needed to be present in order for the Atonement to be established: namely Pefect Representation and the shedding of untainted blood.  However for the remainder of our time we want to state negatively, or what must be removed, in order for the atonement to be applied to the believer. 
We will propose that the guilt of sin and the wrath of God must be taken away if a person has any hope of benefitting from the atonement.  Today we will focus on the need for the offense of sin to be removed.

Saved from what?
When we communicate God's work of salvation, the atonement, we often will tell people that they need to "be saved".  That statement begs the question: "saved from what"?  Romans 5:9 clearly answers what sinners are to be saved from: "more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him." God's wrath is His judgment on whatever is contrary to His Holy character.  According to Habakkuk 1:13, God cannot stand to look upon sin.  In salvation, God is pleased to declare sinners who receive Christ by grace through faith to be justified or "innocent" in His sight. 

But how does God do this without violating Who He is in His Holy character?  From the opening passage of today's blog, 1 John 3:5, we understand Christ came to "take away" or "remove" the very cause of God's wrath, sin. 

The offense of sin must be removed in order for God's wrath to be removed
When we speak of the atonement "removing my sin" out of God's sight, we use the term "expiation" (ex-pee-at-shun).  To "expiate" means to "remove out of sight, to clear away".  Thus in order for a dish to be used, the "dirt" on that plate must be removed by cleansing away what would otherwise make me sick. 

This word "expiate" has as its Latin root "piare" which means "to appease, to satisfy".  Thus when we add that prefix ex (meaning away from), we have the full meaning then of "appeasing or satisfying by the removal of the offense".  In order for me to be saved from God's wrath, which I rightfully deserve, the very sin that is standing between me and God must be removed out of the way. 

The New Testament's emphasis on "expiation" or "removal of sin's offense"
Several passages in the New Testament emphasize this point of removing the offense of my sin or "expiation" as providing the grounds for application of the atonement.  Hebrews 9:14 for example speaks of Christ "cleansing my conscience from dead works".  As impossible as it was for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins (Hebrews 10:3), yet Christ's blood alone, applied at the moment of saving faith, expiates or "washes away" the effects of an evil conscience (Hebrews 10:22); puts out of sight our sin (Hebrews 9:26); releases us from guilt or grants forgiveness on basis of His blood. (Ephesians 1:7; 1 John 1:9)

Truly then the offense of sin must be removed if the atoning work of Jesus Christ is to be applied.  With that said, tomorrow we will consider the second thing that must be removed for the atonement to be applied to the believer at salvation - the wrath of God.

Atonement - God's work of salvation in the New Testament

Hebrews 2:17 For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. (NIV)

We looked in an earlier blog at the concept of Atonement that is spelled out in Leviticus 16&17.  Today we want to consider how the New Testament picks upon this theme developed in Leviticus and communicates the Act and Accomplishment of the Actor of The atoning work of the cross - the Lord Jesus Christ.

The chapters which most closely correspond to what we see in Leviticus 16 & 17 are chapters 9 and 10 of the book of Hebrews.  For sake of space I will confine today's blog to what we read in Hebrews 9.  The vast majority of Hebrews 9 uses the material of The Day of Atonement that we've looked at in Leviticus 16 and 17.  Much like that blog, we aim here to understand God's work of salvation: the atonement as seen in its Actor, Act and Accomplishment.  Today we will be viewing this question from the fulfillment found in the New Testament, and more specifically Hebrews 9.

Atonements Actor = The Lord Jesus Christ Hebrews 9:1-11
Hebrews 9:8-10 records - The Holy Spirit was showing by this that the way into the Most Holy Place had not yet been disclosed as long as the first tabernacle was still standing. 9This is an illustration for the present time, indicating that the gifts and sacrifices being offered were not able to clear the conscience of the worshiper. 10They are only a matter of food and drink and various ceremonial washings—external regulations applying until the time of the new order. 

From this text in Hebrews 9 we understand the appropriateness of drawing parallels and connections between the "pictures and shadows" about atonement in Levitcus to the "substance and fulfillment" of the atonement in the Actor of it - Jesus Christ.  In Hebrews 9:11, 25 and 28 we discover that Christ came as High Priest to appear on our behalf in the Most Holy place in Heaven - paralleling the work of the High Priest in Leviticus.  Furthermore, just as the scapegoat bore away the sins of the people outside the camp of Israel, Christ too was crucified "outside the city" of Jerusalem on the cross. (Hebrews 13)

Act of atonement = The Cross  Hebrews 9:12-14
In Hebrews 9:12-14 we read of the central act of atonement - the cross: He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption. 13The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. 14How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death,^c so that we may serve the living God!

The references to "bulls and goats" and "blood" all point back to the system portrayed in Leviticus 16 and 17.  In Hebrews 9:14 the writer points us beyond that picture to its fulfillment, noting "how much more, then, will the blood of Christ."  Just as there was "life in the blood" in Leviticus, moreso is there to be found the gift of Eternal life by faith in the shed blood of Jesus Christ.  Unlike that Old Testament system, only the blood of Christ could "cleanse the conscience".  The central idea of "cleansing, making one ready for reconciled fellowship with God", a key idea in the Old Testament pictures of atonement, would be the launching point for the greater accomplishments of atonement done by Jesus Christ.

Accomplishment of atonement = 5 Eternal accomplishments 9:15-28
So far we have viewed the Actor of Atonement, Jesus Christ and His Act of atonement, the cross, in Hebrews 9:12-14.  Overwhelmingly, the New Testament teaching on the atonement spends most of its space unfolding what it was that was accomplished.  In addition to the cleansing of the conscience, Hebrews 9 spells out what was accomplished:
Hebrews 9:15 Eternal riches for the believer
Hebrews 9:22 Eternal reconciliation for the believer
Hebrews 9:24 Eternal representation for the believer
Hebrews 9:26 Eternal removal of the guilt of sin for the believer
Hebrews 9:28 Eternal refuge from wrath from the believer

If space permitted, we would treat each of these.  The point being the Old Testament system provides us with the springboard of concepts needed to grab hold of all that Christ came to do in God's saving work - the atonement.  The significance of that work far out performed its protoype and picture, to the point that what Christ did is unparalleled and thankfully, can never be reduplicated again. (Hebrews 9:26)

Atonement: God's Saving work, pictured in the Old Testament

Leviticus 17:11 ‘For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood by reason of the life that makes atonement.’

The importance and meaning of the term "atonement"
The Book of Leviticus is valuable to the Christian because of two towering doctrines that are taught throughout the Old and New Testaments: The Holiness of God and The Atonement.  Concerning that second idea, atonement is simply defined as an umbrella term for God's saving work.  Some teachers have described atonement in this way: "At-one-ment".  In other words, God's saving work whereby He makes the sinner to be "At-one" with Himself. 

The term atonement occurs some 16 times in Leviticus 16 and 17.  Without the concept of "atonement" taken from these chapters, the New Testament presentation of Christ's work of salvation would be empty.  Passages such as Romans 3:25, Hebrews 2:17, 1 John 2:2 and 1 John 4:10 use the term "atonement" (NIV) or the older more technical term "propitiation" (NKJV, KJV, NASB).  For our purposes today we will for now stick to the term "atonement".

Three ways to better grasp and communicate the atonement
The atonement, as presented in Old Testament books like Leviticus, pictures for us the ultimate atonement accomplished by Jesus Christ in the New Testament.  In order to better grasp what we're referring to, I will give three headings: The Actor(s) of atonement, the act of atonement and the accomplishment of atonement.  Today's blog will explore these three headings as they unfold in Leviticus 16 and 17.

The Actor(s) of atonement in the Old Testament 16:1-10
The context of Leviticus 16 and 17 is mainly concerned with the Jewish Festival of the Day of atonement - whereby the High Priest was to perform a series of rituals cleansing both the tabernacle system and the people. (Leviticus 16:29-30).  This act of ritually cleansing the people and the sacrifical system is what Leviticus refers to as "atoning" or "atonement".  Without the atoning work, the people's sins and the uncleanliness of the tabernacle resulting from contact with the people would ever be before God.  In order to avoid the outpouring of judgment, atonement or cleansing had to be made.  All of this of course foreshadows the once and for all atoning work of Jesus Christ. 

But in the course of what we see recorded in Leviticus16:1-10, we see the following actor(s) in the atoning sequence of Leviticus 16:
1. The High Priest
2. The Bull
3. The ram
4. Two goats, one sacrificed and one preserved to be the scape goat

The act of atonement - Leviticus 16:11-15
Leviticus 17:11 records - ‘For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood by reason of the life that makes atonement.’  As the High Priest performed his function on behalf of the people, he would be dressed in pure white linen - symbolic of the righteousness of God.  He would sacrifice a bull, and then a ram.  Then he would take two goats and bring them before the people.  Lots would be cast and one of the goats would be ritually slaughtered, with the other one being spared.  The blood of the bull and goat would be mingled and sprinkled before the Most Holy Place and upon the Mercy Seat (the lid on the Ark of the Covenant). 

All of this activity, along with other many details, communicate the saga of what God required for He and the people to remain in fellowship - the shedding and application of blood.  The other goat, called the "scape goat", would then be prayed over by the priest confessing the sins of the people.  That goat would then be driven into the wilderness with the people chanting: "Away with the sin-bearer, away with the sin-bearer".  This is but a sample of the details of the day of atonement - all designed to picture in one way or another the atoning work of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

The chief aim of the atoning work was to cleanse the tabernacle, the people and the sacrificial system so that God and the people could be reconciled and enjoy fellowship for another year.  All of this of course would have to be repeated yet again the following year.

The accomplishment of atonement - Leviticus 16:16-34
The actors of atonement were the High Priest and various sacrifical animals and the act of atonement was the shedding and sprinkling of blood.  The question is: what did all of this complicated ritual accomplish?  According to Leviticus 16:19 and 16:34, the sins of all the people of Israel were cleansed for another year.  As wonderful as all this was, the Old Covenant picture of atonement paled in comparison to what the New Testament would reveal. 

Every Jew living in the Old Testament always had in the back of their mind: 'how long until we never again have to offer another sacrifice?"  According to Leviticus, these rituals were to be a "Perpetual Memorial" in Israel.  God's intent was to provide the basis whereby "Once-and-for-all" atonement would be made available to all who by grace through faith believe on Him.  However, as we'll see in later posts, this "Divine intention" was not going to be accomplished through the system spelled out in Leviticus.  That intention would be fulfilled in the Actor, Act and Accomplishment of Jesus Christ. 

Atonement: God's Act of Salvation

Romans 3:25-26 God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— 26he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus. (NIV)

The Atonement: God's Work of Salvation
In several New Testament passages we find reference to the term "atonement" (NIV) or what is also translated in older versions "propitiation".  To "propitiate" or "atone" refers to the overall work of salvation wherein the grounds for removal of God's wrath and the guilt of sin is established.  That "grounds" of course in reference to the Actor, Jesus Christ, Acting out the atonement on the cross and thus accomplishing salvation. 

Atonement is an umbrella term that is used to describe the entire and complete work of Jesus Christ.  Today I want to paint with a broad brush by giving three headings by which we can both understand and explain the atonement to other people.  Those three headings are:

1. The Actor of Atonement: The Lord Jesus Christ
2. The Act of Atonement: The Cross
3. The Accomplishment of Atonement: Both its effects and application to all who by grace through faith believe on both the Actor and the accomplishment. 

So with those three headings: Act, Actor and Accomplishment, let me show you how the New Testament is built around this term "atonement".

The Gospels reveal the Actor and Act of Atonement
The Actor of Atonement is Jesus Christ
The 89 chapters of the Four Gospels aim to portray the Actor of Atonement: The Lord Jesus Christ.  Matthew presents Jesus as the King who came to save His people.  Mark describes Him as the Suffering Servant coming to give His life a ransom for many.  Luke depicts Jesus as the perfect man who shows us who God is and what man ought to be.  John unveils the truth of God in human flesh, The Word, who came to provide eternal life to those who by grace through faith believe on Him.

The Act of Atonement is the Cross
If we were to take all of the material of the four Gospels together, we would have over 30% of it devoted to Christ's crucifixion, the 40 day period following His resurrection from the dead and His ascension. 
The events of Jesus birth (Matthew 1-3; Luke 1-2) and life and ministry (Matthew 4-26; Mark 1-14; Luke 4-22; John 1-18) occupy 33 years of time.  35 miracles, at least 5 full length sermons and some 60 or so parables all point to the time in which Jesus Christ would be crucified.

All four Gospels record the crucifixion.  We're not told its full meaning (although 109 Old Testament prophecies are fulfilled and can be used to understand its purpose).  The primary purpose of the Gospels is to record the "event" or the "act of atonement".  Four Gospels are required to depict the Act and Actor of atonement, however it will take Acts, 21 New Testament letters and Revelation to unfold what was accomplished at the cross.

Acts, The Epistles and Revelation unfold what was accomplished in the Atonement
Remember those headings: Actor, Act and Accomplishment.  The Gospels cover the first two components of the atonement, however it is here in Book of Acts. The Epistles and Revelation where we see the unfolding of the subject.

The Book of Acts: Preaching about the Atonement
The Book of Acts is full of 16 sermons preached by the Apostles (and Stephen in Acts 7) on explaining what took place on the cross.  Overwhelmingly they center on His resurrection from the dead as proof that the cross worked, that Jesus was both perfect man and fully God and that what He accomplished satisfied God.  Acts connects the life of the church to what Jesus accomplished on the cross.  However in terms of what actually took place, thats why the New Testament includes the Epistles.

The Epistles or New Testament Letters: Explaining the Atonement
Some 130 places in Paul's 13 letters (Romans to Philemon) alone contain references to the cross.  The other Epistles, referred to as the General Epistles (Hebrews - Jude) each draw their material from what was accomplished on the cross.  Just as an example, the main themes of the General Epistles  reveals what Jesus accomplished in His work of salvation:
1. Hebrews = Supreme Representation of the believer in salvation
2. James = Saving Faith results in good works
3. 1 Peter = Redemption, or purchased from the kingdom of darkness to now live in the Kingdom of Christ
4. 2 Peter = Power for living the Christian life until Christ's return
5. 1 John = Certainties of assurance of salvation
6. 2 & 3 John = Spiritual health
7. Jude = The cross provided the means for enduring in our salvation and rejecting error

Mind you these are thumbnail sketches, but the point is that it takes over 2/3 of the New Testament to unfold what took place in those 6 hours in which Jesus Christ was Acting out atonement.

Revelation: Placing the Accomplishments of the Actor and Act of atonement as basis for worship and completion of God's purposes
What would had happened if Jesus Christ had not come to provide atonement?  There would be no guarantee that God's purposes for history would come to pass, nor would the promises of God be fulfilled.  In Revelation 4&5 and 21-22, mention is made of the accomplishment of atonement.  All who by grace through faith believed on Him are described worshipping Him who is "worthy", since He gave His life for them. 

There is no doubt that what Jesus accomplished in His 1st coming - atonement, provides the basis for what He will accomplish when He comes back again - adoration of His Grace among His saints and affirming His Justice in the judgment of the world and all those who rejected the accomplishment of the atonement. 

Introduction to the atonement

1 John 2:2 He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.

For the next few days I want us to begin exploring a major concept in the Bible: "atonement". A helpful definition of this term can be seen in the word itself: At - One - Ment. That is, it is God's saving work whereby He provides the grounds for the sinner to be At-One with Him. Other meanings of this word include the ideas of removal of God's wrath (called by Bible teachers "propitiation") and removal of the sinner's guilt before God (called "expiation"). 

For now we will restrict ourselves to the term "atonement", since it covers so much ground and is a summary word for all that was accomplished and effected by Christ's life and work on the cross (chiefly His crucifixion). 

In the Old Testament, the idea of cleansing away of sinful guilt was of chief importance in the minds of the Old Testament writers. One verse that uses the Hebrew word for cleansing illustrates perfectly the biblical picture of the atonement:

Picturing the atonement from Job

Job 37:21-22 “Now men do not see the light which is bright in the skies; But the wind has passed and cleared them. “Out of the north comes golden splendor; Around God is awesome majesty."

Notice how we see a picture of the sinner:1. Lost in darkness. Picture men who are in darkness, unable to see the light. Ephesians 2:1-2 and 2 Corinthians 4:1-4 characterizes unbelieving man like the men here in Job 37:21.

2. Light of God's Glory. The light is in the sky, but inaccessible and unseeable. The clouds of judgment veil the face of God. Unbelieving man faces judgment due to His rejection of Holy God. (Romans 1:18-31; John 3:17-19)

3. The Cleansing away of darkness. This is what takes place when the atonement is applied to the believer by grace through faith. The darkness of judgment is swept away by the blood, and behold the sinner is declared a saint and can now walk under an open heaven with God. (1 John 1:6-9)

4. The Glory of God. This is what the sinner had fallen short of, but now the glory of God is central. What was formerly frightening is now delightful. Atonement reconciles us to the majesty of God. The blood cleanses, reconciles and restores. 

May you dear reader be blessed as you contemplate the atoning work of Christ.