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.
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Friday, June 1, 2012
Thursday, May 31, 2012
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)
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)
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
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.
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.
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
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.
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.
Monday, May 28, 2012
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.
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.
Sunday, May 27, 2012
The Lord: the Believer's Master, Father, Spouse
Genesis 15:1-2 After these things the word of the LORD came to
Abram in a vision, saying, “Do not fear, Abram, I am a
shield to you; Your reward shall be very great.”
2Abram said, “O Lord GOD, what will You give me, since I am childless, and the
heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?”
We once again turn our attention to this amazing conversation between Abram and God in Genesis 15. God has been addressed by Abram as "Lord", which in the Hebrew is Adonai. This name has among its meanings the idea of "Master". As one begins to dig deeper into the meaning of this term, one finds a treasure trove of thoughts that bring out the relationship between Abram and the God of scripture. The name "Adonai" is also used in the Bible in the realm of human relationships. I want to show you three ways in which this name is used, and then show how we can understand better God as "Adonai".
1. To be a "Lord" or "Adonai" is to be a Master over slaves.
In the biblical periods of the Old and Testament, slaves and their masters (i.e lords) were common practice. Unlike the horrible practice of slavery practice in America during the nineteenth century, slaves in the Old and New Testaments had the possibilities of advancement, and if so chosen, their masters would even adopt them as members of the family. Of course there were exceptions, yet if the master was good, generally the slave could expect to have a quality of life based upon the character of the master.
In Genesis 24:12, we see Abraham's chief slave praying to the LORD: "He said, “O LORD, the God of my master Abraham, please grant me success today, and show lovingkindness to my master Abraham." This slave recognized his owner as "master", which in the Hebrew is the term "Adonai".
2. To be a "Lord" or "Adonai" also referred to Fathers and sons
We see instances of offspring referring to their fathers as "lord" or "Adonai". Genesis 31:35 records the words of Rachael to her father Laban: She said to her father, “Let not my lord be angry that I cannot rise before you, for the manner of women is upon me.” So he searched but did not find the household idols. Often when we see this use, it is out of respect. Rachael wanted to communicate to her father that even though she was not going to move, she still regarded Him as her superior.
3. To be a "Lord" or "Adonai" also referred to Husbands and Wives
In Genesis 18:12, Sarah says these words about Abraham: "Sarah laughed to herself, saying, “After I have become old, shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?” 1 Peter 3:6 comments on this text with these words: "just as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, and you have become her children if you do what is right without being frightened by any fear."
Many wives may wonder why the biblical practice was to refer to one's husband as a "lord"? From studies done in other languages similar to Hebrew, we have discovered that this manner of speaking was a term of respect and affection for the husband. It was not to be taken as him being "the master" as in a slave/master relationship, but rather recognition of his care, protection and God-given leadership in the home.
Considering Abram's use of "Adonai" or "Lord" and our own relationship to "The Lord"
In considering the three above uses of "Adonai" (Lord), and how they functioned in the realm of human relationships, we can grasp why God revealed Himself to Abram and does so to us. I don't doubt Abram's use of this term was primarily centered around his viewing himself as the slave and Yahweh as His Lord.
But I wonder too if in the context of what we know about Abraham's life from Genesis 12-25 that we could see Abram as the son and God as the Father? Think about it. The Lord took Abram out to view the night sky. He revealed to Him more details about His purposes for Him. Jesus commments in John 15:15 "“No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you."
Truly then what we're seeing is The Heavenly Father, Adonai, the Lord, speaking to his son by faith, Abram. We are seeing the Master of all things relating to His slave, who by nature is a son.
But then in the rest of God's revelation to Abram we can make one final observation: Abram was shown by the Lord the destiny of His physical descendants. He was shown how they would be in bondage in Egypt. He also revealed How He was going to rescue them from that bondage. Isaiah 54:5 states: “For your husband is your Maker, Whose name is the LORD of hosts; And your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel, Who is called the God of all the earth." Thus in the prophetic portion of Abram's dream, God is relating to His people as a Husband to His wife.
Adonai or The Lord is truly the believer's Master, who Leads; the Father, who communicates and the Spouse, who loves.
We once again turn our attention to this amazing conversation between Abram and God in Genesis 15. God has been addressed by Abram as "Lord", which in the Hebrew is Adonai. This name has among its meanings the idea of "Master". As one begins to dig deeper into the meaning of this term, one finds a treasure trove of thoughts that bring out the relationship between Abram and the God of scripture. The name "Adonai" is also used in the Bible in the realm of human relationships. I want to show you three ways in which this name is used, and then show how we can understand better God as "Adonai".
1. To be a "Lord" or "Adonai" is to be a Master over slaves.
In the biblical periods of the Old and Testament, slaves and their masters (i.e lords) were common practice. Unlike the horrible practice of slavery practice in America during the nineteenth century, slaves in the Old and New Testaments had the possibilities of advancement, and if so chosen, their masters would even adopt them as members of the family. Of course there were exceptions, yet if the master was good, generally the slave could expect to have a quality of life based upon the character of the master.
In Genesis 24:12, we see Abraham's chief slave praying to the LORD: "He said, “O LORD, the God of my master Abraham, please grant me success today, and show lovingkindness to my master Abraham." This slave recognized his owner as "master", which in the Hebrew is the term "Adonai".
2. To be a "Lord" or "Adonai" also referred to Fathers and sons
We see instances of offspring referring to their fathers as "lord" or "Adonai". Genesis 31:35 records the words of Rachael to her father Laban: She said to her father, “Let not my lord be angry that I cannot rise before you, for the manner of women is upon me.” So he searched but did not find the household idols. Often when we see this use, it is out of respect. Rachael wanted to communicate to her father that even though she was not going to move, she still regarded Him as her superior.
3. To be a "Lord" or "Adonai" also referred to Husbands and Wives
In Genesis 18:12, Sarah says these words about Abraham: "Sarah laughed to herself, saying, “After I have become old, shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?” 1 Peter 3:6 comments on this text with these words: "just as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, and you have become her children if you do what is right without being frightened by any fear."
Many wives may wonder why the biblical practice was to refer to one's husband as a "lord"? From studies done in other languages similar to Hebrew, we have discovered that this manner of speaking was a term of respect and affection for the husband. It was not to be taken as him being "the master" as in a slave/master relationship, but rather recognition of his care, protection and God-given leadership in the home.
Considering Abram's use of "Adonai" or "Lord" and our own relationship to "The Lord"
In considering the three above uses of "Adonai" (Lord), and how they functioned in the realm of human relationships, we can grasp why God revealed Himself to Abram and does so to us. I don't doubt Abram's use of this term was primarily centered around his viewing himself as the slave and Yahweh as His Lord.
But I wonder too if in the context of what we know about Abraham's life from Genesis 12-25 that we could see Abram as the son and God as the Father? Think about it. The Lord took Abram out to view the night sky. He revealed to Him more details about His purposes for Him. Jesus commments in John 15:15 "“No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you."
Truly then what we're seeing is The Heavenly Father, Adonai, the Lord, speaking to his son by faith, Abram. We are seeing the Master of all things relating to His slave, who by nature is a son.
But then in the rest of God's revelation to Abram we can make one final observation: Abram was shown by the Lord the destiny of His physical descendants. He was shown how they would be in bondage in Egypt. He also revealed How He was going to rescue them from that bondage. Isaiah 54:5 states: “For your husband is your Maker, Whose name is the LORD of hosts; And your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel, Who is called the God of all the earth." Thus in the prophetic portion of Abram's dream, God is relating to His people as a Husband to His wife.
Adonai or The Lord is truly the believer's Master, who Leads; the Father, who communicates and the Spouse, who loves.
Saturday, May 26, 2012
The Master of all things
Genesis 15:1-2 After these things the word of the LORD came to
Abram in a vision, saying, “Do not fear, Abram, I am a
shield to you; Your reward shall be very great.”
2 Abram said, “O Lord GOD, what will You give me, since I am childless, and the
heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?”
Yesterday we considered the names "LORD" (referring to God's personally revealed name and Deity as Yahweh or Jehovah, The I AM) and "Lord" (referring to His authority as Master or 'Adonai') Today we want to explore a little bit of just how much rule does God excercise as "Lord". In today's blog we are going to consider how God is Adonai or "Lord of all things".
Now when we say God is Lord of all things, what is it that He rules? Four areas of mentioned in Genesis 15 that aid us in seeing how vast the power of the Lord truly is.
1. The Lord or "Adonai" rules in Providence Genesis 15:1-5
God's Providence is His ruling reign. Abram was asking the Lord how it was He was going to bring about the promised heir from his bloodline. The Lord reveals to Abram that it is not going to be the one he's thinking - Eliezer. Then the Lord does something incredible - he takes Abram to view the outside sky. He shows Him just how big His promise is going to be fulfilled to Abram. Furthermore, He is reminding Abram of how vast His power is.
In Providence, the Lord guides all events, people and nations for His intended purposes. As much as this promise can include the nation of Israel that would come from Abraham, and later on Isaac and Jacob - God's word is in ultimate reference to Jesus Christ. The Lord's providential rule will utilize all of history, humanity and nations. One nation, Israel, would be the means by which the Lord providentially brings about the coming of this ultimate descendant - Jesus Christ.
2. The Lord or "Adonai" rules in salvation Genesis 15:6-7
The Bible says in Genesis 15:6 that Abram believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness. That verse is quoted by the Apostle Paul to illustrate the central truth of justification by faith in salvation. (Romans 4:3) Justification is God's judicial declaration of the sinner's innocence at the moment of saving faith. We can think of justification in this way: "just-as-if-I-never-sinned". All that Christ is and accomplished is credited to us the moment we by faith acknowledge Him as Savior and Lord by grace through faith. The Lord reigns and rules in salvation. He is the Author and finisher of faith. (Hebrews 12:1-2)
3. The Lord or "Adonai" rules in Revelation Genesis 15:8-17
The Lord has Abram bring a series of animals to be prepared by Abram for an unusual covenant ceremony. Abram is to take these animals and cut them from front to back into two opposing halves. The idea of this covenant is that whomever walks through the halves is pledging not only His loyalty to the other, but that the failure to complete the covenant will result in a curse on the one making the covenant. Quite literally, the one making the covenant is saying His fate will be the same as the animals if He fails to come through. Since the Lord alone walks through the animals, and since He cannot die, we know that the covenant will be fulfilled.
This revelation has the Lord putting Abram into a deep sleep and revealing the destiny of his descendants all the way into their days in bondage in Egypt, some 400 years. (Genesis 15:13) The Lord has the authority to bring to completion what He begins. He not only calls His people, He redeems them and infallibly reveals through His Word His commitment to them.
4. The Lord or "Adonai" Rules in Prophecy Genesis 15:18-21
God promises in this last section of Genesis 15 that all of Abram's descendants will get the land. Again even though we can include Israel (for God's plans for her will still be accomplished), the ultimate person in view is the Lord Jesus Christ. He will rule and reign over the land and over the universe. Prophecy as well as history is in view. This is how much dominion the Lord has. He is truly Master of all things.
Yesterday we considered the names "LORD" (referring to God's personally revealed name and Deity as Yahweh or Jehovah, The I AM) and "Lord" (referring to His authority as Master or 'Adonai') Today we want to explore a little bit of just how much rule does God excercise as "Lord". In today's blog we are going to consider how God is Adonai or "Lord of all things".
Now when we say God is Lord of all things, what is it that He rules? Four areas of mentioned in Genesis 15 that aid us in seeing how vast the power of the Lord truly is.
1. The Lord or "Adonai" rules in Providence Genesis 15:1-5
God's Providence is His ruling reign. Abram was asking the Lord how it was He was going to bring about the promised heir from his bloodline. The Lord reveals to Abram that it is not going to be the one he's thinking - Eliezer. Then the Lord does something incredible - he takes Abram to view the outside sky. He shows Him just how big His promise is going to be fulfilled to Abram. Furthermore, He is reminding Abram of how vast His power is.
In Providence, the Lord guides all events, people and nations for His intended purposes. As much as this promise can include the nation of Israel that would come from Abraham, and later on Isaac and Jacob - God's word is in ultimate reference to Jesus Christ. The Lord's providential rule will utilize all of history, humanity and nations. One nation, Israel, would be the means by which the Lord providentially brings about the coming of this ultimate descendant - Jesus Christ.
2. The Lord or "Adonai" rules in salvation Genesis 15:6-7
The Bible says in Genesis 15:6 that Abram believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness. That verse is quoted by the Apostle Paul to illustrate the central truth of justification by faith in salvation. (Romans 4:3) Justification is God's judicial declaration of the sinner's innocence at the moment of saving faith. We can think of justification in this way: "just-as-if-I-never-sinned". All that Christ is and accomplished is credited to us the moment we by faith acknowledge Him as Savior and Lord by grace through faith. The Lord reigns and rules in salvation. He is the Author and finisher of faith. (Hebrews 12:1-2)
3. The Lord or "Adonai" rules in Revelation Genesis 15:8-17
The Lord has Abram bring a series of animals to be prepared by Abram for an unusual covenant ceremony. Abram is to take these animals and cut them from front to back into two opposing halves. The idea of this covenant is that whomever walks through the halves is pledging not only His loyalty to the other, but that the failure to complete the covenant will result in a curse on the one making the covenant. Quite literally, the one making the covenant is saying His fate will be the same as the animals if He fails to come through. Since the Lord alone walks through the animals, and since He cannot die, we know that the covenant will be fulfilled.
This revelation has the Lord putting Abram into a deep sleep and revealing the destiny of his descendants all the way into their days in bondage in Egypt, some 400 years. (Genesis 15:13) The Lord has the authority to bring to completion what He begins. He not only calls His people, He redeems them and infallibly reveals through His Word His commitment to them.
4. The Lord or "Adonai" Rules in Prophecy Genesis 15:18-21
God promises in this last section of Genesis 15 that all of Abram's descendants will get the land. Again even though we can include Israel (for God's plans for her will still be accomplished), the ultimate person in view is the Lord Jesus Christ. He will rule and reign over the land and over the universe. Prophecy as well as history is in view. This is how much dominion the Lord has. He is truly Master of all things.
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