Atonement By Mark Mayberry 10/17/2010 Introduction The word atonement describes the process of bringing individuals who were once estranged back into a state of unity. To atone is to bring together in mutual agreement, with the added idea, in theology, or reconciliation through the vicarious suffering of one on behalf of another. i Atonement is the means by which God restores a harmonious relationship between himself and mankind. The Hebrew word kaphar [kaw far], occurring approximately 100x in the Old Testament, means to appease, atone, be merciful, cancel, cleanse, cover over, expiate, forgive, pacify, pardon, propitiate, purge, reconcile, etc. The doctrine of the atonement holds a central place in Biblical doctrine. Both the Old Testament and New Testament continually deal with the subject, for the concept of the covenants or testaments is fundamentally bound up with the idea of atonement for sin. Moreover, the origin of atonement is always referred back in the Bible to the eternal plan, purpose and grace of God. Thus it appears as a basic and altogether indispensable theme of Christianity. ii Man s Need Man s need for atonement is brought about by three things: the universality of sin (Psa. 14:2-3; Eccl. 7:20; Rom. 3:23), the seriousness of sin (Isa. 59:1-2; Hab. 1:13; Heb. 10:26-27), and man s inability to deal with sin (Prov. 20:9; Rom. 3:19-20; Gal. 2:16). Psalm 14:2-3... 2 The Lord has looked down from heaven upon the sons of men To see if there are any who understand, Who seek after God. 3 They have all turned aside, together they have become corrupt; There is no one who does good, not even one. Ecclesiastes 7:20... 20 Indeed, there is not a righteous man on earth who continually does good and who never sins. Romans 3:23... 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, Isaiah 59:1-2... 1 Behold, the Lord s hand is not so short That it cannot save; Nor is His ear so dull That it cannot hear. 2 But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, And your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear. 1
Habakkuk 1:13... 13 Your eyes are too pure to approve evil, And You can not look on wickedness with favor. Why do You look with favor On those who deal treacherously? Why are You silent when the wicked swallow up Those more righteous than they? Hebrews 10:26-27... 26 For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a terrifying expectation of judgment and the fury of a fire which will consume the adversaries. Proverbs 20:9... 9 Who can say, I have cleansed my heart, I am pure from my sin? Romans 3:19-20... 19 Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, so that every mouth may be closed and all the world may become accountable to God; 20 because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin. Galatians 2:16... 16 nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified. No one is worthy of sharing a relationship with God for all have sinned. Man s rebellion against God s law merits, even deserves, just punishment. Since we are helpless to correct this situation, and cannot hide our sins from God, we stand condemned. God s Response Sin has alienated us from God. The Creator and His creation were hopelessly estranged because of sin. From man s standpoint, there was no way to correct this situation. Had God not taken the initiative, we would be utterly lost. Yet, God graciously responded to humanity s helplessness and provided a means of reconciliation. In the Patriarchal Age The need for sacrifice originated in the Garden of Eden. After the fall of man, the Bible records that Cain and Abel offered sacrifices unto God (Gen. 4:3-5). When Noah came out of the ark, his first act was to build an altar upon which he sacrificed animals to God (Gen. 8:20). Abraham (Gen. 12:7), Isaac (Gen. 26:25), and Jacob (Gen. 31:54) also worshipped God in this manner. Genesis 4:3-5... 3 So it came about in the course of time that Cain brought an offering to the Lord of the fruit of the ground. 4 Abel, on his part also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and for his offering; 5 but for Cain and for his offering He had no regard. So Cain became very angry and his countenance fell. 2
Genesis 8:20... 20 Then Noah built an altar to the Lord, and took of every clean animal and of every clean bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar. Genesis 12:7... 7 The Lord appeared to Abram and said, To your descendants I will give this land. So he built an altar there to the Lord who had appeared to him. Genesis 26:25... 25 So he built an altar there and called upon the name of the Lord, and pitched his tent there; and there Isaac s servants dug a well. Genesis 31:54... 54 Then Jacob offered a sacrifice on the mountain, and called his kinsmen to the meal; and they ate the meal and spent the night on the mountain. In the Mosaic Age The fullest explanation of the concept of sacrifice is found in the Mosaic Covenant. God required daily, weekly, monthly and yearly sacrifices. Special sacrifices were required on new moons, holy days and feast days. The priests and Levites represented him in the rituals of atonement. Through the sacrificial rites of the Old Testament, the Israelites offered the blood or the flesh of an animal to God as a substitute payment for their sin. God accepted the death of an animal in the place of the sinner (Ezek. 18:20; Lev. 17:11). Ezekiel 18:20... 20 The person who sins will die. The son will not bear the punishment for the father s iniquity, nor will the father bear the punishment for the son s iniquity; the righteousness of the righteous will be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked will be upon himself. Leviticus 17:11... 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 Law required that the sacrificed animal be free from defect, which indicated the necessity of perfection. Such sacrifices always involved some cost to the sinner, which indicated that atonement is not cheap and sin can never be taken lightly. God demands the first and the best. Furthermore, the Levitical sacrifices did not make man right with God in some simple, mechanical way. The hostility that sin engendered between man and God was a personal matter. The Israelites were expected to recognize the seriousness of their sin. In order for the sacrifices to be effective, sinners had to respond in faith, repentance and obedience. If these elements were not present, the sacrifices were made null and void (1 Sam. 15:22; Psa. 51:16-19; Isa. 1:10-15; Mic. 6:6-8). 1 Samuel 15:22... 22 Samuel said, Has the Lord as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices As in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams. 3
Psalm 51:16-19... 16 For You do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it; You are not pleased with burnt offering. 17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise. 18 By Your favor do good to Zion; Build the walls of Jerusalem. 19 Then You will delight in righteous sacrifices, In burnt offering and whole burnt offering; Then young bulls will be offered on Your altar. Isaiah 1:10-15... 10 Hear the word of the Lord, You rulers of Sodom; Give ear to the instruction of our God, You people of Gomorrah. 11 What are your multiplied sacrifices to Me? Says the Lord. I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams And the fat of fed cattle; And I take no pleasure in the blood of bulls, lambs or goats. 12 When you come to appear before Me, Who requires of you this trampling of My courts? 13 Bring your worthless offerings no longer, Incense is an abomination to Me. New moon and sabbath, the calling of assemblies I cannot endure iniquity and the solemn assembly. 14 I hate your new moon festivals and your appointed feasts, They have become a burden to Me; I am weary of bearing them. 15 So when you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide My eyes from you; Yes, even though you multiply prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are covered with blood. Micah 6:6-8... 6 With what shall I come to the Lord And bow myself before the God on high? Shall I come to Him with burnt offerings, With yearling calves? 7 Does the Lord take delight in thousands of rams, In ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I present my firstborn for my rebellious acts, The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? 8 He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you But to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God? The most solemn day on the Jewish religious calendar was the Day of Atonement. This observance fell on the tenth day of the seventh month of Tishri. In many ways, the Day of Atonement climaxed the Jewish religious year. It was an occasion of solemn reflection, fasting and humiliation. It was a time for confession and sacrifice (Lev. 16:29; 23:27; Num. 29:7). Leviticus 16:29... 29 This shall be a permanent statute for you: in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you shall humble your souls and not do any work, whether the native, or the alien who sojourns among you; Leviticus 23:27... 27 On exactly the tenth day of this seventh month is the day of atonement; it shall be a holy convocation for you, and you shall humble your souls and present an offering by fire to the Lord. Numbers 29:7... 7 Then on the tenth day of this seventh month you shall have a holy convocation, and you shall humble yourselves; you shall not do any work. Throughout the year, sacrifices for sins were offered. However, the Day of Atonement was special in this regard. On this day, the high priest offered sacrifice for the sins of Israel. First he sanctified himself by taking a ceremonial bath and putting on white garments. He made atonement for himself and other priests by sacrificing a bullock. Then he went into the Most Holy Place, and sprinkled blood on the Mercy Seat. After sacrificing a bullock, the high priest 4
chose a goat for a sin-offering and sacrificed it. Then he sprinkled its blood on and about the mercy seat. Finally the High Priest took a second goat, laid his hands on its head, and confessed all the sins of the children of Israel. The scapegoat (lit., escape goat) was then sent into the wilderness. This process represented the transfer of guilt from the people of Israel, and the complete removal of sin from their midst. In the Christian Age Both the Old and New Testaments confirm that sacrifices were symbolic. Man was obligated, because of his sin, to present offerings by which he gave another life in place of his own. Although the faithful of old were reconciled unto God by means of animal sacrifices, the Bible clearly affirms that the sacrificial rituals of old were not by themselves sufficient (Heb. 10:1-4). These substitutes pointed forward to the ultimate substitute, Jesus Christ. Full atonement is made possible only through His shed blood (Heb. 9:12-15). Hebrews 10:1-4... 1 For the Law, since it has only a shadow of the good things to come and not the very form of things, can never, by the same sacrifices which they offer continually year by year, make perfect those who draw near. 2 Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, because the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have had consciousness of sins? 3 But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins year by year. 4 For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. Hebrews 9:12-15... 12 and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh, 14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? 15 For this reason He is the mediator of a new covenant, so that, since a death has taken place for the redemption of the transgressions that were committed under the first covenant, those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. In atoning for man s sin, Christ fulfilled all prophecies and types of the Old Testament. The animal sacrifices of old anticipated the perfect sacrifice of the Son of God. The cross of Christ is central, not just to the New Testament, but to the whole Bible. All that came before leads to this crowning act. All afterwards looks back to it. Because of its critical place in Scripture, there is a vast amount of teaching on the cross in the New Testament. Consider the following points: 1. Atonement is an expression of the love of God. It is not something wrung from a stern and unwilling Father, perfectly just, but perfectly inflexible, by a loving Son. The atonement shows us the love of the Father just as it does the love of the Son. iii The crucifixion of Christ is the most meaningful expression of love that the world has ever known (John 3:16; Rom. 5:8-11; 1 John 4:10). John 3:16... 16 For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. 5
Romans 5:8-11... 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. 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. 11 And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation. 1 John 4:10... 10 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. 2. Atonement is based on the willing and deliberate sacrifice of Jesus Christ. His death did not occur just because His enemies conspired against Him and that He was unable to resist them. The Son of Man entered this world to die for our sins (Matt. 26:26-28; John 1:29; Eph. 5:2; 1 John 3:5). Matthew 26:26-28... 26 While they were eating, Jesus took some bread, and after a blessing, He broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is My body. 27 And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, Drink from it, all of you; 28 for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins. John 1:29... 29 The next day he saw Jesus coming to him and said, Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Ephesians 5:2... 2 and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma. 1 John 3:5... 5 You know that He appeared in order to take away sins; and in Him there is no sin. 3. His atoning sacrifice was vicarious and substitutionary. Sin carries the penalty of death. As a sinner, I must die, or get somebody who is worthy to die for me. This is where the atonement of Jesus Christ comes in. The Suffering Servant died so that you and I might live (Isa. 53:4-6; Mark 10:45; 2 Cor. 5:21; Gal. 3:13). Isaiah 53:4-6... 4 Surely our griefs He Himself bore, And our sorrows He carried; Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted. 5 But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed. 6 All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; But the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all To fall on Him. Mark 10:45... 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. 2 Corinthians 5:21... 21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 6
Galatians 3:13... 13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us for it is written, Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree 4. His sacrifice satisfies the demands of divine justice. Jesus obeyed God s law perfectly and thus fulfilled all righteousness. Suffering and dying on the cross, He bore the penalty of man s rebellion. He therefore made atonement for sin by voluntarily submitting himself to the law in both its positive and negative aspects. Thus, the cross fulfilled the demands of both mercy and justice. Jesus Christ bore the penalty of man s sin (Heb. 9:28; 1 Pet. 2:24). The fact that Christ was allowed to stand in our place is a supreme act of mercy (1 Tim. 2:6; Rev. 1:5). He paid the price of our redemption. Hebrews 9:28... 28 so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him. 1 Peter 2:24... 24 and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed. 1 Timothy 2:6... 6 who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time. Revelation 1:5... 5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and released us from our sins by His blood Conclusion From all this it is abundantly apparent that the atonement is vast and deep. The New Testament writers strive with the inadequacy of language as they seek to present us with what this great divine act means. There is more to it by far than we have been able to indicate. But all the points we have made are important, and none is to be neglected. Nor are we to overlook the fact that the atonement represents more than something negative. We have been concerned to insist on the place of Christ s sacrifice of himself in the putting away of sin. But that opens up the way to a new life in Christ. And that new life, the fruit of the atonement, is not to be thought of as an insignificant detail. It is that to which all the rest leads. iv No believer who truly understands the awesome holiness of God s wrath and the terrible hopelessness that comes from personal sin can fail to be overwhelmed by the deep love of Jesus for each of us, and the wonder of God s gracious gift of eternal atonement through Christ. v When we think of the atonement we are apt to think only of what man gains. We must remember what it cost God and what it costs him now when men refuse his love. vi The sacrifice of Christ compels us to obey God s will (2 Cor. 5:14-15; Rom. 12:1-2). If you have not yet done so, will you not respond to the Lord s invitation? 2 Corinthians 5:14-15... 14 For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; 15 and He died for all, so that they who live 7
might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf. Romans 12:1-2... 1 Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. i ii International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, rev. ed. (1979), s.v. Atone; Atonement, by W. S. Reid. International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, rev. ed. (1979), s.v. Atone; Atonement, by W. S. Reid. iii The New Bible Dictionary, ed. J. D. Douglas, (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1965), s.v. Atonement, by Leon Morris. iv The New Bible Dictionary, ed. J. D. Douglas, (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1965), s.v. Atonement, by Leon Morris. v Nelson s Illustrated Bible Dictionary, ed. Herbert Lockyer, Sr. (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1986), s.v. Atonement. vi Frank Fitt, as quoted by Frank S. Mead, ed., The Encyclopedia of Religious Quotations, (Westwood, NJ: Fleming H. Revell Co., 1965), p. 13. 8