Foundation 2: Atonement
What does atonement mean?
Definition: The root meaning "at-one-ment": i.e. the bringing together (or reconciliation) of two who have been enemies into a relationship of peace and friendship. Atonement is the central doctrine of our faith and can properly include all that our Lord accomplished for us on the cross. This would of course include salvation, healing, freedom from all forms of sin and every curse. But why do we need atonement?
Romans 6:23 (NKJV) - For the wages of sin [is] death, but the gift of God [is] eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 3:23 (NKJV) - for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Romans 5:10-11 (NKJV) - For if when 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. And not only [that], but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.
Colossians 1:21-23 (NKJV) - And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight-- if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister.
2 Corinthians 5:14-15 (NKJV) - For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.
Mark 10:45 (NKJV) - "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."
Hebrews 9:13-14 (NKJV) - For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
1 Corinthians 15:3-4 (NKJV) - For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures,
Definition: The root meaning "at-one-ment": i.e. the bringing together (or reconciliation) of two who have been enemies into a relationship of peace and friendship. Atonement is the central doctrine of our faith and can properly include all that our Lord accomplished for us on the cross. This would of course include salvation, healing, freedom from all forms of sin and every curse. But why do we need atonement?
Romans 6:23 (NKJV) - For the wages of sin [is] death, but the gift of God [is] eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 3:23 (NKJV) - for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
- All mankind were living in sin. Man's relationship with God was broken. Though alive, man was dead. We needed a Savior, someone to repair the broken relationship. To do this the penalty (price) for sin needed to be paid. Atonement was required for all sin.
Romans 5:10-11 (NKJV) - For if when 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. And not only [that], but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.
Colossians 1:21-23 (NKJV) - And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight-- if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister.
- Jesus Christ, the Son of God, fully God AND fully man, born of a virgin, came into this world to take on all the sins of man. He was sinless. God the Father was in Jesus Christ reconciling the world to Himself (2 Corinthians 5:18-19). Jesus paid the price for our sins by taking our place, paying the penalty of sin, which is death, on our behalf. He did this by dying on the cross. He did this because of love (Ephesians 5:2, Galatians 2:20, John 3:16-17). The Bible says, "...for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross..." (Hebrews 12:2). It was "the good pleasure of the Father" that inspired His perfect plan for atonement through His Son (Colossians 1:19-20).
2 Corinthians 5:14-15 (NKJV) - For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.
Mark 10:45 (NKJV) - "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."
- Christ's death was a sacrificial death. He not only died for you, he died in your place! You are rescued from death. The cross of our Savior is the place God chose to show mercy to mankind (1 Peter 1:3). For those who have faith in Jesus we can be guilt free and do not need to fear the wrath of God (1 Thessalonians 5:9).
Hebrews 9:13-14 (NKJV) - For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
- You may or may not be asking, "What? Blood of bulls and goats? What is this all about?". This is explained in the Bible and will be explored on this site in another place (Hebrews ch. 9,10). For now, know the blood of bulls and goats refers to the sacrificial system in place in the Old Testament law that cleansed only the flesh, but not the bigger sin problem (Hebrews 10:3-4,11).
- This Scripture is saying, the blood of Jesus, is a better sacrifice as it covers all sin (1 John 2:2), and more than that, cleanses our conscience from sin - the bigger sin problem. This means we are made new and can now be and live righteous through faith in Jesus. Moreover, we have been given power to overcome the work of Satan (more in the fifth foundation).
1 Corinthians 15:3-4 (NKJV) - For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures,
- Christ died, but He rose again! Because of His resurrection we will have life eternally (more in the fourth foundation).
- In the third foundation, we will learn about the justification and righteousness we have because of faith in the atonement of Christ.