Theology Lesson #23 - Christ's Saving Work of Atonement

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In this lesson, we begin to study the topic of soteriology, that is, salvation. As you are surely aware, the topic of salvation is massive. In these brief lessons, we will only scratch the surface of this topic. My goal is to give us a working knowledge of the various parts of salvation.

I have placed the study of the accomplishment and application of salvation after the lessons about Bibliology, Theology Proper, Christology, Pneumatology, Anthropology, Angelology, and Hamartiology, because all of these themes will tie together under soteriology and lead us into ecclesiology (the study of the church) and into eschatology (the study of the end times).

Over the next three lessons, we will see three main topics: justification, sanctification, and glorification. All of these stem from one pivotal moment in history: the cross of Jesus Christ. Before we look at the work of Christ as it is applied in salvation (justification, sanctification, and glorification), we must first understand what took place on the cross.

 

IMPORTANT STARTING PLACE

To understand what took place on the cross, we must first look at two important verses to remind ourselves who God is and who we are.

Genesis 18:25 - “Far be it from You to do such a thing, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike. Far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth deal justly?”

Job 25:4 – Key Question in all the Scriptures: “How then can a man be just with God?”

God is the righteous judge. We are totally unrighteous. Our sins demand God to take judicial action against us and punish us according to the severity of our sin. God’s justice demands that every person who sins (everyone) be condemned to the Lake of Fire forever.

The question, then, is how can a man be just (righteous) before God? This is the question of all the Scripture. This is the most important question that anyone could ask. Interestingly, we have some indication of men being judicially declared righteous early on in the Bible.

Genesis 15:6 – Key Verse in the Old Testament: “Then [Abraham] believed in the LORD; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness.” Quoted 5x in the NT.

Psalm 32:1-2 – “How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, Whose sin is covered! How blessed is the man to whom the LORD does not impute iniquity, And in whose spirit there is no deceit!” Quoted in Romans 4:6-8.

Habakkuk 2:4 – “The righteous will live by his faith.”

Amazingly, God judicially declares those who live lives of faith in Him and in His Word to be righteous. Their transgressions are forgiven. Their sin is covered. Their iniquity is not imputed to them.

 

ANOTHER QUESTION

The next question is HOW is the righteous judge of heaven and earth JUST to forgive sins and declare people to be righteous on the basis of faith in Him? Isn’t that a horrific act of INJUSTICE? It would be if God just swept the sin under a rug and pretended it didn’t exist. But that’s not what He does.

The Old Testament demonstrates the need for a sacrifice.

·       The killing of the animal to clothe Adam and Eve after the Fall.

·       The recurring sacrifices at the entrance of the Garden of Eden.

·       The recurring sacrifices by Noah and Abraham.

·       The OT sacrificial system (cf. Lev 1-7; 16).

Moreover, the Old Testament pointed to the ACTUAL sacrifice for sins being made by the Christ.

Isaiah 53:5-6 - 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. 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.

Also see Psalm 22 and Zechariah 12:10 for more indications of a ‘pierced’ Christ who would suffer for His people.

This would indicate that the New Covenant passages (Deut 30; Jer 31; Ezek 36) can only come to pass through the death and resurrection of the Christ.

 

 

HOW WOULD THE CHRIST ACCOMPLISH JUSTIFICATION?

This is confirmed by the New Testament. There are WAY too many passages to include, but I included as many as I could. My thought is to work through these passages one-by-one and then derive some categories and definitions from them.

Matthew 26:28 - for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins.

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.”

Mark 14:24 - And He said to them, “This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many.

Luke 18:9-14 – “And He also told this parable to certain ones who trusted in themselves that they were righteous [δικαιος (dikaios)], and viewed others with contempt…But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful [ιλοσμοσκομαι, propitiation] to me, the sinner!’ “I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Luke 22:19 - And when He had taken some bread and given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”

John 10:11, 15 - “I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep…even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.”

Acts 20:28 - “Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.”

Romans 3:20-28 – Since this is one of the key texts on justification, I have cited this in full. “because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin. But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; 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; for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. Where then is boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? Of works? No, but by a law of faith. For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law.”

Romans 4:5-8 – “But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness, just as David also speaks of the blessing on the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:” then he quotes Psalm 32:1-2.                         

Romans 5:10-11 - 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. And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.

Romans 8:23 - And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body.

Romans 8:33-34 – “Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies, who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather, who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.” Note that “justify” and “condemn” are parallel. Since “condemn” is a forensic act, then we have a case that “justification” also is.

1 Corinthians 1:30 - But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption,

2 Corinthians 5:19 – “namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.”

2 Corinthians 5:21 - He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

1 Corinthians 6:20 - For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.

1 Corinthians 7:23 - You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men.

2 Corinthians 8:9 - For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich.

Galatians 2:16 – “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.”

Galatians 3:11 – “Now that no one is justified by the Law before God is evident; for, “The righteous man shall live by faith.”

Galatians 3:13 - 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”—

Ephesians 1:7 - In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace

Ephesians 1:14 - who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.

Colossians 1:14 - in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Colossian 1:20-22 - and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven. And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach—

Colossians 2:13-14 - When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.

Colossians 2:15 - When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him.

1 Timothy 2:6 - who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time.

Hebrews 2:17 - 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.

Hebrews 9:15 - 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.

Hebrews 9:26 - Otherwise, He would have needed to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now once at the consummation of the ages He has been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.

1 Peter 1:18-19 - knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.

1 Peter 2:24 - 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 Peter 3:18 - For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit;

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

1 John 4:10 - 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.

Revelation 5:9 - And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.

Revelation 14:3-4 - And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders; and no one could learn the song except the one hundred and forty-four thousand who had been purchased from the earth. These are the ones who have not been defiled with women, for they have kept themselves chaste. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These have been purchased from among men as first fruits to God and to the Lamb.

 

Putting all of this together, we see that several themes tie together under this heading of justification.

 

Atonement

“A means by which reparations are made, sin is expiated, deity is satisfied, and reconciliation is achieved between the deity and the sinner.”[1] The foundation for understanding Christ’s atonement for sin was laid in the Old Testament sacrificial system.

 

Substitution

“God in his love has appointed the Lord Jesus Christ to stand in the place of sinners to bear their sin, guilt, and punishment and thereby satisfy God’s wrath on their behalf.”[2]

 

Sacrifice

By standing in the place of His people and atoning for their sins, Jesus offered His life as a sacrifice. Sacrifices in the Old Testament made atonement on behalf of the people. Likewise, Christ’s sacrifice of His own life made atonement for His people.

Isa 53:5-6; Mark 14:24; Luke 22:19; John 10:11, 15; 2 Cor 5:21; 8:9; Heb 9:26; 1 Pet 2:24; 3:18

 

Propitiation

A propitiatory sacrifice is one that turns away the wrath of a deity. Propitiation is “a sacrifice that bears God’s wrath to the end and in so doing changes God’s wrath toward us into favor.”[3] Jesus made propitiation on our behalf. The result of Christ’s sacrificial, substitutionary atonement was that God’s wrath against the elect was satisfied once and for all. God’s wrath was turned away.

Rom 3:25; Heb 2:17; 1 John 2:2; 1 John 4:10

 

Redemption

Redemption has the core idea of making a purchase. Christ redeemed His elect from the curse of the law (Gal 3:13). “It is from this curse of spiritual death and destruction that Christ has redeemed his people. He has done this by becoming a curse for us, that is, by bearing the penal sanctions of that curse in our place.”[4] Christ redeemed us from sin by paying the penalty of our sins (Heb 9:15), therefore we have the forgiveness of sins (Matt 26:28; Eph 1:7; Col 1:14). Even on the cross, the word that Jesus used was often used of a payment being paid in full.[5]

Rom 3:24; 8:23; 1 Cor 1:30; Eph 1:7, 14; Col 1:14; Heb 9:12, 15

 

Ransom

This is the payment made for the redemption of Christ’s sheep. “Sinners have found themselves in bondage to sin (Rom 6:6), and Christ has redeemed them by the ransom price of his life. He himself declares that he came ‘to give his life as a ransom [Gk. Lytron] for many’ (Matt 20:28; Mark 10:45; cf. 1 Tim 2:6). Jesus characterizes the mission of his incarnation as a work of ransom, of which his life was the ransom price that would be given ‘in the stead of’ (Gk. Anti) the many sinners whose freedom he bought.

Matt 20:28; Mark 10:45; Acts 20:28; 1 Cor 6:20; 7:23; Gal 3:13; 1 Tim 2:6; 1 Pet 1:18-19[6]; Rev 5:9; 14:3-4

 

Reconciliation

The removal of the alienation and enmity incited by sin and the restoration of fellowship with God.[7]

Rom 5:10-11; 2 Cor 5:18-19; Eph 2:16; Col 1:20-22

 

Imputation

The accounting of something from someone’s account to another’s. Our sin was accounted (imputed) to Christ on the cross and Christ’s righteousness was (imputed) to us at conversion). Imputation is “to think of as belonging to someone, and therefore to cause it to belong to that person.”[8]

Rom 4:5-8; 2 Cor 5:21; 8:9; Col 2:13-14

 

Christ the Victor

Christ defeated the forces of Satan by His death on the cross.

Gen 3:15; Col 2:15

 

The application of this work of atonement will be discussed in the next lesson. There, we will see what happens when God applies the atonement to a person at the moment of conversion in order to justify them. In the following lesson, we will see how this application of atonement continues its work in the believer through sanctification in this life and into glorification in heaven.

 

IN CONCLUSION, Christ accomplished a magnificent work on the cross that deserves our unending meditation and praise. Let us set ourselves to know and love what He accomplished for us on the cross. Praise God who sent His Son to die as our substitute so that we could be declared righteous.

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[1] MacArthur, Biblical Doctrine, 512.

[2] MacArthur, Ibid, 523.

[3] Grudem, Systematic Theology, 1252.

[4] MacArthur, Ibid, 534.

[5] Sproul, Substitutionary Atonement, Video Lesson, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x752NZPfok8

[6] The NASB renders lytron here as ‘redeemed.’ But it would be better translated ‘ransomed.’

[7] Grudem, Ibid, 1253.

[8] Grudem, Ibid, 1245.