The Doctrine of Atonement

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COURSE IN ADVANCED BIBLICAL DOCTRINES

Lesson #04

• The Doctrine of Atonement
  • Read Heb 2:17
  • The definition:
    • The word “atonement” is often misinterpreted by false religions to mean something completely different than the Biblical definition.
      • In the Spanish Reina Valera 1960 Bible, the word “atonement” is sometimes translated expiación.
      • In the Spanish Reina Valera 1960 Bible, the word “atonement” is sometimes translated reconciliation.
    • The world’s definition = satisfaction, the process of making amends for a wrong done.
    • False doctrine definition = the state of a human that exemplifies the attributes of Christ.
    • The Hebrew definition = to cover.
      • Read Act 17:30-31
      • God overlooked (winked at) sin in the times of the Old Testament because the sacrifices of animals covered sin with animal blood until Christ came to remove it.
    • The Bible definition = expiation; repair or satisfaction achieved by giving an equivalent value for an injustice, an injury, or an offense.
  • The reason for the need of atonement:
    • Because all persons have sinned, all persons are in need of atonement. (1Kin 8:46 Psa 14:3)
    • Because sin is repugnant to God and separates man from God, all persons need to deal with sin. (Hab 1:13)
    • Because man cannot get rid of his own sin, he needs to trust in God’s provision of atonement. (Isa 59:2 Pro 15:29 Pro 20:9)
  • The many positive aspects of the depth of the word atonement:
    • The New Testament gives us a variety of themes that weave themselves in and out of any discussion about atonement. Therefore, Atonement includes all of these themes. These themes are:
      • =1= Redemption
        • Christ purchases the non-believer sold under sin.
        • Christ purchases the non-believer for His purposes of freeing him from sin.
        • Christ purchases the non-believer and sets him free from sin, never to be sold under sin again.
      • =2= Substitution
        • Christ substituted his life for the life of the believer in payment of the punishment for sin.
        • Man deserves death, but Christ took man’s place on the cross.
      • =3= Reconciliation
        • Reconciliation is to get rid of enmity between two persons; to bridge over hatred in a bad relationship.
        • The unbeliever is an enemy of God. (Col 1:21 Jam 4:4)
        • Jesus Christ is the bridge in this bad relationship. He makes it possible to approach God.
      • =4= Justification
        • The unbeliever is made just (righteous) before God while he is a sinner at the moment he believes in Jesus Christ.
        • The judgment of God sees that Christ paid the penalty for man’s crimes.
        • Therefore God’s justice is perfectly satisfied to declare the sinner free.
      • =5= Adoption
        • The adoption is not the born-again experience for we do not become children of God by adoption but by new birth.
        • The adoption is the declaration of God that the believer in Jesus Christ is available to receive a spiritual inheritance jointly with Jesus Christ.
        • This declaration of availability of inheritance is made by God when the new believer receives the Holy Spirit at new birth.
      • =6= Propitiation
        • This word means = the removal of wrath by the offering of a gift.
        • The gift given to God to remove the enmity between God and man was the blood of Jesus Christ.
        • Read 1Joh 4:10
      • =7= Forgiveness
        • The end result of these themes is forgiveness of sin. Without forgiveness, there is no atonement.
        • The Old Testament believer did not know for sure if he truly had God’s forgiveness. He did not know if he had done enough animal sacrifice.
        • Permanent forgiveness was not completed until Jesus Christ purchased it on the cross.
    • Therefore, we can say that the concept of atonement is a broader concept that includes all of these previous 7 themes. In other words, atonement is the fruit of all the previous 7 themes.
  • Specific aspects of atonement:
    • In the Old Testament atonement is mentioned in regard to objects in twelve places.
      • Usually these references refer to spiritual cleansing of specific objects used in worship.
    • In the book of Hebrews, we see that atonement is a permanent condition which cannot be lost, and accomplished for us by our great High Priest, Jesus Christ.
    • In the writings of the apostle John, we see that atonement is a special revelation from God, the Father, through Jesus Christ, His Son. This concept of atonement sees that Jesus Christ is the victor having worked out God’s purpose against Satan, the enemy.
  • The Day of Atonement in the Old Testament
    • Atonement was such an important concept to God’s people that He gave the Israelites one day of fasting called the Day of Atonement. (Lev 16)
    • The Israelites were God’s model for the rest of the world. They were to act out God’s spiritual truths for us.
    • The Day of Atonement was to occur every year on the 10^th day of the 7^th month.
    • Read Lev 16:7-10
      • The number seven means = God’s completion or perfection.
        • The seventh month was a Sabbath month.
        • In other words, it speaks to us of God’s complete blessings through Jesus Christ where man rests from his own works to trust in the work of Jesus Christ. (Heb 4:10)
      • The number ten means = God’s governmental standard by which He will test man against the will of God.
      • The Day of Atonement was a solemn day of mourning for sin. It was the only established day of fasting.
        • This was the only day of the year that the High Priest could go into the Holy of Holies
        • He took with him the blood of a goat and sprinkled it on the mercy seat of the Ark of the Covenant.
        • Then he took to the wilderness a second goat (called the scapegoat) with a red wool cord tied on its horns. The red wool cord was removed and then the goat was either set free in the wilderness or pushed over a cliff.
        • If miraculously the red wool cord turned white, then God had accepted the animal sacrifices of all the people for the past year and forgave their sins. If God did not accept their sacrifices, the cord remained red.
        • Read Isa 1:18
      • The Day of Atonement was the day all Israel anticipated during the year. Until the Day of Atonement they had no assurance of forgiveness even though they had done all the sacrifices during the year. Without the assurance of forgiveness a person never knew if he had done enough sacrifices to cover his sins.
      • The Day of Atonement for the Old Testament believers reminded them that the usual animal sacrifice was not sufficient to forgive sin.
        • The blood of animals only covered sin until Christ came.
        • Therefore, they were to wait for the Messiah to bring a more complete atonement in Jesus Christ.
    • With this explanation of the Old Testament Day of Atonement, we can see how atonement in Jesus Christ is that much more superior. (Heb 9 and 10)
      • The New Testament believer can know immediately that he has forgiveness of sin. He does not need to wait a whole year to discover it.
      • Read 1Joh 1:9