BY Argie Simonis
We usually say that Jesus died on the cross. It is true, but the Scriptures state that Jesus was KILLED on the cross. He Himself even said it several times to His disciples:
"From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day." (Μatt. 16:21)
So why did Jesus not just have to die, but to be KILLED and martyred? Why did He have to suffer?
---- I will explain to you what ATONEMENT means.
The word atonement carries the basic idea of propitiation or satisfaction, especially to God. Atonement is an act that includes two parts, appeasing the anger of the offended person and reconciling with him.
"And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world." (1John 2:2)
In the New Testament, the act of atonement always refers to God's work toward man and not to the sacrifices or gifts that man offers to God.
The reason for this is that man is totally incapable of satisfying God's justice. That is, there is no service, sacrifice, or gift that man can offer to appease God's holy wrath or to satisfy His perfect justice.
~~ For this reason Jesus Christ came into the world in human flesh to become the perfect sacrifice for sin:
"Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people." (Heb. 2:17)
The word atonement is used in many verses to explain what Christ accomplished through His death on the cross.
"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;" (Rom. 3:23)
"Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:" (Rom. 3:24)
"Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;" (Rom. 3:25)
~~ These verses are the key to Paul's argument in the letter to the Romans, and are really at the heart of the whole message of the Gospel (Gospel=the good news). ~~
What we all deserved was hell. The only way a sinner (DESERVING HELL) can be reconciled to a holy God is ONLY through Christ's death on the cross and His resurrection on the third day.
The wonderful truth of the Gospel is that Christians are saved from the wrath of God and are reconciled to God, not because
"... we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins." (1John 4:10)
~~ It is very important to understand this. Christ did 2 things:
1. He redeemed us, that is, through His sacrifice, ALL the wrath of God was satisfied upon Him for the sin of ALL mankind
AND
2. PERFECT justice was served! ~~
"And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world." (1John 2:2)
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---- HOW DID THIS HAPPEN;
Let us see practically how wrath can be satisfied and how justice can be served. Let's consider some scenarios:
Suppose someone in your family is murdered. At the trial in court, the perpetrator is convicted of the murder, but someone else (an innocent person) comes forward and receives the punishment intended for the real perpetrator.
I ask you now: Could such a thing satisfy your anger for the murderer? Of course not!
Was justice done? Of course not!
Consider the other possibility. Yes, the perpetrator was found guilty but pardoned. How about that? Would that satisfy your rage? NO!
Would we get justice? NO!
And yet, what we typically see is that Jesus took upon Himself the punishment meant for me and I was given grace. And of course that's true, but it's NOT JUST THAT.
It is very important to understand exactly what the word atonement means.
Back to the trial again. What if the person accused of murdering your relative showed up in court with witnesses and solid evidence that they were NOT guilty?
And they bring another person to court, where it is finally proven beyond all doubt (witnesses, video tapes, DNA), that he was the real perpetrator. He is condemned and punished.
Does this satisfy your anger? Of course!
Was justice served? Of course yes!
Why did I use this example? There are many who do not realize that God in His perfect wisdom and knowledge took our sin and literally put it on His Son. How else would God kill His own Son? Could God kill an innocent?
Our minds cannot conceive it, but Jesus literally became GUILTY. We haven't just received grace for our death sentence, and Jesus, an innocent, has not just taken upon Himself our punishment; He became sin Himself! Note the words Paul uses:
"For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him." (2Cor. 5:21)
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Those who reject Christ as their Savior and refuse to believe in Him have NO hope of salvation and will face the wrath of God that they have stored up for the coming Judgment Day. There is no more atonement or sacrifice that can be made for their sins.
"By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all." (Εβρ. 10:10)
"And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins:" (Heb. 10:11)
"But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;" (Εβρ. 10:12)
"From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool." (Heb. 10:13)
"For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified." (Heb. 10:14)
"Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before," (Heb. 10:15)
"This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;" (Heb. 10:16)
"And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more." (Heb. 10:17)
"Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin." (Heb. 10:18)
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Jesus said:
"... I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." (John 14:6)
The only way of attonement (=doing something to someone I have upset to calm them down), of God's wrath against sinful man and of our reconciliation with God is through Jesus Christ.
~~~ THERE IS NO OTHER WAY ~~~~
"And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world." (1John 2:2)
This means that even the sins of unbelievers were paid for in full in the atonement of Christ:
"For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe." (1Tim. 4:10)
That's awesome! This means that it is not individual sins that will send someone to hell. All their sins have been paid for. It is the sin of rejecting Jesus that people will have to answer for on Judgment Day.
Amen!
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