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Topic:
Thoughts
And Things Of The Bible -- Atonement
This word does not occur in the Authorized Version of the New Testament
except in Rom. 5:11, where in the Revised Version the word
"reconciliation" is used. In the Old Testament it is of frequent
occurrence. The meaning of the word is simply at-one-ment, i.e., the state
of being at one or being reconciled, so that atonement is reconciliation.
Thus it is used to denote the effect which flows from the death of Christ.
But the word is also used to denote that by which this reconciliation is
brought about, viz., the death of Christ itself; and when so used it means
satisfaction, and in this sense to make an atonement for one is to make
satisfaction for his offences (Ex. 32:30; Lev. 4:26; 5:16; Num. 6:11),
and, as regards the person, to reconcile, to propitiate God in his behalf.
By the atonement of Christ we generally mean his work by which he expiated
our sins. But in Scripture usage the word denotes the reconciliation
itself, and not the means by which it is effected. When speaking of
Christ's saving work, the word "satisfaction," the word used by
the theologians of the Reformation, is to be preferred to the word
"atonement." Christ's satisfaction is all he did in the room and
in behalf of sinners to satisfy the demands of the law and justice of God.
Christ's work consisted of suffering and obedience, and these were
vicarious, i.e., were not merely for our benefit, but were in our stead,
as the suffering and obedience of our vicar, or substitute. Our guilt is
expiated by the punishment which our vicar bore, and thus God is rendered
propitious, i.e., it is now consistent with his justice to manifest his
love to transgressors. Expiation has been made for sin, i.e., sin is
covered. The means by which sin is covered is vicarious satisfaction, and
the result of sin's being covered is atonement or reconciliation. To make
atonement is to do that by virtue of which alienation ceases and
reconciliation is brought about. Christ's mediatorial work and sufferings
are the ground or efficient cause of reconciliation with God. They rectify
the disturbed relations between God and man, taking away the obstacles
interposed by sin to their fellowship and concord. The reconciliation is
mutual, i.e., it is not only that of sinners toward God, but also and
pre-eminently that of God toward sinners, effected by the sin-offering he
himself provided, so that consistently with the other attributes of his
character his love might flow forth in all its fullness of blessing to
men. The primary idea presented to us in different forms throughout the
Scripture is that the death of Christ is a satisfaction of infinite worth
rendered to the law and justice of God (q.v.), and accepted by him in room
of the very penalty man had incurred. It must also be constantly kept in
mind the atonement is not the cause but is the consequence of God's love
to guilty men (John 3:16; Rom. 3:24, 25; Eph. 1:7; 1 John 1:9; 4:9). The
atonement may also be regarded as necessary, not in an absolute but in a
relative sense, i.e., if man is to be saved, there is no other way than
this which God has devised and carried out (Ex. 34:7; Josh. 24:19; Ps.
5:4; 7:11; Nahum 1:2, 6; Rom. 3:5). This is God's plan, clearly revealed;
and that is enough for us to know.
Derived from Easton's and Smith's Bible Dictionaries
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