Redemption

For us, atonement is the difference between true life, and death; between peace, and misery; between guilt, and forgiveness. Atonement means everything.

As wonderful as the atonement is laid out for us in the Old Testament, when Jesus came, He took it a step further. It was John the Baptist who cried out concerning Christ:  _*“…Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”*_ (John 1:29).

Isaiah says that God has _*“cast all our sin behind His back”*_ (Isaiah 38:17); while Micah states that He _*“casts all our sin into the depths of the sea.”*_ All of these truths are too marvelous for words! And while these verses give the basic meaning of our sins being covered, Jesus came to take our sins away!

_“Gone at last!”_ is how one songwriter put it.

What a glorious truth this is! Though we will never be able to fully comprehend the atonement on this side of eternity, several things are immediately clear concerning the purposes of the atonement.

👉🏾First, the atonement makes me free. We read:

_*“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery”*_ (Galatians 5:1).

The phrase _“has set us”_ speaks of the action taken on our behalf, which was His sacrificial death, i.e., the atonement.

👉🏾Secondly, the atonement gives me peace. Once again we reference the apostle Paul: _*“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our LORD Jesus Christ”*_ (Romans 5:1).

Without adding anything to Scripture, this could very well read, _“we have peace with God through the atoning sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ.”_ The atonement is most definitely implied in this verse.

👉🏾Last of all, the atonement makes me redeemed and forgiven. Not only did Christ pay the price that was needed to purchase our salvation, but He also forgave us. As spoken previously, this is the high water mark when speaking of the purposes of the atonement.

“In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace” (Ephesians 1:7).

Have you ever stepped in and intentionally and willingly taken the punishment for something that someone else has done, knowing full well that you yourself are not guilty?

If so, or even if not, this only begins to give us an understanding of what substitutionary atonement is.

A substitute, by definition, is one who stands in the place of another.

Because all have sinned, Scripture tells us that the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). The death spoken of here is eternal death, which is separation from God. Christ stepped in and took our place, becoming sin for us (not a sinner), that we might be made righteous _*- “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him”*_ (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Scripture is abundant in describing Christ’s atonement; we will reference just a few of them here. Each of these verses will serve to give us a greater appreciation for His sacrifice.

_*“But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed”*_ (Isaiah 53:5).

On the cross, Christ was pierced through and bruised. Why would he subject Himself to all of this? His punishment led to our peace and brought healing to us; both physically, and most of all spiritually.

_*“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me”*_ (Galatians 2:20).

Here is a verse that reminds us how we are to live the Christian life, i.e., by faith in Christ. But it also gives us a two-fold reason why: because of His love for us which in turn, led to His great sacrifice.

_*“And not only so, but we also joy in God through our LORD Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement”*_ (Romans 5:11).

O yes! We have received the atonement! We have now been reconciled to God through the death of our Lord Jesus Christ.

When I think of the atonement, there is one verse that I believe encompasses all that we have said, and so much more. It is what the atonement means to each and every one of us who are in Christ.

_*“Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need”*_ (Hebrews 4:16).

Because of Christ’s sacrifice for us, we can actually approach God’s throne confidently, and without fear, knowing that His abundant, and much needed mercy and grace are readily available to us in our dark and difficult times.

We can count on Him to do _*“exceedingly and abundantly above all that we can ask or think, according to the power that works in us”*_ (Ephesians 3:20).

This is all made possible by the Cross.

William R. Newell said it well when he wrote this song:

_Mercy there was great and grace was free,_

_Pardon there was multiplied to me,_

_There my burdened soul found liberty,_

_At Calvary!_

Thank you Jesus for your atoning sacrifice on the Cross! Hallelujah!

🛐 *Prayer Points*

🎯Father thank you for the atoning sacrifice of your only begotten Son that rescued me from sin and made me a child of the kingdom.

🎯Father through the atoning sacrifice of Your Son, I have been made free, Lord may I remain in this freedom the rest of my life in Jesus name.

🎯Father through the atoning sacrifice of Your Son I have peace, may Your peace never depart from me in Jesus name.

🎯Father through the atoning sacrifice of Your Son, I have been cleansed and made holy, may I remain clean and unspotted to the end in Jesus name.

🎯Father through the atoning sacrifice of Your Son, I have unrestrained access to your throne of mercy and grace, may Your mercy and grace never depart from my life in Jesus name.