4th July, 2005

LLOYD HARKNESS

I wrong someone. I offend someone. I realise my error and try to make up for it.

This was my initial thought on atonement, although it is connected more to the verb 'atone'.

Atonement, in this general context, is about recompense or restitution; it is about redressing a wrong or resolving a fractious matter.

PICTURE: Firehorse (iStockphoto.com) "The high price paid for sin, Christ's death on the cross, signifies the necessity for atonement and our inability to deal with that sin."

There are four basic principles I see at work here.
1. I acknowledge my guilt in the situation.
2. I understand I have a responsibility to try to make amends.
3. I know it will cost me and it probably won't be easy.
4. In attempting to make amends my efforts may not achieve their goal - harmony and a restored relationship - at least to the level that relationship existed previously.

In all of this I'm seeking a fair and just end to the matter.

I trust I've started you thinking about atonement in a general sense. But how does the Bible use this word?

Sight's short definition for atonement is: "An act that brings enemies together as friends, the most notable of which is Jesus offering up His life for ours. This was God's way of extending the hand of friendship and destroying the enmity (sin) that separated us."

There are two points that stand out with the Biblical use of atonement.
1. There is no pretending that sin isn't serious. You cannot simply overlook sin and con yourself into believing there is no need for atonement, that things will be alright anyhow. Sin's destructiveness is universal.
2. The high price paid for sin, Christ's death on the cross, signifies the necessity for atonement and our inability to deal with that sin.

What is amazing about the about the above two facts, and the antithesis of our opening general comments, is that Jesus atoned for what we did. He "who knew no wrong" took the only means open to achieving a fair and just end to the matter of sin and its power to separate us from God.

We sin. We turn our backs on God. We choose to live according to our own agendas, wants, desires and ambitions; yet God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit take the initiative to cancel the debt of sin and unite us with Him once again.

Clearly, God is love. Constrained by love God chose to save mankind. God doesn't need our fellowship; He doesn't need us to "hang out" with him. There is nothing lacking in God. Still, He loves us and desires our company.

Jesus, and his Father, were at one in this work and their love was equally perfect. Hence His atonement deals with our anger and guilt and alienation to bring a freedom and a release and a capacity to go on with life that crosses beyond "ashes to ashes and dust to dust".

Jesus' death on the cross was substitutionary. We erred but being incapable of dealing with our sin on our own God takes the initiative.

There are four aspects of Christ's atonement I'd like to draw your attention to.
1. Obedience. Jesus fulfilled the law and its penalties. He followed through on the principle of atoning for sin, acknowledging our guilt but taking the consequences for it on himself.
2. Sacrifice. Jesus death expunged our sin when he took it to the cross with him. It was a once for all time sacrifice so humanity could have unlimited access to God our Father. It wasn't easy but love compelled Him.
3. Redemption. Jesus has provided us with a freedom from the bondage of the law to be accepted by God. We could never do all the do's and not do all the do not's. Our relationship with a holy God has been placed on a much more stable footing.
4. Reconciliation. Jesus has removed the enmity between God and us so that fellowship could be restored. He's done his bit. In fact, he has done all that he can. The only question remaining is will we receive the atoning work of Christ?

God through the work of atonement is looking to restore a relationship. Some people who have played around with this word have called it at-one-ment. Unfortunately, his heart is still breaking for those He has done everything He can for, yet they still live outside His at-one-ment.