Doctrine of the Atonement

I believe that the atonement was necessary to reconcile sin-alienated humanity to relationship with God. Sin leads to death (Rom. 6:23) and results in alienation from God (Col. 1:21). In light of humanity’s desperate condition (Rom. 5:8) and because of God’s great love (Jn. 3:16), God was pleased to crush Jesus (Isa. 53:10) as the propitiation for sin (1 Jn. 4:9-10; Rom. 3:25). Jesus is the wrath-bearing substitute who died in our place (2 Cor. 5:21), willingly giving up His life to save us (Jn. 10:18).

I believe that the atonement is like a multi-faceted jewel or a multi-layered symphony. As you turn the jewel examining its beauty, every angle shines forth a unique reflection of God’s plan to restore rebels to relationship with Himself. Like a symphony of interwoven sounds that circle harmoniously around one central theme, in the atonement the concepts of sacrifice, propitiation, expiation, redemption, reconciliation, triumph, and example all circle around the central theme of penal substitution. On the cross, Jesus died as our substitute—in our place for our sins (Gal. 3:13). He bore our sin and paid the penalty our sin incurred (1 Pet. 2:24; 2 Cor. 5:21). As the perfect sacrifice, Jesus offered His life once for all (Heb. 10:10,12) as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (Jn. 1:29). On the cross, Jesus propitiated God’s wrath and expiated our sin (Rom. 3:25). Jesus enabled redemption (Eph. 1:7) and made reconciliation possible (Rom. 5:10-11; 2 Cor. 5:18-21), delivering captives from slavery (Rom. 6:6) and restoring peace with God (Rom. 5:1). On the cross, Jesus triumphed over satan, disarming the powers of darkness (Col. 1:20-21) and destroying the power of sin (Rom. 6:14). As the ultimate example of sacrificial love (Phil. 2:5-8), the cross is now the pattern for the believer’s life (1 Pet. 2:21; 1 Jn. 3:16).

I believe that there are two levels of application of the atonement—Christ died for all people in general, and for believers in particular (1 Tim. 4:10). In one sense, the death of Jesus was sufficient to pay the price for the sins of every person. In another sense, His death was efficient to actually pay for the sins of only the elect. Scripture teaches that Christ died for all people (1 Tim. 2:6; Heb. 2:9), that God desires all to be saved (1 Tim. 2:4; 2 Pet. 3:9), and that all are invited to salvation (Jn. 3:16; Acts 16:31). But it also teaches that Christ died for those He chose before the foundations of the world (Eph. 1:3-14)—namely, his people (Mat. 1:21), the sheep (Jn. 10:15), the church (Acts 20:28), the elect (2 Tim. 2:10). For these people the blood of Jesus actually redeems (Tit. 2:14), reconciles (Rom. 5:10), and propitiates God’s wrath (Rom. 3:25). This great salvation is based solely on God’s gracious initiative, abounding mercy and immeasurable love (Eph. 2:4-5, 8).