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Christology #9
Oct. 23, 2005 (AM) - Pastor Ronnie Wolfe

THE ATONEMENT OF CHRIST

Romans 5:11 And not only [so], but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.

 

WORDS TO KNOW:

Socinian Theory. The atonement of Christ was simply an example (1 Peter 2:21)

Moral Influence Theory. The atonement was a demonstration of God= s love. We see that love in him as we see his suffering and then as a result trust him.

Governmental Theory. The atonement was a demonstration of God= s justice. A Our sight of Christ's atoning sufferings deter us from sinning, thereby enabling God to forgive our sin without endangering His moral government of the world.@ (http://www.tecmalta.org/tft211.htm).

Ransom Theory. The atonement was a victory over the forces of sin and evil.

Satisfaction Theory. The atonement was a compensation to God the Father.

Biblical Theory. "Christ propitiated God's wrath and expiated our guilt by completely fulfilling the demands of His Law in both its precept and its penalty." (Ibid).

 

Introduction

Romans 5:11 is the only verse in the Bible where the English word atonement is found. The Greek word is found in Romans 11:15 For if the casting away of them [be] the reconciling of the world, what [shall] the receiving [of them be], but life from the dead? And in 2 Corinthians 5:18 And all things [are] of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;

The word atonement has the simple meaning of AT-ONE-MENT, but its dictionary or theological definition varies from one writer to another.

  1. THE NECESSITY OF THE ATONEMENT OF CHRIST
    1. Christianity is the only religion in the world which requires an atonement.
    2. Christianity is the only religion in the world which provided an atonement through Jesus Christ.
    3. Without an atonement, sin cannot be truly dealt with.
    4. If a person can be saved by his works or through baptism or communion, then there is no necessity of atonement.
    5. Many religions believe in a salvation through self-sacrifice and grueling religious practices, but the Bible knows nothing of that.
    6. The Bible demands an atonement (a sinner being made A at one@ with God).
    7. Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
    8. Ro 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
      1. If Christ died for us and redeemed us on the cross, paying for all of our sin debt, is it really love commended to us if he does not save us and assure our oneness with God?
      2. Is it really love commended toward us if God make only a provision for salvation and does not give an assurance within his own covenant and to his only begotten Son that those for whom he suffered will certain and finally be saved by his grace?
      3. It is really love commended toward us if God himself is wondering who might be saved and actually does not know if anyone will ever be saved?

  2. THE SCOPE OF THE ATONEMENT OF CHRIST
    1. First, The Accomplishment Of The Atonement
      1. When Jesus died on the cross and died, what did that death accomplish?
      2. Some would say that it accomplished nothing more than a possibility that someone might on his own come to God through Christ and be saved.
        1. But if this is true, there is no guarantee that any will be saved, and the preacher has no promise that his preaching will not be in vain.
        2. But the Bible says in Ac 18:10 For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city. This gives a promise to Paul that he should preach in Corinth, because God had much people (or many people) who would believe. How could this promise be given if salvation is only a possibility?
      3. But, when Jesus died on the cross, he accomplished the A atonement,@ the bringing to God those who would be saved by grace through faith.
        1. If he did not accomplish a true atonement, then his death is not necessary; and a person can be atoned by his own work.
        2. It is taught by some that faith is the only work that needs to be done, but I say to you today that faith is not a work but a gift (Eph. 2:8-9). You faith did not accomplish atonement, but Christ did when he died on the cross.
        3. Now, I admit that repentance and faith are necessary for salvation, but they are not works that bring us into A oneness@ with God. They are channels through which the Holy Spirit brings us to God.
      4. Second, The Extent of the Atonement
        1. By the extent, I am referring to the extent to which this atonement reaches out to man and to whom it applies.
        2. Fist, let us consider the teaching that the atonement applies to all men everywhere. A. W. Pink has some thoughts on this, and they should be marked well, I think.
            1. If Jesus died for every sin of every man, then he died for the sin of unbelief, the unbelief of the worst sinner in the world, the unbelief of the rebel against God and the skeptic and the heretic. Thus, if Jesus died for every sin of every man, then this one is covered, and then everyone would be cleared from his guilt of sin; and if that man goes to Hell, he goes there to suffer for sins that Jesus has already suffered for.
            2. If Jesus died for every sin of every man, then he died for the unpardonable sin, which cannot be forgiven in this time or the time to come. If that be true, then the man who sins the unpardonable sin has nothing to worry about, because that sin has been remitted, and one committing this sin has been made at one with God. Since this sin cannot be forgiven (Matt. 12:31), then obviously it was not atoned on the cross.
            3. If Jesus died for every sin of every man, then how could he be sure that some would die in their sins? Joh 8:21 & Then said Jesus again unto them, I go my way, and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sins: whither I go, ye cannot come.Joh 8:21 Then said Jesus again unto them, I go my way, and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sins: whither I go, ye cannot come. Notice that he says they will die in the SINS not SIN. How did Jesus know they would die in their sins? He knew because he did not atonement their sins when he died on the cross. He spoke this before he went to the cross, and it was fulfilled after he died on the cross.
          1. If Jesus died for every sin of every man, then Paul could not have said in Eph 5:5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Do you know why these wicked people will have the wrath of God upon them? It is because they are guilty of these sins, and these sins have not been atoned, these sinners have not been made one with God.
          2. If Jesus died for every sin of every man, then there is no sin to be judged in eternity, Paul said in Col. 3:6 For which things= sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: So no one need worry about any sin if Jesus died for every sin of every man.
          3. If Jesus died for every sin of every man, then there would be no need for the preaching of the Gospel, telling the sinners of the world from John 14:6, A ...no man cometh unto the Father but by me.@

  3. THE INVITATION OF THE ATONEMENT OF CHRIST
    1. Some will think that, if Jesus died for just the sins of those whom he knows will believe, that there is no need for an invitation to salvation or the preaching of the Gospel of Christ.
    2. But that is far from the truth, because Jesus set the parameters for the effectiveness of the Gospel when he said in Mt 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: God inspired Paul to speak to us in 1Co 1:21 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
    3. You see, men do not know what God knows. We do not know who will or who will not be saved. That is God= s business and not ours, but our business is to be a witness: Ac 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
    4. It is not my business to know whose sins Jesus remitted on the cross. It is my job only to tell sinners about what Jesus did on the cross and how a person must be reconciled to God by faith. The actual, effectual work of regeneration and salvation is done by God himself. I need not worry about that part.

Conclusion

There is so much more we could say on this, but I just want us all to get the idea of the effectiveness of the atonement of Christ on the cross. Because of that atonement, there is a guarantee that some men will come to Christ and will be saved. God knows who they are; I don= t know who they are. I must preach to every creature, and God will do his work.

So, then, there are two ideas mainly concerning the atonement of Christ. There is one idea that states that Jesus Christ went to the cross and paid for all of the sins of all people on the earth to make possible the salvation of all men on the earth.

The second idea, and the scripture one, I think, is that Jesus died on the cross to make certain that salvation would come to all who will believe on him.

Now, the only thought that lingers in the message for today is this: how do I know whether my sins have been atoned or not? That is a very good, important and valid question. The answer lies in the fact that Jesus did in fact die for specific sins of specific people, but you cannot know that you are in that number until you have repented of your sins and believe upon Jesus Christ and his work on the cross with all your heart. If you can do that today, then you will know upon the authority of God= s word that your sins were atoned in Christ and that you are A at one@ with God, for in Christ God is reconciling the world unto himself, a world of believers who will make up his earthly kingdom in a day when there will be only righteousness in the world.

Look forward to that righteousness and that kingdom: repent, or turn from your sins today and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved.

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