Atonement: Study Outline

Purpose: In this lesson shall explore five points that would help us better understand the atonement that Christ made to save us from our sins so that we would worship Him and love Him more.

1. What is the meaning of atonement?
2. Christ saves us by his death
3. Christ died as our substitute
4. What motivated God to plan the Atonement?
5. Seven fruits of Christ’s Atonement

 

What is the meaning of atonement?

1. From Roger Weil: “In the Old Testament the word atonement means reconciliation by the covering of sin. Sin needs to be buried out of sight”[1]
2. This is taught in Psalm 32:1-2= “How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, Whose sin is covered! 2 How blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity, And in whose spirit there is no deceit!”
   1. This Psalm here is David’s confession to God for his sins.
   2. This Psalm tells us who is blessed and specifically the second line of verse 1 mentioned it is the following person: “Whose sin is covered”
      1. “‘Sin’ implies a turning aside from the right path of obedience.” [2]
      2. The man’s sin has been “covered,” or hidden.
   3. We can understand what the line “Whose sin is covered” means by noticing it parallel with the first line: “he whose transgression is forgiven”
      1. “‘Transgression’ emphasizes an individual’s rebellion against the law of God.” [3]
      2. The word, “ ‘Forgiven’ is literally ‘lifted’ — the burden of the guilt of sin is removed”[4]
      3. Verse 2a also reinforce the idea that “covered” in verse 1 has the idea of no longer being guilty of sin: “How blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity”
3. Other verses where the Hebrew verb “covering” and “atonement” is used to refer to covering sin a way that pleases God: Leviticus 4:35, 10:17, 16:30.
4. Yet Scripture also talks about a wrong way of covering our sins: “He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper, But he who confesses and forsakes them will find compassion.” (Proverbs 28:13)
   1. In the Hebrew the word “conceals” is the same word used in Psalm 32:1 of ”covered.”
   2. Yet in this instance it is not seen as a good thing because it is stated that one who does such a thing “will not prosper”
   3. This kind of covering is the opposite of what is described in the second half of the verse where there is confession and forsaking of sins.
5. Seeing that there is a right and wrong kind of way of covering sin, we must pay very careful attention to God’s way of properly covering sin. That way involves Jesus Christ.

 

Christ saves us by his death[5]

1. Two important foundational truths:
   1. First sacrifice is God’s means of atonement of sin; death is required: “For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood by reason of the life that makes atonement.’” (Leviticus 17:11)
      1. Note the blood is the source of life.
      2. Thus death is required for atonement.
      3. Don’t forget even in the New Testament this truth: “For the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23)
   2. Second animal sacrifices were not truly sufficient: “For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.” (Hebrews 10:4)
   3. Thus we need Christ.
2. “even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.” (John 10:15)
   1. This is Jesus speaking.
   2. Note He talked about Him laying down His life for the sheep.
3. “who gave Himself for our sins so that He might rescue us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father,” (Galatians 1:4)
   1. Note here this is talking about Christ.
   2. What Christ did was “gave Himself for our sins”
   3. The purpose of that is revealed in this verse: “so that He might rescue us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father”
4. Other passages: John 10:18; Romans 5:6-10; 1 Corinthians 5:7; Ephesians 2:13; Hebrews 9:11-14; 10:10-14; 1 Peter 1:18-19; 3:18.
5. What a marvelous truth: “He therefore combines in himself the role of Priest and of sacrifice.”[6]

 

Christ died as our substitute[7]

1. Point: He died on our behalf for our sins.
2. “For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,” (1 Corinthians 15:3)
   1. This chapter focuses on the topic of the resurrection and here it begins with stating he truth that “Christ died for our sins”
   2. Christ dying for our sins is mentioned by Paul as “according to the Scriptures,” but what Scriptures did he have in mind?
   3. It is possible it is these verses that are Messianic prophecies about the Messiah:
      1. “All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; But the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all To fall on Him.” (Isaiah 53:6)
      2. “But the Lord was pleased To crush Him, putting Him to grief; If He would render Himself as a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, And the good pleasure of the Lord will prosper in His hand.” (Isaiah 53:10)
3. “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)
   1. Note this verse mentioned “Christ died for us,” thus He died in our place.
   2. What’s amazing is that Christ died for us “while we were yet sinners”
4. Christ being our substitute means he takes on the curse we deserve: “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”” (Galatians 3:13)
   1. This verse mentioned that Jesus “become a curse for us”
   2. This was done so that “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law”
   3. How did Christ took on the curse? There is an Old Testament law in Deuteronomy 21:23 that one who hangs on a tree is cursed.
   4. Thus “the cross was the appointed way by which Christ became our substitute”[8]
   5. The importance of the Cross can be seen in these verses: 1 Corinthians 1:17-18, Colossians 2:14-15.
5. Other verses on Christ’ substitutionary atonement: John 11:50-52; Hebrews 9:28; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 2:2.

 

What motivated God to plan the Atonement?

1. Motivation #1: His desire to save the lost (Galatians 1:3-4; Luke 19:10)
2. Motivation #2: His love for the lost (Romans 5:8)
3. Motivation #3: His justice which demanded that the law must be fulfilled (Romans 3:24-26)

 

Seven fruits of Christ’s Atonement

1. Fruit # 1: “The Devil is defeated”[9]: John 12:31, Colossians 1:13, 1 John 3:8.
2. Fruit # 2: “Death loses its power”[10]: 1 Corinthians 15:56, 2 Timothy 1:10.
3. Fruit # 3: “The dominion of sin is broken”[11]: Romans 6:13-14.
4. Fruit # 4: “God is propitiated”[12]: Romans 3:25.
5. Fruit # 5: “There has been a change in heaven”[13]: Hebrews 9:23 about a cleansing in heaven.
6. Fruit # 6: “The new covenant in Christ’s blood is put into effect”[14]: Luke 22:20; blood involved in Old Covenant in Exodus 24:5-8 and also New Covenant according to Hebrews 9:14-15.
7. Fruit # 7: God can give the blessings of the New Covenant[15]: “comFor if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion sought for a second. 8 For finding fault with them, He says, “Behold, days are coming, says the Lord, [a]When I will effect a new covenant With the house of Israel and with the house of Judah; 9 Not like the covenant which I made with their fathers On the day when I took them by the hand To lead them out of the land of Egypt; For they did not continue in My covenant, And I did not care for them, says the Lord. 10 “For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel After those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws into their minds, And I will write them on their hearts. And I will be their God, And they shall be My people. 11 “And they shall not teach everyone his fellow citizen, And everyone his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ For all will know Me, From the least to the greatest of them. 12 “For I will be merciful to their iniquities, And I will remember their sins no more.” 13 When He said, “A new covenant,” He has made the first obsolete. But whatever is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to disappear” (Hebrews 8:7-13)
   1. There is now the gift of the ability to follow God’s command: “I will put My laws into their minds, And I will write them on their hearts” ( 10b).
   2. There is the privilege of becoming the people of God: “I will put My laws into their minds, And I will write them on their hearts” (10c)
   3. Assurance: “And they shall not teach everyone his fellow citizen, And everyone his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ For all will know Me, From the least to the greatest of them.” ( 11)
   4. Forgiveness: “For I will be merciful to their iniquities, And I will remember their sins no more.” ( 12)

[1] Roger Weil, Foundations of the Christian Faith, (London: Grace Publication Trust, 2011), 125.

[2] Source: http://drbarrick.org/files/studynotes/Psalms/Ps_032.pdf page 3.

[3] Source: http://drbarrick.org/files/studynotes/Psalms/Ps_032.pdf page 3.

[4] Source: http://drbarrick.org/files/studynotes/Psalms/Ps_032.pdf page 3.

[5] Subtitle and content for this section is from the book: Roger Weil, Foundations of the Christian Faith, (London: Grace Publication Trust, 2011), 130-31.

[6] Roger Weil, Foundations of the Christian Faith, (London: Grace Publication Trust, 2011), 131.

[7] Subtitle and content for this section is from the book: Roger Weil, Foundations of the Christian Faith, (London: Grace Publication Trust, 2011), 131ff.

[8] Roger Weil, Foundations of the Christian Faith, (London: Grace Publication Trust, 2011), 132.

[9] Roger Weil, Foundations of the Christian Faith, (London: Grace Publication Trust, 2011), 137.

[10] Roger Weil, Foundations of the Christian Faith, (London: Grace Publication Trust, 2011), 138.

[11] Roger Weil, Foundations of the Christian Faith, (London: Grace Publication Trust, 2011), 138.

[12] Roger Weil, Foundations of the Christian Faith, (London: Grace Publication Trust, 2011), 138.

[13] Roger Weil, Foundations of the Christian Faith, (London: Grace Publication Trust, 2011), 139.

[14] Roger Weil, Foundations of the Christian Faith, (London: Grace Publication Trust, 2011), 139.

[15] Roger Weil, Foundations of the Christian Faith, (London: Grace Publication Trust, 2011), 139-40.