salvation

Jesus’ Atoning Work on the Cross

As we enter Jesus’ Passion on our calendars celebrating Palm Sunday, March 29 and Easter, April 5, let’s remember what Jesus did when he went to the cross.

On more occasions than I can count I have uttered the sentence, “Jesus died for our sins.” That Jesus died for our sins is the crux of the gospel. The glory of that sentence, “Jesus died for our sins” is even more meaningful than we often imagine. Jesus’ death atoned for our sins.

The atonement is a theological term meaning the satisfaction of divine justice in Jesus’ act of obedience on the cross.

Theological liberalism is embarrassed by the concept of divine wrath against sin and has avoided a theologically robust definition of the atonement. As Christians, we must grasp the truth of the atonement to better understand the glory of our salvation.

The Bible teaches the penal substitutionary view of the atonement. Don’t be intimidated by these terms. Penal means that we are sinful, and that our sins deserve punishment. Substitutionary means that Jesus took our place when he atoned for our sins by taking the punishment we deserve.

In his excellent book, The Cross of Christ, John Stott underscored the importance of this doctrine.

All inadequate doctrines of the atonement are due to inadequate doctrines of God and humanity. If we bring God down to our level and raise ourselves to his, then of course we see no need for a radical salvation, let alone for a radical atonement to secure it. When, on the other hand, we have glimpsed the blinding glory of the holiness of God and have been so convicted of our sin by the Holy Spirit that we tremble before God and acknowledge that we are, namely “hell-deserving sinners,” then and only then does the necessity of the cross appear so obvious that we are astonished we never saw it before.

Stott, Cross, 111

The biblical doctrine of the atonement reminds us of three staggering truths that are deeper than we will ever fully grasp this side of eternity.

  1. God is more holy than we imagine.
  2. We are more sinful than we think.
  3. Jesus loves us more deeply than we deserve.

Only a grasp of what Jesus did on the cross—the doctrine of substitutionary atonement—can prevent spiritual distortions. . . . Only this doctrine keeps us from thinking God is mainly holy with some love or mainly loving with some holiness—but instead [he] is both holy and loving equally, interdependently. Only this view of God makes the spoiled or the neglected into the healthy and the loved.

Tim Keller

The atonement emphasizes God’s wrath against sin. The Bible is full of divine judgment against sin. From Adam and Eve being kicked out of the Garden, to the flood, to the plagues on Egypt, to the 40 years of wilderness wanderings, to the judgments and exiles upon Israel, to the cross, and through to the judgments described in the book of Revelation, the Bible is a book that declares judgment. Why does God judge so often? Well, God is supremely holy. He is more holy than we can imagine, and his standard for humanity is absolute perfection and holiness.

The other reason the Bible describes God’s judgments so often is that we are sinful. We are more sinful than we’d like to admit. Our motivations, desires, and longings are sinful. Our actions and dreams and words and ways are sinful. We are sinful.

Our sin deserves judgment. Thus, the cross and the penal substitutionary atonement. Jesus took our place, received in his body the punishment for our sins, and satisfied God’s wrath against sin (penal substitutionary atonement). Jesus’ death on the cross shouts loudly the staggering love of God for sinners.

At the cross in holy love God through Christ paid the full penalty of our disobedience himself. He bore the judgment we deserve in order to bring us the forgiveness we do not deserve. On the cross divine mercy and justice were equally expressed and eternally reconciled. God’s holy love was ‘satisfied.‘

Stott, Cross, 91.

What do we do with this glorious theological truth?

  • Meditate on the holiness of God.
  • Thank God for sending Jesus to take your place.
  • Worship God for the depth of his love.
  • Love God because he so loved you.
  • Follow Christ with your life because this is the only appropriate response to the atonement.

Photo by Luis Vidal on Unsplash

A Year In Review…

As we are about to finish out another year, have you reviewed your year? Companies, business owners, churches, and individuals all take time to review how things are going. We ask ourselves questions like:

  • Was 2023 a year of growth, stagnation, or decline?
  • How are things going?
  • What do we anticipate for 2024?

These reviews are normal and to a great degree necessary given the importance of strategy and planning. But too often I’m afraid our focus on progress, numbers, strategy, planning, or just getting by puts our attention on the wrong things in evaluation and review.

As we finish out 2023, here are some questions for how we can assess ourselves spiritually: Am I looking to Christ? Have I examined my soul and spiritual condition? Do I have a long-view of my life and the kingdom of God?

Question 1: Am I looking to Christ?

38 Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. 39 And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. 40 But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” 41 But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, 42 but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”

Luke 10:38-42

This is the upward assessment. In Luke 10, Jesus visits Martha and Mary. Martha is busy with a great many things (hosting guests). Does this sound familiar? Mary was seated at her Lord’s feet learning from him. Now, Jesus is not simply criticizing hospitality and hosting. Nor is he specifically calling out activity, serving, or even busyness. Rather, he’s putting them in their place. The most important thing we can ever do is to spend time with Jesus. Am I listening to Christ through his Word? Am I spending time with Christ in prayer and fellowship? Am I worshiping Christ privately and corporately? Jesus said “one thing is necessary.” That one thing is walking in relationship with him. As you close out 2023 and make plans for 2024, plan and structure your life to look to Christ daily, weekly, consistently.

Question 2: Have I examined my soul and spiritual condition?

5 Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test! 6 I hope you will find out that we have not failed the test. 

2 Corinthians 13:5-6

This is the inward assessment. In writing his second letter to the church at Corinth, Paul was not afraid to challenge his readers to examine their spiritual lives. He was not trying to create a sense of fear or stir up doubt. Rather, Paul reminds believers that absolutely nothing matters more than being in Christ and having Christ in you. This is Paul’s way of repeating question number one. So Paul tells us to examine ourselves. Do we have faith? Are we walking with Christ? Is Christ our focus, our goal, our end? These are good questions for us to ask ourselves regularly. Self-examination is not intended to bring shame and self-loathing, but rather encouragement and a refocusing on Christ.

Question 3: Do I have a long-view of my life and the kingdom of God?

“Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
10 Your kingdom come,
your will be done,
    on earth as it is in heaven.

Matthew 6:9-10

But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Matthew 6:33

This is the outward assessment. Sometimes, we evaluate our lives moments, minutes, hours, days, or weeks at a time. That is understandable. But it is short-sighted. God’s view of the world and his rule of the world through his kingdom is patient and certain. God’s work in our world to bring about salvation was thousands of years in the making. From Isaiah’s prophetic announcements to Christ’s first advent was more than 700 years. God gave his people the Promised Land more than 1,000 years before sending the Messiah. And since Christ’s first advent, it has been more than 2,000 years that the gospel of Christ’s death and resurrection have spread throughout the earth. God’s kingdom is still advancing through the spread of his gospel. God has given us our mission to lead our neighbors and the nations to follow him. It is the authority of God through Christ (Mt. 28:18) that commands us to make disciples. So we should be living under Christ’s authority and proclaiming his gospel day by day, year by year. This is a long-view of life and the kingdom of God. Are we seeking first the kingdom of God? Are we praying for his kingdom and righteousness in our lives? Are we living for what lasts?

During the new year at Wilkesboro Baptist, we’re going to give consideration to God’s kingdom and God’s future work in the world. On Sunday mornings later in January we will begin a sermon series on the “Good News of the Kingdom of God” and how God is ruling in our world. On Wednesday evenings during our Bible study time, we will explore the doctrine of eschatology (last things). These subjects will help us consider whether or not we are living for what lasts.

Photo by Aiden Frazier on Unsplash