salvation

Word of the Week: Atonement

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.

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

Word of the Week: Sovereignty

Here in the USA we don’t use the word sovereign a lot. Our founding is part of the reason. After winning the war for independence, we cast off the rule of England’s monarchy and set out to form a representative government. As such, we have a president not a king.

In fact, today is Inauguration Day for our country. The political turmoil of the last year has been difficult. The divide in our country is great and frustrations are high. I know that many are concerned about the efficacy of this past election. Many are concerned about the direction of our country under a new president. Many are concerned about our country given the character of the candidates in this election and previous elections. I’ve written on some of these subjects before: Where is Your Hope? and Of Presidential Debates and Hoping for Something More.

While not always the case, today’s word of the week intersects with Inauguration Day. Whatever your concerns about the state of our nation, the direction of our policies, and what it means for us, I’m asking that you remember Jesus alone is sovereign.

The word sovereign means someone having supreme authority or power. My friends, Jesus alone claims this title.

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.”

Matthew 28:18

As a theological term, sovereignty undergirds God’s rule in the world and his oversight in salvation. It is God alone that saves. It is God’s prerogative to elect, redeem, and forgive.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him.

Ephesians 1:3-4

 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time

1 Peter 1:3-5

But God’s sovereignty extends beyond theology. Jesus declared that he has all authority in heaven and on earth. While we await a future return of Christ, Jesus reigns right now from heaven over the affairs of men.

Jesus’ present and future reign means that we can trust him (no matter the political situations), and that we must seek him (no matter our personal limitations and lack).

What does God’s sovereignty mean today for Christians on Inauguration Day? Here are some truths that we should keep in mind. It would do you well to make time to read the Scriptures with these truths.

  • Trust that Jesus is in control (Mt. 28:18). Nothing that has happened in the world is outside the sovereign rule of King Jesus.
  • Seek first Jesus and his kingdom (Mt. 6:33). Our responsibility is not to worry or fret, but to seek God’s kingdom and righteousness on earth. This expectation doesn’t change even though political leaders change.
  • Pray for our political leaders (1 Timothy 2:1-7). Our prayers for kings and leaders need to be about God’s will and freedom to preach the good news. Our mission doesn’t change no matter what else changes.
  • Submit to governing leaders (1 Peter 2:13-17). As believers we can certainly promote our values and participate in the political process. But in living as free people under Christ, we must not act in ways that are violent or harmful. Our testimony of goodness promotes the glory of God.
  • Know how the story ends (Revelation 21:11-16). If you participate in the political process long enough, your candidate is going to lose. Guess what? As Christians, we are going to win.

Let me close this blogpost with some of the greatest words ever written about the sovereign rule of King Jesus. This is Psalm 2, penned by King David of Israel 3,000 years ago. May they encourage you, like they’ve encouraged me.

Why do the nations rage
    and the peoples plot in vain?
The kings of the earth set themselves,
    and the rulers take counsel together,
    against the Lord and against his Anointed, saying,
“Let us burst their bonds apart
    and cast away their cords from us.”

He who sits in the heavens laughs;
    the Lord holds them in derision.
Then he will speak to them in his wrath,
    and terrify them in his fury, saying,
“As for me, I have set my King
    on Zion, my holy hill.”

I will tell of the decree:
The Lord said to me, “You are my Son;
    today I have begotten you.
Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage,
    and the ends of the earth your possession.
You shall break them with a rod of iron
    and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.”

Now therefore, O kings, be wise;
    be warned, O rulers of the earth.
Serve the Lord with fear,
    and rejoice with trembling.
Kiss the Son,
    lest he be angry, and you perish in the way,
    for his wrath is quickly kindled.
Blessed are all who take refuge in him.

Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash