The Essentials with Sarah | The Atonement for Sin (Introduction)

"The atonement is a multifaceted event-Jesus is shown providing surety for our debt to God, mediating the enmity between us and God, and offering Himself as a substitute to suffer God's judgment in our place."  - R. C. Sproul, American Reformed theologian (1939-2017)

How can you fix a broken relationship with someone who was once close? Honestly, close relationships that have been broken, like glass, can be difficult to repair. And even if they are, there's a good chance they'll never be the same again.

In essence, this is the situation we (humanity) found ourselves in after the "original sin" was committed by Adam and Eve in Genesis 3. Up to that point, we had enjoyed an intimate, harmonious relationship with God. 

Their disobedient act caused our inherited state of sinfulness and separation from God. Simply put, all humans are born with a sinful nature. And it is this propensity towards sinfulness that separates us from God.

Thus, it is paramount that we grasp the concept of our separation from God due to sin. Furthermore, it makes sense that we would want to repair and restore our connection with God. 

For obvious reasons, this is something beyond our own meager capabilities. Nothing short of a "propitiatory sacrifice" could appease God. We needed help to do this. Only a savior would meet or satisfy this need.

Here is where God stepped in. According to Christian theology, God sacrificed his son, Jesus, to "atone," or make amends, for our sins and provide a way forward to redemption and eternal life, exhibiting His compassion and mercy. 

To wrap our heads around this, let's pause and briefly the act of making amends (atonement) for sins in the OT. The blood of an animal, through animal sacrifice, was symbolically offered to God to cover sins.

In an annual ritual, The Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), the high priest would present sacrifices for the sins of the entire nation of Israel. These were intended to rectify the people, or put them right, with God.

(The concept of "atonement" in Hebrew is primarily expressed by the verb "kappar" (כפר), which means "to cover" or "to atone for," and the noun "kippur" (כיפור), meaning "atonement" or "covering.")

Animal sacrifices were also used as a way to cleanse the temple of sins, thereby restoring a relationship with God. The high priest would sprinkle the blood of the sacrifices in important areas of the temple (e.g., the Holy of Holies), to "atone" for Israel's sins.

As I am sure you are aware, this is by no means a comprehensive examination of “atonement.” Further study of the subject is strongly advised to further your knowledge of the subject.

In order to present the material in an informative yet understandable manner, I thought it best to divide this topic into two sections: the Old Testament and the New Testament. We've briefly discussed “atonement” in the OT here.

At our next session, we will examine “atonement” in the New Testament. I hope that you've found this introduction to "The Atonement for Sin" beneficial to your study of the Scriptures, and am looking forward to our next discussion! 

Scripture: Leviticus 6:8-13, 14-23, 24-30; 7:1-6, 11-34

Prayer: Dear Lord, I pray for forgiveness of all my sins. Wash me clean with your precious blood and restore your grace to me. Amen.

May you always feel God's love,

Sarah