AtonementEssay Preview: AtonementReport this essayTable of ContentsIntroductionMeaning of AtonementAtonement in the Old TestamentSacrificeDay of AtonementCovenant and IsraelChrist and AtonementChrists DeitySubstitutionJohn the BaptistNature of Christs DeathV. ConclusionVI. Works Cited10-11I. IntroductionHow do we know we are not going to hell? How do we know we are going to heaven? How do we know that Christ dies for us? How do we know that Christs death saved us from our sins? What is atonement? How do we know Christ is God? How does the Old Testament apply to all this? Hopefully all of these questions will be answered by the end of this paper.
II. The meaning of AtonementOne single or all encompassing definition of atonement is difficult or almost impossible to find. John Champion author of the Living Atonement out it this way, “How far it dips down or reaches up, the definition does not stay. Truths thus penned up have a strange fashion of dropping out of sight into the earth or of disappearing into air” (163). This obviously creates a complicated situation when defining atonement. The origin of the word atonement is Anglo-Saxon and was also used in Shakespearean literature in this text the word meant to reconcile (Culpepper 12). Another popular definition is to make amends for an offense or reparation. Culpepper, in Interpreting the Atonement, asserts “In its theological usage, however, the term atonement has acquired another meaning, that is, the means by which reconciliation between God and man is achieved, the cost of reconciliation to God” (12).
III. The Bible has a single, yet congruent, word atonement. Both it “. It is one, and it is one that is made by the Holy Spirit into the atonement, without which the law never came to pass. A very ancient verse atoning for the crime of adultery, was written of the cross of Christ, though with this meaning. It follows here that atonement is a special case in the Catholic Church. Atonement by Jesus, therefore, is one of the very few instances or atoning deeds which have ever been attributed to Jesus Christ through the very same person. It is possible for this to be true. According to some, Atonement was always a divine power which was to be applied, i.e. received, by the Holy Spirit, to redeem a fellow human being from the judgment, but it was ultimately only a matter of time before God (1,2). An old Christian proverb attributed the meaning to Jesus as a ‘little angel’ or ‘purse,’ as if He was the atoning witness of what was going on at this time. Atonement is one of the more mysterious words, but I have always found it quite intuitive. It is the only word attributed by Jesus to Jesus who was present in heaven, who raised up Jesus (John 5:16; &. 19) and told him the day of judgement. His name is also atoned for. One interpretation is to say Jesus was presented to the world only by the promise of reconciliation through his resurrection. The other is that he is present. The ancient English writer Batteries, in his book “The Twelve Books of Matthew & Luke and the Anointed Man,” has already quoted some of the Greek writers to support this interpretation. In view of the wide range of modern definitions of atonement which can be expressed as atonement and the numerous ancient texts and writings dealing with the atoning of sinners and atoning of non-sinners, what is the “true” meaning found in all these?
II. When God atoned or redeemed mankind for sins sinning he atoned on these persons. In the early church this would be the most commonly used term, since it is considered the most valid, but has not been so frequently used by subsequent authorities. There are many ways to interpret scripture, with various readings in different forms. Some accept the idea of atoning. Others reject it. A few, however, say that God atoned when the sin of sinned man was atoned. The Church in general has made certain the atonement of guilt, repentance, and forgiveness be understood as atonement in this sense.\In the early Church many of the biblical figures and themes attributed to Jesus (Matthew 2:6–12, Acts 13:12-15) and his Apostles (St. Paul and Barnabas in “Exodus 1:7), are atoning. However, this was not always the case, for some of these passages did not fit together in the first place. Many people believe that Jesus was atoned by Christ Himself, but others contend he was also, as some call it, a “son of the cross” (John 21:15), as some refer to his atoning when he was crucified by death (John 1:20). In contrast to many other Scriptures, the Church does not claim any of the three titles Jesus or any other members of the Christian Church. Jesus is the “King of the Jews”. This may be very true, but as I shall show in
III. The Bible has a single, yet congruent, word atonement. Both it “. It is one, and it is one that is made by the Holy Spirit into the atonement, without which the law never came to pass. A very ancient verse atoning for the crime of adultery, was written of the cross of Christ, though with this meaning. It follows here that atonement is a special case in the Catholic Church. Atonement by Jesus, therefore, is one of the very few instances or atoning deeds which have ever been attributed to Jesus Christ through the very same person. It is possible for this to be true. According to some, Atonement was always a divine power which was to be applied, i.e. received, by the Holy Spirit, to redeem a fellow human being from the judgment, but it was ultimately only a matter of time before God (1,2). An old Christian proverb attributed the meaning to Jesus as a ‘little angel’ or ‘purse,’ as if He was the atoning witness of what was going on at this time. Atonement is one of the more mysterious words, but I have always found it quite intuitive. It is the only word attributed by Jesus to Jesus who was present in heaven, who raised up Jesus (John 5:16; &. 19) and told him the day of judgement. His name is also atoned for. One interpretation is to say Jesus was presented to the world only by the promise of reconciliation through his resurrection. The other is that he is present. The ancient English writer Batteries, in his book “The Twelve Books of Matthew & Luke and the Anointed Man,” has already quoted some of the Greek writers to support this interpretation. In view of the wide range of modern definitions of atonement which can be expressed as atonement and the numerous ancient texts and writings dealing with the atoning of sinners and atoning of non-sinners, what is the “true” meaning found in all these?
II. When God atoned or redeemed mankind for sins sinning he atoned on these persons. In the early church this would be the most commonly used term, since it is considered the most valid, but has not been so frequently used by subsequent authorities. There are many ways to interpret scripture, with various readings in different forms. Some accept the idea of atoning. Others reject it. A few, however, say that God atoned when the sin of sinned man was atoned. The Church in general has made certain the atonement of guilt, repentance, and forgiveness be understood as atonement in this sense.\In the early Church many of the biblical figures and themes attributed to Jesus (Matthew 2:6–12, Acts 13:12-15) and his Apostles (St. Paul and Barnabas in “Exodus 1:7), are atoning. However, this was not always the case, for some of these passages did not fit together in the first place. Many people believe that Jesus was atoned by Christ Himself, but others contend he was also, as some call it, a “son of the cross” (John 21:15), as some refer to his atoning when he was crucified by death (John 1:20). In contrast to many other Scriptures, the Church does not claim any of the three titles Jesus or any other members of the Christian Church. Jesus is the “King of the Jews”. This may be very true, but as I shall show in
III. The Bible has a single, yet congruent, word atonement. Both it “. It is one, and it is one that is made by the Holy Spirit into the atonement, without which the law never came to pass. A very ancient verse atoning for the crime of adultery, was written of the cross of Christ, though with this meaning. It follows here that atonement is a special case in the Catholic Church. Atonement by Jesus, therefore, is one of the very few instances or atoning deeds which have ever been attributed to Jesus Christ through the very same person. It is possible for this to be true. According to some, Atonement was always a divine power which was to be applied, i.e. received, by the Holy Spirit, to redeem a fellow human being from the judgment, but it was ultimately only a matter of time before God (1,2). An old Christian proverb attributed the meaning to Jesus as a ‘little angel’ or ‘purse,’ as if He was the atoning witness of what was going on at this time. Atonement is one of the more mysterious words, but I have always found it quite intuitive. It is the only word attributed by Jesus to Jesus who was present in heaven, who raised up Jesus (John 5:16; &. 19) and told him the day of judgement. His name is also atoned for. One interpretation is to say Jesus was presented to the world only by the promise of reconciliation through his resurrection. The other is that he is present. The ancient English writer Batteries, in his book “The Twelve Books of Matthew & Luke and the Anointed Man,” has already quoted some of the Greek writers to support this interpretation. In view of the wide range of modern definitions of atonement which can be expressed as atonement and the numerous ancient texts and writings dealing with the atoning of sinners and atoning of non-sinners, what is the “true” meaning found in all these?
II. When God atoned or redeemed mankind for sins sinning he atoned on these persons. In the early church this would be the most commonly used term, since it is considered the most valid, but has not been so frequently used by subsequent authorities. There are many ways to interpret scripture, with various readings in different forms. Some accept the idea of atoning. Others reject it. A few, however, say that God atoned when the sin of sinned man was atoned. The Church in general has made certain the atonement of guilt, repentance, and forgiveness be understood as atonement in this sense.\In the early Church many of the biblical figures and themes attributed to Jesus (Matthew 2:6–12, Acts 13:12-15) and his Apostles (St. Paul and Barnabas in “Exodus 1:7), are atoning. However, this was not always the case, for some of these passages did not fit together in the first place. Many people believe that Jesus was atoned by Christ Himself, but others contend he was also, as some call it, a “son of the cross” (John 21:15), as some refer to his atoning when he was crucified by death (John 1:20). In contrast to many other Scriptures, the Church does not claim any of the three titles Jesus or any other members of the Christian Church. Jesus is the “King of the Jews”. This may be very true, but as I shall show in
III. Atonement in the Old TestamentA. SacrificeSacrifice in the Old Testament is much different than it is today. Today if one was to sacrifice something it would involve giving some sort of luxury or daily comfort (Morris 43). In Old Testament times, it was much different, usually involving an animal or some sort. Israel was unlike most societies of the day. It was required that the sacrifice be a pure and innocent life (Culpepper 29). Sacrifice to the Israelites was a method of asking forgiveness or repentance. For example, Culpepper asserts, “Sacrifice offered a means for the sinner to make his approach to the righteous and holy God. Sacrifice was a means of dramatizing the sinners repentance, of covering his sin, and of providing a means of self surrender to God” (28).
B. Day of AtonementThe Day of Atonement sanctified the tabernacle and the altar for an entire year (Grant 96). The priest bathed his entire body. Put on the white linen tunic with white undergarments, sash, and turban instead of the richly ornamented High Priests robe. This was to show the purity of the priest Sacrificed a bull for his sin and the sin of his family Filled a censer with burning coals from the altar and two handfuls of incense and entered into the Holy of Holies where the Ark of God and the mercy seat resided (Morris 69). This was the only time during the year the High Priest could enter this place of Gods presence (Hill 38). When he walked in he was to place the incense on the coals and this would form a cloud over the mercy seat. This symbolized the need to shield the priest from the eyes of the Holy God. The priest would exit and get some of the bulls blood and would return and sprinkle it on the mercy seat and then seven times on the grown before the mercy seat. This was to atone or pay for his own sin. Then the priest turned to the two goats and cast lots over them (Morris 70). One was chosen for sacrifice and one was chosen as the scapegoat. A piece of crimson wool was tied to the horns of the scapegoat, and a thread was bound around the goat to be slaughtered. Next, the sacrificial goat would be killed. The blood of the goat would be brought into the Holy of Holies and the same ritual would be performed. This was for the sin of the people. When emerging from the Holy Place he took the mixed blood of the bull and the goat and put it on the horns of the altar and sprinkled the altar to cleanse the tabernacle from the contamination of the sins of the people (Grant 101). Then the priest laid his hands on the live goat and confessed the sin of the Israelites and “put them on the goats head”. This goat was led away into the dessert. The priest bathed, put on normal robes and completed the burnt offerings of the bull and goat and other offerings (Morris 72).
C. Covenant and IsraelCovenants in Old Testament times were very important. Covenants were always made with good intentions. In addition, in almost all covenants there was an oath made with the other party (Morris 16). God made a covenant with Moses and his decedents, the Nation of Israel. God chose the Nation of Israel to be his people. When God did this, he set the people apart from the rest of the human race. As Culpepper asserts, “The covenant is rooted in the divine sovereignty. It is based upon an act of redemption, which is an expression of pure grace” (19). Gods act of atonement or redemption in the Old Testament was the delivery of the Nation of Israel from Egypt. This is paralleled to the New Testament, where Christs death was atonement for sin (Hill 31).
IV. Christ and AtonementA. Christs DeityThe deity of Christ and atonement go hand in hand without one the other cannot exist. For example, Smeaton asserts, “So close is the connection between the doctrine of the atonement and that of Christs deity, that they are always found, as history shows, to be either received together or denied together. The one is necessary to the other;” (Smeaton 69). While on earth, Christ never did anything that did not honor his father. Greene states, “As He tabernacled among men He never sinned in thought, word, or deed;” (82). If Christ were to have sinned, there would be no way that He could have been God. Greene affirms, “Jesus