Forgiveness from God: Three Understandings of the Atonement
What was God doing on the cross? The question is more than a good book title (authored by evangelical Alister E. McGrath). It constitutes a search for understanding of one of the crucial events of human history, perhaps the crucial event. The entire New Testament focuses on the death, burial, and resurrection, events leading up to and flowing from it, its theological significance and ethical implications. We will focus on the deep significance of the atonement, as explained from three perspectives: the dynamic, subjective, and objective views. Dynamic view
The dynamic view sees Christ's death and resurrection as the climax of a cosmic conflict with Satan and the demonic forces of evil. Christ came as the Second Adam (Romans 5:18-19), winning the contest that Adam failed. He also came as the new Israel, faithfully keeping submitting to God instead of to Satan as the first Israel had done (Matthew 2:15; 4:4; etc.). Immediately after His baptism, the Spirit "drove" (Greek: ekballei) Him into the wilderness so that He might confront Satan (Mark 1:12). His victory there was only one of what must have been many battles, for Luke records that Satan left Him until "an opportune time” (Luke 4:13). During His ministry Jesus offered His ability to cast out demons as a demonstration that He was stronger than Satan. Although He described Satan as a "strong man," He claimed the ability to "bind" the strong man and despoil his possessions (i.e., those who were demon-possessed). His ability to cast out demons “by the finger of God" He presented as proof of the arrival of God's kingdom on earth (Luke 12:20-22). Jesus got His disciples involved in the warfare; their successful preaching, healing, and exorcism mission He afterward described as the fall of Satan from heaven (Luke 10:18). Satan was behind the betrayal of Jesus by Judas (John 13:2, 27), his abandonment by the other apostles (Luke 22:31-32), as well as his trial and murder (John 8:40-41, 44). Jesus recognized Satan as His principal enemy, and even before His death, He was so confident of victory that He spoke of it as a fait accompli (John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11, 32). The moment before His death Christ Himself uttered the triumphant words, “It is finished” (John 19:30; compare Luke 12:50). The glorious resurrection is proof that His death was a victory and not a defeat (Revelation 3:21). In his confrontation with false teaching at Colossae, Paul presents the cross and resurrection as a triumph over spiritual enemies. The Colossians were in danger of being deceived by a syncretistic blend of Judaistic legalism, Hellenistic philosophy, and Eastern mysticism. Apparently the heretical teachers were not advocating a rejection of Jesus, but they denied Him the primacy in favor of intermediary beings. "Go beyond Jesus Christ to greater realities," they might have taught. Paul replies that there is nothing beyond Jesus Christ, in whom God’s fullness dwells. He it is Who "disarmed the powers and authorities, [making] a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross" (Colossians 2:15). Not only did Christ conquer Satan, demons, principalities, and powers. He also conquered death (Acts 2:24; Revelation 5:5-6). Paul uses militaristic terms to discuss the resurrection, e.g., “destroyed” and “victory” (1 Corinthians 15:24-26, 54-56). Because Christ has triumphed as our representative, we share in His triumph (hence the super-conquerors of Romans 8:37). In Ephesians 4:8 Paul applies Psalm 68:19 to Christ’s triumph, picturing Christ as a conquering general returning to Rome for a victory parade: “When he ascended on high, he led captives in his train and gave gifts to men.” The ensuing passage explains that the gifts He gave are the offices for building up the church. The captives are bypassed, but Colossians 2:15 seems a fitting commentary. In 2 Corinthians 2:14, Paul says that "God... always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him." In this case the apostles (see 1 Corinthians 4:9), and perhaps all Christians, are probably among those following along behind—themselves conquered, and yet joyously sharing in the victory celebration. Our struggle against Satan and demonic forces continues (Ephesians 6:12). Because He is victorious, we also can be victorious (Revelation 3:21; 1 John 2:14-15; 4:4; 5:4-5). Subjective view
It is true that we are the subjects of His daring rescue (Colossians 1:13-14), but we also participate. This is the subjective nature of the atonement: it transforms us. When we are united with Christ through faith-repentance-baptism, God's Spirit begins the process of transforming us from one degree of glory to another (2 Corinthians 3:18). The Spirit, Himself the guarantee that this beginning will reach its intended end (Ephesians 1:13-14}, begins to produce His fruit in our hearts (Galatians 5:22-23) as we cooperate by "walking in the Spirit" and being "led by the Spirit" (Romans 8:4, 14; Galatians 5:16). The metamorphosis is not automatic; it takes constant mental concentration as we count ourselves dead to sin and alive to God (Romans 6:11). It also requires continual moral striving, as we refuse to let sin dominate us, yielding the members of our bodies to righteousness instead of to sin (Romans 6:12-13). It is a battle we fight, yet Paul assures us, "[S]in will have no dominion over you" (Romans 6:14). The struggle leads to holiness and the end is eternal life (Romans 6:22). When Christ returns, at the eschaton, the Spirit will have performed His work in us: "[W]e shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is" (1 John 3:2). Though this is work that changes us from within and in which we ourselves participate, the credit still belongs to God, because it is His work being done in us and through us. He is the one that will bring it to completion on that day (Philippians 1:6). Meanwhile, we image Christ in this world. He was our representative in the cosmic conflict; we are His representatives in the existential struggle against the world, the flesh, and the Devil. Objective view
Yet Christ's death is more than what he did for (hyper) us (see Mark 14:24; Luke 22:19-20) and what he does in (en) us (see Colossians 1:27). It also involves what He did instead of (anti) us (see Matthew 20:28; Mark 10:45)—-the objective view of the atonement. In fact, many believe that the substitutionary nature of the atonement is the most important aspect of all. Several types of the substitutionary atonement come from Genesis. The word used in 1 John 3:12 to describe Cain’s murder of his brother is the word for “slaughter” (Greek: esphaxen), as in the offering of a sacrifice. This has led some to view the world’s first murder, recorded in Genesis 4:8, as the offering of a substitute sacrifice. In effect, Cain may have said, “So, You didn’t like my vegetables as an offering? Let’s see how You like THIS! (slash).” The murder certainly involved the shedding of his brother’s blood, for it cried out from the ground against the perpetrator (Genesis 4:10). When the angel stops Abraham from stabbing Isaac to death, Abraham finds a ram caught in a nearby thicket that he can offer in place of (Septuagint: anti) his son (Genesis 22:12-13). The passage assumes that some sacrifice must be offered, and the one is replaced by the other. More than a hundred years later, when Joseph’s testing of his brothers created a crisis situation involving the enforced servitude of Benjamin, Judah stepped forward and freely offered himself as a substitute for his brother (Genesis 44:18-34, especially not the Septuagint’s use of anti in v. 33). In this case also, some substitute had to be provided. There was no possibility of mere escape from the demands of the master. Yet all three of these are one-for-one substitutions, just like the “eye-for-eye” provisions of the Law. Christ’s sacrifice (one for many) is more like the sin offering in behalf of all the people or the sacrifice of the goat on the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 4:13-21; 16:15-19). He is the “atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours, but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:2). He is the “Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world” (John 1:29). One for the world? How can that be just? Its justice depends on the identity of the Sacrifice. A single human deserves infinite punishment because of sins. Adding the punishment of another human adds no more than was there already (for infinity plus infinity equals infinity). The same is true for “the sins of the [whole] world.” The slaughter of the Infinite One for these sins beings one infinity into contact with the other—just payment. Our sins brought us under the curse of the law, but Christ became a curse for us by hanging on the tree (Galatians 3:10-14). Because of Christ's death, God was able to effect what Luther called a "happy exchange": we were the subjects of God's just condemnation, the objects of His righteous wrath, but the sinless Christ became “sin” for us, so that we might become God's righteousness by Him (2 Corinthians 5:21). God established Him as the propitiation, the appeasement, so that the all-consuming fire of His wrath might be diverted to Him instead of destroying the rest of us humans (Romans 3:25). As Isaiah said, "The LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all" (Isaiah 53:6). Must we choose?
Dynamic, subjective, and objective—must we choose between them? No! By its very nature the atonement is greater than any one metaphor or perspective can contain. We must always be answering, "Yes, and much more besides." Like astronomers surveying the universe, the more we study it, the more vast it becomes. Our inability to fully comprehend its dimensions does not nullify what we can understand, nor does it rob us of the amazement we sense at what we know was accomplished. * * *Copyright ©2006 Steve SingletonSteve Singleton has written and edited several books and numerous articles. He has been an editor, reporter, and public relations consultant. He has taught college-level Greek, Bible, and religious studies courses and has taught seminars in 11 states and the Caribbean. Go to his DeeperStudy.com for Bible study resources, no matter what your level of expertise. Explore "The Shallows," plumb "The Depths," or use the well-organized "Study Links" for original sources in English translation. Check out the DeeperStudy Bookstore for great e-books, free books, and great discounts. Subscribe to his free "DeeperStudy Newsletter" or "DeeperStudy Blog." |
Other Betting Exchange Articles
A Regular NBA Season After a break in the summer, basketball-training camps begin in October. During this time, coaches decide which players to add to the twelve person active roster. Following training camp there is a series of preseason exhibition games. The regular season for the NBA starts in the first week of November.Over the course of a regular season, ...Understanding Negative Amortization and Your Mortgage Buying a property is a tremendous wealth building strategy for most Americans. If you are not careful, however, the strategy can go bad because of negative amortization issues.Understanding Negative Amortization and Your MortgageThe United States has a strong middle class, which makes the country one of the wealthier in the world. ...Asian Gambling Basics Gambling became popular in China in the last phase of the imperial dynasty i.e. from 1644 to 1912. Canton, Macao, Shanghai and Hong Kong became the famous for their liquor and gambling. These areas inhabited foreigners, usually Americans, who were known to be rough. Moreover, majority of these inhabitants were males. Chinese natives indulged in ...Universal Secrets of Turning Adversity Into Possibilities The secret is this: Napoleon Hill once said "Every adversity carries within it the seed of equal or greater benefit."If in the midst of great pain, discouragement or heartbreak you seek that seed and fertilize it, you will eventually overcome adversity and turn it into a university of possibilities.Think about it. The universe is g ...Now is the Time for Online DVD Rental Is it a good time to get into online DVD rental? I wonder because there are so many out there. Companies seem to come out every day with a new online DVD rental program. However, the way I look at it, this is a great time to get in the game as a consumer. The competition to be the cheapest and most efficient online DVD company is fierce right no ...Ignorance Is No Longer Bliss There was a time not so long ago, when the most important thing you had to worry about was getting your tax return in on time or what to get everybody for ChristmasNot these days. As communication capacity increases we are becoming more and more a global community. Now, I have to concern myself withminimizing bank fees;the ...An Iranian Foreign Film Fails To Promote Real Understanding Children of Heaven is an Iranian movie with subtitles about a boy who accidentally loses his sister’s worn out shoes after being sent to get them repaired, and must share his own worn out sneakers with her in a sort of relay while each attends school at different times during the day.He bargains with his sister not to tell his fathe ...Video Poker - Best Strategy The table below gives a basic drawing strategy for a Jacks or Better machine (the best kind). There is a perfect draw for every possible combination of cards dealt to you, but that strategy is far too complicated for this article and for the casual player.This basic drawing strategy only give up a few tenths of a percent over a perfect ...Trading Software – Profit Machines or Losers? Thousands of people every day trade on the worlds stock markets, with the majority now using software to aid them, but does it help them make more money?This software is known as a ‘bot’, short for robot, but it is only ever as good as the user. If the user does not know how to trade successfully on his own in the first place then he is u ...Films - Black Rain Nick, played by Michael Douglas, is a New York City cop riding his motorcycle on his way to work. He meets his police partner Charlie, played by Andy Garcia, at the station. They both been given the task by their superior to escort a Japanese assassin named Sato, played by Yusaku Matsuda, back to Osaka, Japan.The flight is smooth and pe ...Fraudulent Sports Books It’s one thing to have to beat the odds; it’s another to have to beat the book. Betting sports online is a fun and entertaining activity, but danger looms around the corner. Most sports bettors constantly seek out new sports books to play at and to use for line comparisons. However, not all sports books are legitimate—as you can imagine. How ...Earn Risk Free Profits With Arbitrage Trading Arbitrage trading is a well-unknown thing. Not many people know about arbitrage trading or how amazing it is. Arbitrage trading can earn a very good stream of income. Imagine taking $200 and turning it into $1000 in a month. Sounds good doesn’t it. Well with arbitrage trading you can do exactly that.Arbitrage trading is taking two bookkee ...Casino Bonuses Explained There is a lot of competition in the online gambling market today. Each day, new casinos form, old ones regroup and change owners, and the supply is nearly endless.When a player is looking to choose in which casino to play, he (or she), has many different factors to consider:• Do I like the look of the casino? • Does it have th ...New Legislation Seeks to Halt Internet Wagering in the U.S. President Bush has signed into law new legislation seeking to halt online gambling by making it illegal to transfer funds for the purposes of internet gaming. The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act gives teeth to the administration’s censure of online gaming sites in the absence of an outright ban.What the Act Does ..."The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" - Einstein Would Have Loved It! In the popular movie “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe”, author C.S. Lewis created the imaginary land of Narnia, where 4 children encounter time travel and discover the forces of both good and evil, and take a much greater part in that battle than they had ever dreamed possible.Set during World War 2, four siblings Lucy, Peter, Susan ...Secrets of Universal Laws in our Daily Lives PART ONE Cosmic and Universal Laws rule our lives whether we are aware of this fact or not. These are spiritual laws that we live with every day of our lives. As one example is the Law of Cycles. There are shorter cycles and longer cycles. In plants, for example, we plant a seed, which takes its own time to grow. Under certain favorable conditions, it gr ...Using Arbitrage Trading to Make Money From Home In today’s world anymore you need to work two jobs. You need a part time job, and a full time job. The problem with this though is that it doesn’t allow you to have much time to do the things we should really be doing in life. Spending time with our kids, taking family vacations, buying a new home or car, and so much more. If you are anything li ...
|
