3rd February 2012

God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished – he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.[Romans 3:25-26]

At the heart of all we believe is an incredibly profound and yet very simple action. Jesus makes substitutionary atonement for us. Two words brought together to make it possible for us to experience the saving knowledge of God:

ATONEMENT – paying a price for doing wrong

This  idea of paying a price for wrongdoing is called “atonement” in the Bible.  Atonement is satisfying the demands for justice when a crime has been committed. If you speed and you get caught – you pay! If you dodge your taxes and you get caught - you pay!

SUBSTITUTION

Those of us who follow sport (particularly football) know this principle. A substitute is someone who takes the place of another. Often to do what the first cannot do.

Putting these two words together enables us to understand the concept of someone else taking our place to pay our fine.

This principle has played out throughout biblical history. It’s  God’s plan for the salvation of the world and the restoration of all things.

Check out the Substitutionary Atonement Timeline:

• Genesis 3:21. After eating the fruit from the tree in the garden, Adam and Eve hide from God. It’s as if the whole of creation is waiting to see what God will do.  He has said that they would die – will he suspend his judgement? God takes an animal skin (he kills an animal) and covers Adam and Eve’s shame.
• Exodus. People are sinning against God  – God judges with an Angel of death -God provides a Substitute Lamb who gets killed
• Sacrificial System. Several times a year, the priest would say, “We all know we’ve all sinned, and it’s atonement time. So either you can bear the price of your own sin and receive the judgment of God yourself, or you can go out into your herd and get a lamb. Then come and put the lamb on the altar;  God will allow the lamb to take the hit instead of you having to satisfy the demands of justice.” So people did.
• The prophet Isaiah, 700 years before Christ,  describes what the Messiah – Substitute Atoner will do. In his prophecy, he says these words: “There’s coming a day where He will be wounded for our transgressions. He will be bruised for our iniquity, and God will lay upon Him the iniquity of us all.” There’s coming a day when God is going to provide the ultimate substitutionary atoner. There’s coming a day!
• The Lamb of God. One day Jesus (when he was about 30 years old) came to hear John the Baptist give a message. John:  ’ “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” He will be the ultimate substitutionary atoner for the sins of the whole world.’ He’s the one!  Jesus:  ”I’m the lamb of God.”

Then on a Friday, Jesus had a cross strapped on his back, and he carried it up to a hill. Nails were pounded through his hands and feet. As he died, Jesus said “It is Finished’”, by which he meant ‘The full atonement has now been made. All of the sins of everybody in the world have now been atoned for.’

The ultimate substitute paid the atoning price for the sins of the world.

HOW COOL IS THAT!

Thank your Heavenly Father for his audacious plan.

KM