Biblical Essays
ATONEMENT
The testimony of Holy Scripture is clear, explicit and abundant pertaining to the grand cardinal truth that atonement is by the shedding of blood. The coats of skin made for Adam and Eve by the Lord God were procured from dead victims. The “more excellent sacrifice” of Abel consisted of blood and fat; so also in the history of Noah in Genesis 8 and in the history of Abraham in Genesis 15. In Egypt, Israel was screened from judgment by the blood of the paschal lamb, as we read, “when I see the blood, I will pass over you” (Ex. 12). The whole book of Leviticus is one great stream swelling the tide of evidence on this vital question. The burnt offering, peace offering, sin offering and trespass offering were all based on blood-shedding. See also that famous passage in Leviticus 17: “The life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls, for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul” (v. 11).
There are many proofs on this subject in Holy Scripture, but in this brief essay we will offer only two passages from the New Testament, leaving the reader to personally complete the chain of evidence. “And almost all things are by the law purged with blood: and without shedding of blood is no remission” (Heb. 9:22); “Unto Him that loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood” (Rev. 1:5, 9 with Acts 20:28). These passages speak for themselves. We desire to bow in reverent submission to the authority of Holy Scripture. We do not want to reason or argue. “Thus saith the Lord” is amply sufficient for us.
Considering John 1:29 and 1 John 2:2 is important one. It will help us to distinguish between Christ as the propitiation for the whole world and as the substitute for His people. The two goats in Leviticus 16 typify Him in these two aspects of His work. The Lord’s lot fell upon one. This was Christ the propitiation. The people’s lot fell upon the other. This was Christ the substitute. John 1:29 refers to the former – “The Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world.” See also Hebrews 9:26. Christ did a work on the cross in virtue of which every trace of sin shall yet be obliterated from the whole creation. The full result of this work will not be seen until the new heavens and new earth shines forth as the eternal abode of righteousness. It is in virtue of Christ’s propitiatory work that God has been dealing in mercy and goodness with the world and with man from the Fall down to the present moment. He has sent His sunshine and His rain upon the earth. He has filled men’s hearts with food and gladness. He has been dealing in patience and longsuffering with the human family. And it is in virtue of the same propitiatory sacrifice that the evangelist goes forth with a world-wide Gospel for the ears of every creature under heaven.
The evangelist cannot go and tell every creature that Christ died as his substitute, but he can tell him that He died as a propitiation; and when, through grace, the soul truly accepts the Lord Jesus Christ, he can learn the further calming truth that He died as a substitute and bore all his sins in His own body on the tree. See Hebrews 9:28: “So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many” – all His people. In verse 26 we read, “He hath appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.” Christ is never said to have borne the sins of the world. Such is the false doctrine of universalism. He bore the sins of His people, and He has done a work in virtue of which every trace of sin shall yet be abolished throughout the wide universe of God.
These distinctions are of the utmost importance. Scripture maintains them. Theology confounds them, and, as a result, confounds souls.
1 Peter 2:24 refers to the whole of Christ’s sacrificial work. It is a quotation from Isaiah 53. The Septuagint version renders the word “stripe” by a singular noun. The atoning work of Christ is set forth in various ways throughout Scripture – “Death,” “Blood shedding,” “Stripes,” “Cross,” etc. There is always a distinct object in the use of any particular term.
