The Reality of the Atonement
Atonement:
81X in the Bible
Extinguishing of the guilt; satisfaction or reparation made by giving an equivalent for an injury, or by doing or suffering that which is received in satisfaction for an offense or injury.
When it comes to the cost of sin
• the average person probably thinks in terms of
• “What can I get away with?”
• rather than “What does this cost me and other people?”
Jonah 1:1–5 AV
1 Now the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying,
2 Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me.
3 But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD.
4 But the LORD sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken.
5 Then the mariners were afraid, and cried every man unto his god, and cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to lighten it of them. But Jonah was gone down into the sides of the ship; and he lay, and was fast asleep.
• These calculations aren’t made in terms of life and death, but that is literally the case when it comes to sin.
The Day of Atonement
is an illustration of this:
It takes three innocent animals to deal with the people’s sin:
- one to purify the high priest and his family
- one to be a sin offering to the Lord
- that purifies the place where He symbolically dwelt (the holy of holies)
- one to be sent into the wilderness to remove the people’s transgressions (Scapegoat).
The blood of the first two animals is spilled on the Day of Atonement—
demonstrating the purification of God’s people
—the final goat demonstrates God’s desire to completely rid the people of their sin.
Leviticus 16:21 AV
21 And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness:
The Day of Atonement symbolized God’s desire for His people:
That one day, sin would no longer stand between God and His children.
Like the goat, Jesus takes the people’s iniquities
Isaiah 53:12 AV
12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
• Jesus fulfills this prophecy, by becoming the ultimate ransom; no other sacrifice is ever needed.
Hebrews 10:11–12 AV
11 And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins:
12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;
We need to take our Sin more seriously that we do
We know that the Bible promises us:
• Forgiveness
1 John 1:9 AV
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
• Eternal Security
1 John 5:13 AV
13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.
- but that does not negate the cost(s) associated with our Sin.
- The Lord is very serious when it comes to how we present ourselves to Him.
- We should be very serious as well
The price of sin is great
The price has been paid for you…
In what ways do you take Jesus’ sacrifice for granted?
What can you do differently?
